One month!

I have about reached my one month mark/halfway point of my time here in Ecuador. I can't believe it. 
Where has the time gone? It has flown by so quickly yet it has given me much. 

I have learned. Like today I learned that I do not go well with vomit.. As one child proceeded to projectile vomit all over me and himself and toys and the floor. All which I was given the pleasure to clean. Give me poopy diapers and snotty noses all day but the whole throw up thing I don't handle very well. Also tons of patience, gratitude, and mothering skills.

I have forgiven. How could I be upset about cleaning vomit of this poor sick chid? How could I stay mad at the child who pushed another kid making him slam his head against the concrete floor causing him to scream and cry for the next hour when all he was trying to do was play? How could I hold a grudge on a child who just threw a tantrum for no reason after they come up behind me and grab my shoulders and peek their head around and say "hola" with the hugest smile on their face. 

I have laughed. When a child fell asleep in the ball pit covered with balls and only his head sticking out.  Or when us volunteers just sit around like a bunch of old ladies talking about the kids and everything they do. 

I have cried. Like when one kid wouldn't eat his soupa. He wouldn't open his mouth. If I got him to open his mouth he would spit it out. If I got him to open his mouth, and swallow it he would gag himself and spit it up. After about 30 minutes and the worker telling me to hurry up I was at my wits end. And then he decided to really gag himself and throw it up all over him and me. (not the same story as before, but again, me and throw up don't mix very well). I had had enough for that day. Gently sat the child down with throw up all over his face and went to the bathroom and cried. Just a small breakdown that every volunteer is bound to face at sometime. 

I have loved. These children, they are killin me. How could someone ever want to abandoned a precious child? These children have stolen a huge piece of my heart. They have showed me some of the most true feelings of love. And I have felt their love surrounding me. 

 It finally hit me that in one month I will have to leave these children that I have sacrificed everything for for these past 2 months. 
I will probably never see them again. I will not know how their future ends up. Will they ever be adopted? Will they live in an orphanage longing for a family their whole life? I do not know but I will have to trust my Heavenly Father that he will take care of them and let them live the best life possible. 
But for now, for the next month, I will not take for granted one minute.
When the day comes that I have to leave I know I will be a devastated wreck, but I will not look back with regrets. Because I will give all I can now to help these children while I am here. 

Here is to another month full of learning, growing, giving and receiving!