Staying Encouraged

Today was one of those days that leaves me with little patience or energy! I think we were all feeling it today, and just wanted to get home. Sarah (M), Chelsea and I headed over at 11am with one goal for the day; to present our Noah’s Ark play around 5. We realized today how difficult this play is going to be. We have been working on it for about a week, but today we spent 2 hours just getting the kids dressed in their costumes! We brought all the kids with lines (or animal sounds) to the courtyard to run through it, after we had set up the microphone. It was a mess! Babies were crying, kids were screaming, they were all trying to get close enough to the microphone to yell into it. And then we called Theresa and Sarah to tell them to come over so we could do the big (yet very chaotic!) performance, but it seemed there had been a mixup. Theresa had driven last night to Chennai to drop Linda and Genie off at the airport. Her driver had gotten sick and she was stuck in Chennai. Somehow the message hadn't gotten passed on to us, and Sarah said we would have to do the play tomorrow. Of course, this was beyond any of our control. It was one of those times where I wish I was a more patient person. We all did. We all knew it was something we couldn’t control and we would just have to take the kids out of their costumes and do it again the next day.

By the time we got the news, it was around 3 or 4. We all sat down, exhausted, for awhile, not having the energy after all that work to even play with the kids. But we had to get them out of their costumes (to make sure they stayed clean for tomorrow) so we tried to stay positive and pulled out the kiddie pool and put the babies in. There was a shortage of water so we could only fill the pool up a bit, but the kids had fun anyways. I realized I hadn’t eaten all day, so pulled out the apple I had brought. Jeanette, Nolan, Genevieve, and Esther all crowded around me shouting “Ma! Ma!” and begging for apple! So I bit little pieces off and we all shared. It was a sweet moment for me and cheered me up a little. They were all so cuddly and calm, which was nice after a hectic day.

We left around 5 and just relaxed for a bit. Sometimes it is easy to get frustrated here with the language barrier (trying to tell kids to do something, but they don’t understand… or are just being naughty and understand perfectly but will laugh in your face!), or frustration with some of the ayahs who don’t do their job well (one room full of kids with dirty diapers who hadn’t left their cribs all day long, and the ayahs just sitting and talking, ignoring us when we ask for help to clean them up). Today I guess I had little patience! It happens. Probably due, in part, to leaving so soon and wishing I could just take April with me!! A good night’s sleep and some dinner will cure it, and I can’t wait to cuddle some kids tomorrow! They really are good kids. Amazing kids. Each one of them is special. And some of the ayahs are just as special. There are problems here that you would see at any orphanage, but they are being worked through and the future is bright. I just have to remember that when I am feeling down/exhausted/frustrated. They are a lot better off than where they were before, at the government orphanage. I am going to start fresh tomorrow and try to just enjoy every minute of my last three days, even when it gets crazy!