Santiago
He loves to ride a tricycle. Runny nose is an everyday thing. Santiago is a spunky and cheerful 3-year-old.
Santiago is one of the many children I met during my volunteering time at Club C.O.R.A.S.O.N in Cusco, Peru. Located in a semi-rural area of the city, the club provides support and space for children from the surrounding area to learn, grow and play.
These children are in a state of “semi-abandonment” living where the parent/s are working long hours and/or have drinking problems. Many of them also care for their younger siblings and/or elderly in the house.
Santiago is the youngest of 7 siblings. His family lives in a small house shared with other families. His older brothers and sisters take turn in attending to him.
I loved Santiago from the first time I saw him. Great smile, makes car horn sound when riding a tricycle and sometimes loves to venture out of the club ground. He is an absolute sweetheart.
Volunteering is something I had wanted to do in my early university years. I always wondered what would it be like to go someplace away by myself and experience volunteering with the local children. Before I know it, 12 years have passed and I finally decided to go from the “I want” to “I do” phase. I touched down in Cusco early September 2013.
My first encounter with Santiago is an interesting one. I was excited to start my placement and had my camera with me. Santiago, cruising on his tricycle, decided to give me a very warm welcome by gently smacking my camera. He laughed and I captured the moment.
They call me Hermano Chino.
There are about 15 to 30 children coming to the club everyday, ranging from the age of 3 to 15 years old. The younger children love to piggy back and the older ones like to play volleyball. Life is never a dull moment with these children.
It is fascinating to see the different personality facets of the children. Some of them are polite, some are reserved, some are wild and some are determined.
Every beginning of the week, we come up with a weekly theme and activities for the children. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life is to get the younger children organized and sit still for activities, especially with my limited Spanish.
Volunteering allows me to reflect upon my upbringing. How I was raised and how I should behave in front of these children. To be honest, there were some very difficult moments when I had to stop and not to interfere in a conflict. I just needed to lead by example.
Going to volunteer was one of the most complicated process I had to undergo in life. Due to my work and unforeseen situations, I had to change my placement date twice. However, the joy I get from interacting with these children cannot be expressed by words.
Santiago, you have a special place in my heart. I’m grateful to have met you and I miss you dearly. I miss playing tricycle with you. I miss wiping your runny nose with or without tissue paper. I miss your innocent smile.
I’ve seen you fall and laugh, I’ve seen you fall and cry, I’ve seen you stand up for your older brothers.I consider it a blessing to have known you in my life.
I hope I made a difference in your life and I do hope you’d remember me when I return.
