Volunteer at an Orphanage

By Emily Hogge – Guest blogger traveling in Mexico.
This week I have been hanging out at an orphanage, la Casa del Buen Pastor, here in Morelia. I had heard about it from a friend who studied abroad here in college, and so when I came, I poked around and finally found it. I started going there this week, just a few days, and I'm glad that I have. I suppose it's really more a foster home than an orphanage, and right now houses about 20 kids. Jacky, a girl who is working there for the summer, says that during the school year there are about 40. I'm not really sure how that works, but 20 kids now anyway.
You would think that hanging out there would be depressing, and sometimes I have been sad, but in general it's not a sad place. The kids seem pretty happy, and they take care of each other. Of course, they're kids, so there's plenty of horsing around, and teasing, and even fighting, but from what I've seen in general they seem happy. When I go I don't really do much other than sit and play with a few kids, whoever wants to. Two kids came just a month ago, and I like to play with them the most. I think it would be a hard thing, leaving home, for whatever reason, to go to a new place.
Today as I left, it was just so peaceful, so tranquilo as my host mother would say. This afternoon I mostly just sat and played with one little girl's hair, and played ball with another kid. The clouds were so beautiful as I left, and though it does give me a lot to think about, being there, I still feel peaceful.
One thing that has been interesting, impressive, surprising, about going there is how other people from the language school want to go too. Just when I talk about it when people ask what I did the afternoon before, quite a few people have expressed interest in going. And today, my third day there, three people came along. One, a seminary student who will be here in Morelia for a while longer is going to go back again, I think. It just amazes me how people are so willing to help. I guess I don't always look for the best in people, but this has been very encouraging, just seeing how when I barely mention it, people jump at the opportunity.
It's kind of funny, because apparently the orphanage has had a longstanding informal relationship with the school. I feel like that's a good thing, though it would be great if it were more well-advertised. Maybe I'll suggest it on my closing evaluation next week.
Going to the orphanage is not really what I expected (I'm actually not sure what I was expecting), but it has been great, and really made me think about things, and I'm just glad to be there.