From Gideon's Perspective

One of my housemates, Gideon, was willing to journal for me to give you a view of Hermano Pedro through someone else's eyes.  Gideon graduated high school this spring, and is down here for about five weeks before returning to start college in the fall.  For a young man who has never been around kids with disabilities, he has taken to the kids, and I think they've gotten pretty attached to him, too.  Here are his thoughts. . .

Dear Devoted Readers,


This is Gideon speaking and I've taken over Pat's blog for today to give you another look at how things are going at the orphanage. I came to Guatemala to study Spanish but when I expressed an interest in doing some volunteer work Pat kindly took me along with her to the orphanage. I don't go as often as she does but I try to get out there at least two or three times a week and have developed interesting relationships with some of the kids there. Here is what my experience at the Obras Sociales Orphanage has been like...

When I unlatch and open the gate that leads into the orphanage, the first person to greet me is David. He is a sweet young man with large bright eyes and a bubbly smile. Yesterday was a particularly gorgeous day (if not a little warm) and I spent the first twenty minutes racing around the garden with David. I felt a bit bad because I was really tired and had some trouble keeping up with him but he eventually gave me a break and let me take a rest.

That day, Dick brought at least five boys from his pueblo with him to the orphanage. They all had water-filled rubber orbs with bungie cord-like attachments (suited for swinging) and soon some of the kids got hold of them. Ervin (quite the mischevious child) got his hands on one discovered that he could make me cower by pulling the ball back and aiming it at me like a sling shot. I thought I might distract him from abusing me by taking out my ubrella and for a while we were able to lounge peacefully in its shade. However, it did not take long for Ervin to recognize the club-like qualities of the ubrella, gently take it from my hands, and whack me on the head with it. And that was the end of our shade.

I have heard that Sundays are generally quiet at Obras Sociales but we saw a big group of volunteers come in yesterday. Lots of volunteers = lots of noise but the extra energy makes a difference for the kids who are put to bed at 4:30 PM, if they ever get out of bed at all. There are so many kids in the orphanage that even when fifteen people are visiting it is impossible to get around to all of them. I have been going to the orphanage for around four weeks and I have not spent quality time with more than five of the kids there--only five kids in an orphanage of at least 40! (I love what Gideon said about quality time.  He really has invested of himself in a number of the boys, and I think it's been a good experience on both sides.  He has not held back or feared to get close to them.  And it's so good for the guys to have a young man spend time with them, doing "guy" things.--Pat)  I have a lot of difficulty pulling myself away from the kids that I am already friends with and developing relationships with others who I have never spoken to. It is my final week here in Antigua and I think that I have a new goal for myself before I leave: to make more friends at the orphanage. It wont be easy but I cannot think of a better way to go out. Wish me luck.

-Gideon

Thanks, Gideon, for your take on things here.  You can be very proud of yourself for the love and care you've shown our boys.  You're a living testimony to the fact that you don't need any special training to love a child!