Bolivia :-)
It's been almost a month since I've been back in Canada and i hadn't been able to finish my love letter to Bolivia, this past week has been full of lessons- lessons of taking risks and no regret. So here goes... :-)
The last week we spent in Bolivia, we stayed at an amazing place called the Bolivian Children's mission in Cochabamba (the land of eternal spring), beautiful mountains, flowers, no headache from altitude and filled with some of the most amazing people I have ever met. We only stayed at this orphanage for about 8 days- but they were 8 days that totally transformed my life.
I've been to many orphanages before and always end up leaving with some sort of hopelessness- This time it was no different, but at the same time, this trip was different for some reason- these kids had friends, hobbies, love stories, favourite colours, and smiles that had left a huge imprint on my heart. I had never interacted this much with kids at an orphanage, one little girl, Jenny, really stole my heart- we happen to share the same birthday, but our lives were very different.
Jenny was 13 years old and had been at that orphanage since she was weeks old, coming from a very sad past, you would expect a child that was sad, angry, and filled with disillusion for the world. But she was different, after school every day she would come up to me, hug me and say "I'm going to miss you Ivania", those words broke my heart time and time after again- but her smile was always hopeful and full of love. We exchanged conversations about the world, my favourite place, her favourite place, the wonders of nature that surrounded us, her life at the orphanage, love, heart break- and how to change the world. She changed my world and on our birthday all i could think of, was how my reality was so different than hers, I was surrounded by mom and dad, siblings and SOOO much love, in a country where my insane stubbornness for change was embraced. I know that at the orphanage she is surrounded by a lot of love, but i cant keep myself from thinking about what her future in Bolivia will be like, where will she go when she turns 18 and cant stay at the orphanage anymore?
All this unrest in my heart, had left me paused- not knowing what to do, not knowing when or how i would see this little girl again- i realized that if i stayed in this state i would have broken dreams all my life, broken wings and unfulfilled promises. I needed to step out of my rut for a bit and be hopeful for Jenny, I know that God has a very special purpose for her life and i hope to meet her again in the near future.
Remembering the last thing she said to me, i smile and know that i should not worry about her, because she is deeper than most people i know around my age- she's a world changer!! "Ivania, you wont forget me right? i mean you cant, we have the same birthday, we are birthday twins, and coincidences like that are like promises that God has already made for us". - And Jenny i could never forget you or the Bolivian Children's mission. I walked into milk and honey when i walked into that orphanage, true living, living in Love and with purpose!
I am deeply inspired and indebted for the lessons learned there. Thank you Peter and Delia for sharing your house and family with us in Cochabamba!!
I will miss you Bolivia, but we will see each other again one day, very soon, very soon :-)
