I’ve wanted to do this post for a long time but it seems like there is always something else that takes priority. So I did it, this afternoon I decided to take some time to go back through my old photographs and recount on some of the highlights of those months I spent living amongst orphans.
I can honestly say that they were both the most challenging and yet the most rewarding 4 months of my life. Somedays I wished terribly I could go back home where it was clean, safe, comfortable, I could have real milk with my breakfast, a yogurt, a slice of meat on a sandwich for lunch, or even just 5 minutes spent with some air conditioning and yet other times I wished I could stay in this land forever with these children that have more love and bigger giving hearts than any children I’ve ever known.
Although some of them are still very young their life experiences are some I hope to never have and wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. I added so many new experiences to my life during those short 4 months and quickly grew and adapted to a life that wasn’t my own. Looking back, and what I commonly will share with others is how I arrived alone and not knowing many in a city of millions. I didn’t know their language or much about their culture, but I quickly grew to love Manila and its people, the dirty streets and the bikes with black exhaust. I grew to be comfortable and at home in a land that was once foreign, and upon returning home there were so many things that seemed foreign and almost scary to me… in America where everything should be “normal”. I remember laughing over peoples concern for keeping that “personal bubble”, having to pay $7 for a sub, and getting in the car to go anywhere!
This is Rudelyn, she’s a gorgeous girl with a heart of gold and smile that could brighten any room.
They take brushing their teeth VERY seriously. They brush and brush and brush 3x a day! The little things we take for granted… like having clean teeth!
Beautiful inside and out!
Saying good bye to my friends and boyfriend was extremely difficult to do. I never dreamed in such a short time these children would grab my heart and saying goodbye to them would be an extremely difficult thing too. The final night I as I had to hug each of them goodbye I was in tears. As I cried they all came and surrounded me in hugs, some of them were more patient than others. Little Michael (all of 3 years old) came over and kept going, “Tita, TITA!!!” (A word they use for single females that are older) Once I acknowledged him and looked down- he had his arms open wide and had one more word for me, “HUG!!” When I picked him up- he gave me the biggest bear hug I’ve ever had. It was one that you never want to let go of. Armie also came over to say goobye but as sweet as she could be, she added, “Tita your makeup is running- but you’re still beautiful”. They are all beautiful children- inside and out. I hope to return in the future with my “real camera” and be reunited for a visit one day soon!
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