Anchor for the Soul: The Orphanage....

Experience #2: The Orphanage...

It's really hard for me to put into words what I experienced this day. All I can say is that on July 15, 2012, my life was forever changed. To start off this incredible day, we sang at an LDS church in Cuenca. After sacrament meeting, the bishop asked us to sing at a funeral that was starting right after church. How appropriate was it that we were there right at that moment? We sang Prayer of the Children and I Wonder When He Comes Again. Kim put together an arrangement of I Wonder When He Comes Again not really knowing why he was supposed to do that. We all found out why that was the song he chose as we sang it at the funeral of a 12 year old girl. Some of us were in tears...me being one of those people. It was an amazing experience and that is a reason as to why Ecuador was the place we were supposed to go to for Synergy tour. To continue on this incredible Sunday, we arrived at our performance at an orphanage. I have been to an orphanage before but this place was different. We walked in the court yard and found a basketball court, laundry hung up to dry, chalk on the cement and little girls playing off to the side. I walked around with Stephanie Dana and this little girl came running over to us. She sat down with us and just smiled. Steph doesn't know too much spanish so I was able to ask this little angel what her name was. Gizelle. She was 6. She was small. She was special. She had a pink shirt on with jeans that had pink flowers on them. Her white tennis shoes had pink butterflies. The hair ties holding her cute little buns up on her head were pink as well. She loved pink. We just sat with me and Steph and we admired her clothes and cute face. It was time to set up for the show and get dressed. Kim reminded us at the beginning of the show to not worry about perfection. Weird...it's what we aim for. He told us that we were there to give a gift. A gift of love. A gift of hope. A gift of peace. I could tell that every single member of Synergy wanted to give that gift. So badly. And we did. The audience was full of little girls and senior women. The show went amazing. I've never performed with such a big smile on my face. They had no idea what we were singing, but they all sure loved the show. At the end of the show, one of the nuns began speaking to us while Ricky translated. She couldn't stop thanking us for our gift. We learned that these little girls are either found on the streets or taken away from their families. They are educated and taken care of in this orphanage. The senior women are there due to the fact that their families will no longer take care of them. I couldn't help but let the tears stream down my face as I looked into the eyes of these innocent girls and women. As the nun went on thanking us for our joy, someone from the audience said, "Because of your joy and energy, we will be able to live for another hundred years!!" They were all so gracious. So loving. So humble. So perfect. As soon as the nun finished her amazing speech, we were all off and free to play with the children and greet the women. I found Gizelle. She ran over to me and threw her arms around me. She didn't even know my name. Who cares? I think that we both knew that there was a connection between the two of us. I asked a nun what Gizelle's story was. Where did she come from? How did you find her? Story is that she was just found on the streets with no family. They aren't able to find her parents because they don't know her last name. She is 6 but has the body of a 4 year old. This is due to lack of nutrition. So the nuns are doing everything they can to get her to a healthy weight. Gizelle and I just played and played. I would throw her up in the air and she would just giggle. She wouldn't let go of me. As much as I wanted to go play with every single little girl, my heart was stolen by Gizelle. And forever it will be hers. I began walking to the hallway where we got dressed. She took my hand and followed me there. She sat down as I changed out of my costume and into my sunday dress. She would help me by handing me the hanger and the costume. I took out my make up bag and played around with her by pretending to put blush on her face with my blush brush. She just giggled and giggled. I found a hair elastic in there and something told me that it belonged to her. Or at least...it should now belong to her. I put it on her wrist and her eyes lit up. I had one on my wrist and she grabbed my hand. Friendship bracelets? Okay! I almost like to think of them as promise bracelets. Promising that there is hope for her to be found by her parents. Promising that her life will be filled with happiness. Promising her that I will see her again. She doesn't know that I feel this way about our bracelets. It was a gift for her that I hope she will keep. I wear one on my wrist everyday. I think of her when I see it. I know I will see her again. Just like I will see Elle. It will be a perfect reunion. We went back outside to the courtyard. Synergy members were still playing the kids and some were loading the bus. I played with Gizelle until Kim came over to me saying we had to go. I hugged her oh so very tightly and told her I loved her. It was one of the hardest goodbyes for me. But the with the knowledge that I have, I know I will see her again and I will be able to speak with her. I cannot wait.