The Children at MAMA
Three days out of the week I am working at M.A.M.A (Mis Alumnos Más Amigos), which is a non-profit organization, located in a low-income community about 20 minutes away from the church. It is basically a community center for children and youth (ages around 0-14) where they can come and eat lunch and spend time playing. So far I have been helping with recreational activities, sports, and a little bit of arts and crafts (hopefully I will get more into the arts and crafts as the year goes on). We mainly play soccer, pool, put together puzzles, and play on the swings. Basically all I have to do is hang out with the kids all day, which is defiantly a pretty sweet gig.
One day at the comedor (MAMA), I was spending some time with a young pair of sisters. The younger sister and I were inside playing a game and she was very concerned about where her older sister was. We had gotten separated somehow from her older sister because there were a lot of children due to the monthly birthday celebration being held that day. The younger sister asked me a few times to go with her to look for her older sister and I did not really understand why so I said, “Yes we can go look but lets finish the game first.” Then the younger sister whispered in my ear that she needed to find her older sister because if her older sister left she would get hit by her mother for being late and staying when she should be at home. This shocked me; I never imagined that this is why she was so concerned about where her older sister was. This little girl is one of the sweetest little girls I have ever seen and I cannot imagine anyone wanting to hit her instead of hugging and kissing her, especially for something so minor. This was my first taste of the type of world these children come from.
I have never worked with marginalized children so I am still getting used to the fact that they are not growing up in the same loving and supportive environment that I did. So far it is very difficult to comprehend the horrors that these children have already been through. When they come to the comedor I see them in a different context. I do not know where they live, what their houses look like, or what they really do after they leave. In my eyes, these children could be from any middle-classed neighborhood (like where I grew up). They are so happy and excited to play and seem like they do not have a care in the world.
I see them in the context of the comedor with the rules and norms that Beto (my boss) has worked hard to establish. For example hitting and calling someone bad names are not allowed. One would think, “Duh, isn’t that what their parents teach them too!?!” Well the truth is no, not really. Most of these kids learn at a young age that the only way to survive in their neighborhood and this world is to steal and hurt others. Most of these children come from large families where loving attention is most likely not given to each individual child due to a variety of factors.
Slowly I am learning that these children probably have internal issues that I cannot even guess or begin to understand how to help them. A few things that I have heard about are issues dealing with drugs, child pornography, prostitution, abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and hunger to name a few. It all makes me sad and weighs heavily on my heart. Coming from a society of doers and being a person lucky enough to live a great life makes me want to dive right in and help “solve” their problems. I was to help them live a better and happier life. I do not want them to suffer and I would be willing to do anything I could to help. But really there is not much I can do. I started to feel a little helpless in this area because I know that the problems of these children are deeply complex. So for now I am giving them the only gift I can, which is love and attention. I let them know everyday in whatever way I can that they are special, unique and important.
These children have found a deep place in my heart. I love each of these children in a way I never expected to love them and in a way I never knew I could love. There are no words for how I feel. They brighten my day and are the reason why I am enjoying my time here. I have only been here about 3.5 months but I already know it will be difficult to leave these kids! They have helped me in so many ways but two main areas are to better understand what I think life’s purpose is and to even understand some of the complexities of who I am.
Seriously, these kids had me at “Hola.” I think one of the reasons that these children are forever engrained on my heart is because they accepted me without question and with hugs. The first day the all children were so excited and everyone wanted me to play games with them, to eat with them, talk with them, and to hug them. The second I got there they all loved me. They are so generous with their love. They melt my heart because they show me what love truly is and should be. They show me that no matter the living conditions or what is happening we can still love without question. They do not let their egos and judgments get in the way. I see God in these children. They have demonstrated the type of love that Jesus preached and showed.
I am also amazed at the strength these children posses. They show might that I have yet to find in myself. They have this remarkable power to still be happy, affectionate, open, and playful after what they have experienced and/or are experiencing. Even greater is their capability to still love and let someone into their lives after probably being let down by people they love many times. I also feel like their strength has rubbed off a little onto me. I want to flight for a better life for these kids. They inspire me to help others and to live life to the fullest.
I consider myself lucky to know these children. So far I have learned so much from them. I wonder if they will ever know how much they have changed my life. After thinking about all of this I wonder what I have to offer to these children (I still have a difficult times sometimes communicating with them). What is the part I have to play this year? What has God called me here for? What has God called me to do in life? These are just some of the big questions that I have been contemplating during my year in Argentina.
So it is evident that I am truly learning about the world and life through these children at MAMA. They have demonstrated types of love and strength that I have never known. They have taught me how to better love, accept, and understand. Overall, these children have given me more than they will ever realize and more than I ever expected to receive. I just hope that God has also been working through me as well and giving, no matter how small it might be, something positive that these children can also take away.
