Top Secret Mission

There were a lot of emotions going through the group today; excitement

for being able to help others in need, anxiety for encountering the
unknown and a foreign culture, and hope that we could bring some kind
of relief to these refugees. I felt kind of like I was on some kind
of secret mission. We didn’t know where we were going, we couldn’t
know the name of the place we were going, and we have to keep it a
secret to protect the community there. After a bus ride, a metro ride
and a short walk through the streets we arrived at “the center”. I
sometimes felt like we were being watched, especially when we walked
into the building (I was probably just paranoid). Once we arrived we
got to play with the children and make crafts with them! I realized
that all these children want to do is play and have a good time. All
children are the same no matter what their background is or what
language they speak. These children may not have toys to play with or
maybe even a home to go to, but they still find joy in making beaded
bracelets or coloring. We learned that even though these kids aren’t
able to attend school, they are incredibly intelligent and many of
them spoke a lot of English. These children did not choose this life
they lead, but they are stuck in it until they are able to do
something about it. It is difficult knowing that we can’t do more to
help them, but by the smile on the children’s faces, we know we
brought some joy into their lives. I am so grateful for the
opportunity to be able to serve these people who are being oppressed
and have difficulties finding the basic necessities to survive. We are
looking forward to what the rest of the week brings!
-Amerika Colombo