From the last few days...
I have spent the last few days in La Carpio with my nurses doing volunteer work with the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation. La Carpio is an impoverished city of about 35,000 Nicaraguan immigrants that fled Nicaragua after the revolution in 1977. The city itself, although violence and poverty stricken, is really a story of hope. The community has really pulled itself up on its own merit and determination and will soon have legal voting power within the country. Gail, the found of the CRHF came to Costa Rica 35 years ago with the Peace Corps. Today, she is still here, making a difference every day. Within La Carpio, she has built a two medical clinics, a primary school, a Montessori school and a women’s cooperative, just to name a few. She has a bunk bed project that provides families in need of sleeping arrangements for their children a basic, but extremely functional bunk bed. Because I was with a group of nurses this week, we mainly stayed in the clinics and focused on health education. Because I am not a nurse, I simply get to play with the niños, read them stories and make friendship bracelets at the health fair. : )
I have had the most rewarding and emotionally taxing week this week in La Carpio. Gail mentioned something that really resonated with me in regards to how affectionate the young children are with you. It’s incredible how loving the children are and how badly they want to be held and to feel a loving touch. Sadly, more often than not at home, the touches are violent or listless. Children know, innately, that they need to have a loving touch; the most basic part of their existence and being understands this. So without every realizing it, they seek it out—through hugs, hand holding or just sitting in your lap at story time. This was a power revelation for me this week.
A young girl sitting in my lap while I read books to her in Spanish…a small boy that just needed my finger to hold on to while his mom ran an errand… The love and beauty of God and those that serve humanity astounds me at times. There is good, and there is hope in this world.
Amor,
Jessica Lynn
I have had the most rewarding and emotionally taxing week this week in La Carpio. Gail mentioned something that really resonated with me in regards to how affectionate the young children are with you. It’s incredible how loving the children are and how badly they want to be held and to feel a loving touch. Sadly, more often than not at home, the touches are violent or listless. Children know, innately, that they need to have a loving touch; the most basic part of their existence and being understands this. So without every realizing it, they seek it out—through hugs, hand holding or just sitting in your lap at story time. This was a power revelation for me this week.
A young girl sitting in my lap while I read books to her in Spanish…a small boy that just needed my finger to hold on to while his mom ran an errand… The love and beauty of God and those that serve humanity astounds me at times. There is good, and there is hope in this world.
Amor,
Jessica Lynn
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