This month’s quotes for thought:
“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.” Confucius
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Leo Buscaglia
This month’s scripture quotes for thought:
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live trough him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:7-12
This is what I think the true definition of love is (though it has become a sort of cliché wedding Bible verse): Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
One day at the comedor (MAMA), I was spending some time with a young pair of sisters. The younger sister and I were inside playing a game and she was very concerned about where her older sister was. We had gotten separated somehow from her older sister because there were a lot of children due to the monthly birthday celebration being held that day. The younger sister asked me a few times to go with her to look for her older sister and I did not really understand why so I said, “Yes we can go look but lets finish the game first.” Then the younger sister whispered in my ear that she needed to find her older sister because if her older sister left she would get hit by her mother for being late and staying when she should be at home. This shocked me; I never imagined that this is why she was so concerned about where her older sister was. This little girl is one of the sweetest little girls I have ever seen and I cannot imagine anyone wanting to hit her instead of hugging and kissing her, especially for something so minor. This was my first taste of the type of world these children come from.
I have never worked with marginalized children so I am still getting used to the fact that they are not growing up in the same loving and supportive environment that I did. So far it is very difficult to comprehend the horrors that these children have already been through. When they come to the comedor I see them in a different context. I do not know where they live, what their houses look like, or what they really do after they leave. In my eyes, these children could be from any middle-classed neighborhood (like where I grew up). They are so happy and excited to play and seem like they do not have a care in the world.
I see them in the context of the comedor with the rules and norms that Beto (my boss) has worked hard to establish. For example hitting and calling someone bad names are not allowed. One would think, “Duh, isn’t that what their parents teach them too!?!” Well the truth is no, not really. Most of these kids learn at a young age that the only way to survive in their neighborhood and this world is to steal and hurt others. Most of these children come from large families where loving attention is most likely not given to each individual child due to a variety of factors.
Slowly I am learning that these children probably have internal issues that I cannot even guess or begin to understand how to help them. A few things that I have heard about are issues dealing with drugs, child pornography, prostitution, abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and hunger to name a few. It all makes me sad and weighs heavily on my heart. Coming from a society of doers and being a person lucky enough to live a great life makes me want to dive right in and help “solve” their problems. I was to help them live a better and happier life. I do not want them to suffer and I would be willing to do anything I could to help. But really there is not much I can do. I started to feel a little helpless in this area because I know that the problems of these children are deeply complex. So for now I am giving them the only gift I can, which is love and attention. I let them know everyday in whatever way I can that they are special, unique and important.
These children have found a deep place in my heart. I love each of these children in a way I never expected to love them and in a way I never knew I could love. There are no words for how I feel. They brighten my day and are the reason why I am enjoying my time here. I have only been here about 3.5 months but I already know it will be difficult to leave these kids! They have helped me in so many ways but two main areas are to better understand what I think life’s purpose is and to even understand some of the complexities of who I am.
Seriously, these kids had me at “Hola.” I think one of the reasons that these children are forever engrained on my heart is because they accepted me without question and with hugs. The first day the all children were so excited and everyone wanted me to play games with them, to eat with them, talk with them, and to hug them. The second I got there they all loved me. They are so generous with their love. They melt my heart because they show me what love truly is and should be. They show me that no matter the living conditions or what is happening we can still love without question. They do not let their egos and judgments get in the way. I see God in these children. They have demonstrated the type of love that Jesus preached and showed.
I am also amazed at the strength these children posses. They show might that I have yet to find in myself. They have this remarkable power to still be happy, affectionate, open, and playful after what they have experienced and/or are experiencing. Even greater is their capability to still love and let someone into their lives after probably being let down by people they love many times. I also feel like their strength has rubbed off a little onto me. I want to flight for a better life for these kids. They inspire me to help others and to live life to the fullest.
I consider myself lucky to know these children. So far I have learned so much from them. I wonder if they will ever know how much they have changed my life. After thinking about all of this I wonder what I have to offer to these children (I still have a difficult times sometimes communicating with them). What is the part I have to play this year? What has God called me here for? What has God called me to do in life? These are just some of the big questions that I have been contemplating during my year in Argentina.
So it is evident that I am truly learning about the world and life through these children at MAMA. They have demonstrated types of love and strength that I have never known. They have taught me how to better love, accept, and understand. Overall, these children have given me more than they will ever realize and more than I ever expected to receive. I just hope that God has also been working through me as well and giving, no matter how small it might be, something positive that these children can also take away.
This month’s quotes for thought:
“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.” Confucius
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Leo Buscaglia
This month’s scripture quotes for thought:
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live trough him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:7-12
This is what I think the true definition of love is (though it has become a sort of cliché wedding Bible verse): Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
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