We Have Arrived

So here we are, a group of 9 professionals, from different walks of life, joined together for a week of trying to make a difference in the lives of children who never had the advantages that we had. It was sorta magical getting here. Matt and I met with Andrew in Hoboken for some dinner and drinks, and got a ride from a former Mustard Seed volunteer, Kevin. Instantly, the sense of camaraderie and communal support helped get the show off on the right foot. Seamlessly, Kristina, Lisa, Mike, Iryna, Smidgen (aka Jordan), and Meghan met at the airport and the team was assembled ready for the mission ahead. Fast forward two flights, 10 hours later, and after some beef and chicken patties were already eaten, we arrived at Sophie's Place, the orphanage we were staying at.

Ready to make a difference...sounds great in your mind, but heading in, I didn't really know what to expect.  After just 20 minutes, things got pretty real pretty quickly. We took a tour of the children's cottages, and met a group of adorable kids, with all sorts of mental and physical disabilities.  What I also didn't expect was that they ranged in age from about 2 years old to 28 years old (what?). The first thing that came to mind was a great sense of appreciation for the nurses and staff that are here all year round, and the empathy, energy, and support they give every single day - often thanklessly.

Matt, our resident photographer (and fellow team member) and I then went walking the grounds to take some photos of the scenic blue mountains surrounding us, and gave an impromptu photography lesson to one of the kids here.  Amazing how quickly he was picking things up, and how we were able to communicate without really being communicate. Then it hit me, it's the little things that we're here to do. Give a litte support to the staff that is here all the time and give these kids some sort of diversion from the norm, even if it's for 20 minutes at a time. So there we are 6 more days of trying to do whatever we can to help, be it small or big, play a role and try to make each kid's day better one smile at a time.  We are ready for this mission.

Mark (newbie)