Aldea Infantil: Meet Alyson

We are excited to have Alyson as a new intern! In the following post, she describes her arrival and first week at La Aldea Infantil: 


June 17
When I arrived at The Aldea early Monday morning I was immediately overwhelmed by the quaint and cheerful environment. Ten little houses, painted orange and pink, surrounded a big grassy area. There was a rusty old playground and a cement soccer court and all the large rocks had colorful, animated faces painted on them. It appeared to be a mini village, especially designed for little kids.


While the peaceful atmosphere quickly disappeared once the kids came back from school, the place still remained a cheerful, safe haven from the outside world. For many of these children, The Aldea is a sanctuary from some rather awful things. I am grateul to be a part of that sanctuary.

My week involves playing and chatting with all sorts of children. One girl I often talk with, Maribel, is only a year or two younger than me. She taught me how to make these colorful little bracelets, and we have become friends. Maribel is a great help to the interns. She often helps me when I can't understand the little kids' Spanish and is always willing to watch after the little ones with us. As I sat making one of those bracelets with Maribel, I wondered what fate or power made me the intern, the girl with loving parents and the financial means to travel to her country, while this intelligent, sweet girl, barely younger than me, was the orphan? I will likely never know the answer to that question. But I suppose it doesn't really matter. That is the situation and my responsibility is to help in any way I can.

Aldea Infantil: Update on recycling program

The following is a post from Jill, an intern at La Aldea Infantil:

June 17
This week, we found out that the recycling bins at the Aldea outside had been dumped into the same pile on the other side of the wall- the same wall that the recycling bins were leaning up against. So we put on some gloves and went to work! Maribel and I, along with another intern from Scotland, organized this huge pile of recycling. We built a little wall and separated each section (plastics, glass, cardboard, etc). This will benefit the Aldea because they can sell the recycling and make some profit!  

Read the original post explaining the Aldea's recycling program.

Aldea Infantil: Craft fun

The following is a post from Stephanie, an intern at La Aldea Infantil:

June 15

This week we got the chance to do a fun craft with the kids. It was so fun to see their excitement and creative energy at work. We made egg carton caterpillars’ and the kids loved putting on lots of glitter, bouncy eyes, and lots of color; I loved seeing the kids joy as they made them! I LOVE these kids; they have so much excitement for life and love to share with us.

Semillas de Amor: A walk without shoes

Update from Katy at Semillas de Amor:

June 13, 2012
This was a week that caused some deep reflection on the part of the interns. We were able to go on an enjoyable hike to a local tourist spot. On the way back, we took our shoes off for a little less than a mile. While the pain we felt on the rocky, unpaved, dirt road was certainly on our minds, the main thing running through our thoughts was how the children we are here to help walk roads like this everyday without even the option of shoes. With every step the thought kept running through my mind, "Because I have been given much, I too must give." The Universtiy I attend at home does a "Day Without Shoes" each year to raise awarness for child poverty. While I participated, it didn't affect me until I had to walk a mile without shoes on the roads these children walk.  We need to take a stand, like a local hotel here that donated shoes for each of the kids in Nueva Colombia. 

They now proudly all wear the donated shoes each day. In the fight against poverty, we need to stand up and walk with those that are affected. Please take a stand by following and supporting our cause.

Semillas de Amor: The arrival of Katy and Izumi

Update from Ryan at Semillas de Amor:

June 12, 2012

Two things never change at the foundation site-- the high temperature and the love enthusiastic love expressed by each child.  Lunch might be late, after-school tutoring might prove unsuccessful, or a game might not turn out as planned.  But with each visit it is not uncommon to hear, "Thank you so much," or, "When are you coming back?" 

Thanks to the heat, a walk to Nueva Colombia proves difficult while carting hot food to dish out for lunch.  Much to the chagrin of the driver of our "moto taxi" (a transportation mode that looks just like it sounds), each day the children line the street upon our arrival in an attempt to pile inside as we turn the corner and help to carry the food and dishes or hold our hands as we walk into the foundation.  At the end of each afternoon, many of the children will throw their arms around our legs or waists and exclaim, "I love you!"  It is a humbling experience to learn from children who, comparatively speaking, own nothing but who possess so much light to share with everybody they come into contact with.

As Katy and Izumi arrived this past week, all the children were excited to meet "las gringas."  Each time any female showed up on site with a hat and sunglasses she was quizzed as to whether or not she was one of the gringas.  When the real gringas finally did show up they were rewarded with fresh mangoes and various colored flowers that were strewn through their hair.  I´m not sure if the welcome resembled a Colombian welcome or just one from these children in this small town.  Whatever it was, it seems typical of children who have a lot of love to share.

Aldea Infantil: Stephanie's first week

Update from Stephanie, who is now volunteering at La Aldea Infantil:

June 8, 2012
This was my first week in Trujillo and it was WONDERFUL! The kids here are so happy and loving, they welcome you with open arms (literally). I really appreciate helping children who are in need, there is so much to learn from working with them.

This week I am working with the kids in “casa 9” and I have had a wonderful time interacting and playing with the two little boys Deivis, and Oswaldo. We have run around this little compound dozens of times together, practicing our colors and numbers. These boys have reminded me how much I appreciate life and the little joys we find it.

Semillas de Amor: Lunch line

Update from Izumi at Semillas de Amor:

June 8, 2012

Friday was a day to celebrate a new success. In the past, giving the children food was a chaotic and a highly disordered process. As the children would arrive, they would frantically hand us their bowls as if they were afraid that if they did not act quickly enough, they would not receive their fair share. We, as interns, decided that we could begin improvement on this part of our day at Nueva Colombia. To accomplish some kind of order, we established a lunch line in which each child would hand us their plate one by one and we would serve their food. It was amazing how much more efficiently we were able to distribute the food. The children also ate more quietly. Even though there are still some things to work through, this definitely has been a great triumph with the kids.