Love

The other day I went out to lunch with my roommates Mona Lisa and Ruth. They said that I have a special gift for working with kids with special needs. Hearing that really meant a lot to me, especially because I don’t have people telling me that very often. When they said that, I remembered when the secretary at Wells Elementary School told me the same thing on the last day that I worked there as a teacher’s aid: “Bridget, you truly have a gift,” she said.

It’s these things that make me feel happy and keep me going. Another thing that makes me especially happy is when kids give me hugs – particularly Pati. She gets really excited to see me – and I her. Sometimes she runs up to me and hugs me so tightly that I think she’ll never let go. This is definitely a Pachamama hug. My friends who went to Ecuador with me will know what I mean.

Ruth asked me if the kids with Special Needs have ever had a volunteer pick their section before me. They haven’t. And I’m truly happy that I picked them. The only reason I wouldn’t have picked them would have been because I already spend a lot of time with some of them in speech intervention. So I was worried that it might be too much togetherness and more than I could handle.

And I’m not going to lie – sometimes it is too much. But if there’s a day when I’m feeling overwhelmed, sometimes I just go home to rest instead of hanging out with the kids after work (I usually go eat dinner with and read to them two nights each week). Other times, I hang out with them even if I’m tired or have had a hard day. And it’s usually worth it (vale la pena). When I leave the section I’m usually happy. There are always positive interactions.

Even though there are difficult moments every day (particularly with three children who can’t control their behavior very well due to their diagnoses), there are also wonderful moments every day. I am really growing to love some of the kids.

One of the girls went home for Christmas (for the month of December) and I REALLY miss her!! She told me the day she left, “Si voy con mi familia, te voy a extrañar” (If I go with my family, I’m going to miss you) and gave me a hug. I am really happy she got to go home, though. Apparently last time her family said they were going to come and didn’t show up. She waited all day long and was crushed when they didn’t come. So this time, she told me she didn’t think they were going to come and was really sad. That comment made me really sad too because I care deeply for her. So I said, “Well, I thope you can go with your family. But if you go, I’m really going to miss you! And if you stay, we get to spend Christmas together!” Thank goodness her family came.

This month all the volunteers are working as tíos with the kids because their tíos are on vacation. So my friend Cassie and I are working with my kids. Again, I was hesitant a few months ago about working as a tía with them – especially before they fired the abusive tía. Also, I don’t enjoy when some of the children hit me.

Nonetheless, I am so happy now to be with my kids for the month. So far it is going well. The work is definitely difficult and exhausting, but I love my kids. I’m also glad that I can put myself in the tíos’ shoes and understand how difficult their job is. They work 13 hour days without a break and sleep with the kids; of course, they don’t get paid much. And thankfully, the tíos in my section work in December because they can’t just leave thirteen kids with special needs by themselves. These tíos take their vacations individually at different times throughout the year. So besides Christmas Eve and Day when half of them have a break, Cassie and I are there for extra support. And I love these children.

On another note, we had our first Posada of the month here at NPH on Friday. Una posada is a little parade in which someone dresses up as Jesus and Mary. They lead the parade and everyone else follows, carrying candles and singing Christmas candles. Then they knock on people’s doors, sing back and forth, and the people inside join the parade. Posadas are very common in Latin America. The purpose is to prepare for and welcome Jesus into the homes. Our posada was adorable! It was really fun. Afterward there were piñatas for the kids and some delicious hot chocolate. Qué rico!