Thursday

The other day I was asking myself if what I was doing here was good.  I wondered if I was making an impact on the kids or if I was helping them at all.  And then Thursday happened.
Because of some major protests in the area not all of our kids were able to come yesterday, which enabled me to spend some quality time with each of the kids that were there.  One of the girls was struggling with math homework so for the first time since I've been here I was able it help with homework.  Thank goodness math is the same in any language.  It was so fun to walk her through each problem and see the light come on as she began to figure things out for herself.  It was such a blessing to be able to connect with her and feel her genuine gratitude.
At the end of the day I left the site at the same time as 5 of the kids.  Unbeknownst to me, because I didn't understand what they were telling me, they had decided to walk me to my bus stop.  They held my hand, led me to the corner, and didn't leave my side until the bus came.  I said my evening goodbyes and then climbed onto the bus thinking they'd turned around and headed for home.  But as I took a seat, a rare open one by the window, my eye caught small rapid movements.  The kids were still there, all waving at me vigorously with giant smiles on their faces.
Lovely doesn't even begin to describe the feeling I had.  The work here can be hard, exhausting, and sometimes confusing but those little moments make it all worth it and remind me that this is truly a good thing.

Grandpa

A week ago I celebrated my 25th birthday which means the other day, the 23rd of May, was the 17 year anniversary of my baptism into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Choosing to be baptized by immersion, to take upon myself Christ's name, and to follow Him was no doubt the best decision I've ever made.
I wish I could say that I've never taken the covenants I made that day for granted but sadly, as is relatable to anyone reading this, that's not the case.  As an average girl I've had my fair share of weak moments.  Moments when I doubt more than I believe.  Moments when fear rules over faith.  And moments when I've lost sight of Christ's love for me.  Which is why I'm so grateful for so many positive and loving examples in my life that help me along the way.
It's this time of year, surrounding my baptism day, that I'm always starkly reminded of two of the brightest examples of faith, love, wisdom, and discipleship in my life.  Seventeen years ago I had the privilege of hearing both of my grandpas speak at my baptism.  I don't remember every word they said but I'll never forget the feeling that was there because it's a feeling I encounter whenever I'm in the presence of one of my grandpas.

At my baptism seventeen years ago my grandpa Schultz began his talk by looking directly at me and saying, "Nicole, you and I are going to have a chat..."  I remember that moment so clearly because I could feel his genuine love for me and the sacred topic he was about to share with me.  It was a special moment as he focused solely on teaching me an important principle of the gospel.  He didn't care that there were many others watching and listening, he simply wanted to help me understand the great gift I'd just been given.
This is something I continue to feel from him every day.  He is a quiet, humble man who shares the gospel with others around him through true charity and good works.  His good works are often unnoticed because he does not seek attention, he simply aims to help those he loves.  Recently, despite his own means and his own needs, he unselfishly provided me with financial support to help me pursue a dream.  This to me was just one of many of Christlike actions he's taken because it was
done in pure love and no glory was sought in return.  His love for Christ shone bright through that act of kindness because of his own pure love and selflessness.


The other speaker at my baptism, my grandpa Gwynn, is also a great pillar of faith on which I lean and look up to.  That day he spoke with such certainty and knowledge which has helped carry me through the last seventeen years.  Recently he stood in front of a crowd of people and declared unwavering faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Redeemer.  This was a crowd of people mourning the loss of a son, father, brother, uncle and friend and was composed mostly of people who were wandering through life without any direction.
In a world of confusion and darkness I am filled with so much admiration for the bravery of my grandpa.  He wasn't worried about what people might think of his beliefs.  He wasn't afraid to stand and let his light shine for so many people that needed it.  His faith in Christ emanated from him to fill the room with peace and comfort.

Earthly words and feelings could never accurately describe the love and gratitude I have for these two men. For the faith they had to listen when truth knocked on their doors a few short decades ago.  And
for the faith they continue to exercise every day as they not only follow Christ, but as they act as true disciples of Him.

Just Call Me Tía

I absolutely adore working with the children here in Peru.  My project site is on the outskirts of the city and the kids that come here come from extremely poor families.  These children are extremely sweet but many struggle with learning because they do not come from an environment that supports it.  Yet they still come to this program everyday after school to continue to try and learn.  They come from many different directions by many methods, walking, city bus etc.  There are even a few who are only allowed to come if they bring their baby/ toddler siblings with them so it's not uncommon for  an eight year old boy to stop doing his homework to check on his baby brother taking a nap in the corner. 

It often gets frustrating for me when I try and communicate with them because I'm constantly running into a giant cement barrier called language.  It can be quite aggravating when a child asks for help with homework or when I want to talk to them about their days.  But I've learned nothing from traveling if not that there's more to communication than language.  Even though it can be hard, my insecurities about Spanish are nonexistent in comparison to the things these children face everyday and still manage to smile.  Although their speech is just an extremely fast blur of sounds that I'm not convinced are words, there is in fact one word I've managed to distinguish.  It's a word that I hear at least 50 times a day, tía.  The children are constantly referring to me and the other volunteer as tía.  I assumed that it meant teacher, but when I looked it up it translated to aunt or auntie.  

I'm so flattered that these kids are willing to refer to me as an aunt, someone close to them.  They couldn't care less that I don't understand, they just care that I'm there.  I'm there to redirect them to homework or put an arm around them when they're frustrated.  I'm there to play games with them and help them learn English.  Being there is something so simple for me, but to them it's something precious and rare.  

I don't understand much but I'm honored to be called tía for the next month!

Help needed!

This is just a quick blog to briefly describe my first day of volunteer work.

The bus ride to my project site is just under an hour.  The bus takes us to the outskirts of the city into the ghetto of the ghetto of the ghetto.  Seriously.  When I arrived yesterday I wasn't even all the way through the door, which basically serves as a hole in a cement wall, before a little girl jumped up on me and hugged me.  She wouldn't let me put her down for almost 15 minutes and when I finally did she kissed me on the cheek first.  When the project site manager introduced me, the children cheered and were genuinely grateful to have me there even though I couldn't understand them.   I spent the afternoon helping children with their homework (mostly just trying to keep them focused), playing games with them that would help them improve their English, and most importantly teaching them about hygiene.  I got to spend time teaching them how to properly wash their heads and brush their teeth so they can learn the importance of taking care of one's self.

The biggest thing I learned is how much attention these kids needs.  They didn't need me to understand them they just needed me to be there for them. This project site and others in this area are desperate for more volunteers so I'm making one more plea to help us get my sister here with me!
Please check out www.volunteerforever.com/volunteer_profile/nicole-gwynn