GVI Mexico - Save our Children
I don't usually get to devote time to spend with large groups
of children. The opportunity arose when our new partners on the Mexico
Childcare Project invited us to the ludateca (toy library) where our
volunteers will soon be based. Large groups of English speaking children
are already a lot to handle, so the added aspect that all the kids only
speak Spanish could make me go weak at the knees. However, I trudged on
thinking this is a great time and place to use the limited Spanish I
know and to get to know these little rascals.
My colleagues and I headed out on the first Thursday
of our volunteering adventure, and we haven't looked back since. It's
been a lot of fun and something to look forward to after spending hours
in an office watching the sun go by and the taunting waving of the palm
leaves out the window. We've all participated in countless numbers of
Gangnam style dance remakes, dodgeball games, arts and crafts, homework
help, duck duck gooses, and so many more activities where we learned
that the fuel tanks on excited children last way longer than those of
fully grown adults. There are the wild kids, like little Andres tugging
at my pant ties screaming at me for a different name "OTRO!" (apparently
he didn't like the one I gave him) and the twin girls always climbing
on any adult that will let them. There are motivated children that are
absorbed in their assignments during lesson time, and there are kids
that tend to have a slight distraction problem as you watch their
thoughts wandering about and their pencils barely moving. There are the
shy kids that will give you a fleeting glance and join in on activities
only when encouraged to do so by the ludatecarias, which brings me to
another point...
The women that work at the ludateca are phenomenal!
Some have been working there for years, some for months. However, it is
easy to see why every last child is completely fond of every one of
those ladies, or should I say heroes! They are devoted to creating a
safe and creative learning environment. It is also very important to
note that it is an environment where the kids are encouraged to openly
bring up their problems for people to listen to and care about what they
have to say. Not every child is lucky enough to have this kind of
fostering atmosphere at home.
I am happy to have been able to be a part of it all.
Until next time, or in ludateca language - hasta luego!
Amanda Cota
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