Amy Heckman Serving with New Tribes Mission in Mexico Crystal and I walked to Glenn and Teo’s house. They are the missionaries that were taking us to the orphanage. We visited while they finished getting ready. Then we loaded the teaching materials into the van and drove the five minutes to the orphange. When we arrived we unloaded the stuff, and tried to go in but the doors were locked. Teo called out to the children but they were playing on the other side of the orphange and didn’t hear us. The directors granddaughter came and unlocked the gate for us. As we were walking in Teo told us that they came at Christmas to visit the children, and they were all alone, there was no adult with them. The caretakers had gone home to have Christmas with their family and the kids were alone. She told us it made her sad.
When we walked to where all the kids were, some of them came and hugged Glenn and Teo, and some hugged us too. They were playing outside, and by now it was getting pretty chilley. One little girl didn’t even have a sweater on. We went inside a big room and there were some tables with benches, that we pulled in a semi circle, and Glenn set up the flannel board. The room was mostly empty with a concrete floor. At one end it did have a long counter that was open to the kitchen. (Kind of like a camp kitchen) There was a pile of nice plastic round tables and nice plastic chairs against the walls but I don’t know if they use them or not. The kids all gathered and sat on the benches. Teo introduced us, and told them we were learning spanish. Glenn and Teo started teaching the Bible lesson and the kids were pretty atentive.
I kept observing and listening. I also noticed the one worker there (the one other adult) was cooking beans. That along with some tortillas and chips, look like what the children will eat for dinner. After the story they worked on a memory verse and then handed out pencils and the activity sheet. On one side there were questions and a crossword puzzle. I was able to help a couple of them a little bit. And then on the other side was a picture of the tabernacle, courtyard and some of the Israelites tents. The kids started coloring them. I enjoyed how some of them used lots of bright colors to color the different tents, (a lot like some of the houses down here). It was a great time.
I watched one of the boys when he finished his paper he started playing with his top. He had a string that he wrapped around the base of the top and then he put the other end on his finger. Then he spun it out like a yoyo, only onto the floor. It spun for a long time, and then he did this thing with the string, and through it up into the air and caught it. Later on an older boy was playing with another top. When he spun it out he did it under his leg and up into the air, and caught it spinning on his hand. After the children told Glenn and Teo the verse they had memorized, we packed up the stuff and loaded up in the van, after saying some goodbye. I am excited for the opportunity to get to know these kids better and hopefully learn from them.
On the way home I asked Glenn if they were all orphans. He said some of them are but more of them were abandoned or abused, or their parents can’t afford to take care of them. When that is the case, they bring them there, and drop them off. Sometimes, some of the kids go home or to their grandparents house for the weekend. Teo also told us that the lady that was there didn’t know how much longer she could keep working there. It was one lady and like 30 or 40 kids. She had been doing all the cooking and cleaning while the director was away for a couple days.
I will try and get some pictures next time I’m there.
