Wednesday, January 29th

Today, we spent the whole day at the Jardín Infantil, which has children ages 2 to 6. Throughout the day, we met with 6 different classes for 30 to 40 minutes doing several activities. We played on the playground, drew on the sidewalk with chalk, read books, and led parachute activities. One thing that jumped out at us was the location of the school. As we were driving to the school, we observed the surroundings that included stray animals, trash filled streets, polluted air, the smell of garbage, and the squatter neighborhoods. Even though the school is a beautiful and joy filled environment, one step outside brings you back to the harsh reality of the dump. Despite the cruel living conditions, the children were full of happiness, enthusiasm, and love. Because of their positive attitudes, it was easy to forget what their lives are like outside of the school. While we were on the playground with the children, immediate connections were made. The minute we made eye contact, the children never hesitated to run into our arms, even before we exchanged names. From this we learned that the children can be so happy regardless of their situations, while back in America, we can get so caught up with meaningless things. It was so rewarding when the two year old children came in crying, but soon after warmed right up to us. Their gratuity towards us was extremely evident with their constant remarks of thanks, "gracias". The hugs between us and the children brought a mutual abundance of love, warmth, and appreciation. Their smiles melted our hearts. It was so hard to say goodbye to them knowing what they were going home to. Their teacher, Shannon, explained how every child is exposed to abuse, whether it be physical or emotional. However, she is working hard to change this, as she holds meetings with the mothers to try to help them understand the damage of abuse. It is a major relief knowing that such an amazing organization exists and what a difference it is making. Thank you Hanley!

Emily and Lynnea