I Swept the Floor of an Orphanage

I might cry as I type this post. My heart is conflicted for the hope that might be ahead or the crush of the waiting and waiting that more likely will come first. 

I walked down the steep streets turning one block this way and one block that way until finally I came to the street where the orphanage is. The street is on a hill and looking straight out I see the other side of the valley with its bright colored concrete houses tightly sitting shoulder to shoulder climbing the hill. The smog in the distance reminds me that I'm in the usually noisy city. But the street I'm slowly walking down is quiet.
                                                          As if no one knows it's there.
It was just after a hard rain. There were no moving cars. No people talking or shouting (which is rare for Mexico, there is always someone who is selling something). I came up to the door and I saw the sign. My heart swells a little bit wondering if my forever child could be in there right now.

I had never volunteered there before but I had been in the hogar (home) twice before this day. I had an hour to spare and thought this would be a great time for an over due baby fix. I rang the buzzer. The woman who answered the door didn't speak English so I had to practice my Spanish. Which is just fine, I need the practice. I said, "I have and hour free, can I help with anything?" "Oh come on in, you can help clean the dining room." UUhhh... "Ok, whatever I can do." Secretly wanting huff and puff like a little kid who didn't get their way. I wanted to cuddle babies! I smoothly stated, "Sure, I can help in the kitchen or with the kids, whatever you need." HINT HINT. She said there were only a few BABIES in the hogar at this time! YES!... THAT! I sighed and smiled and she said, "you can help in the dining room and when you're done there you can go up and see the babies." Deal. I went into the kitchen, met the cook, then offered my services. She handed me a bucket of extremely soapy water and some sponges and I went to assess the damages that had been made from breakfast. Dried eggs on the floor, cheerios stuck to everything, sticky tables and crumb filled chairs. 

I scrubbed with love, I wiped the chairs down with prayers, I swept the floor thankful.

Because if there were dried eggs on the chairs and table; that meant the children are fed.

My child is fed.
Because if there are cheerios and crumbs on the floor and chairs strewn about that means there was fun.

My child has fun.
and if there is dirt on the floor it's because their shoes drug in the outside dirt, it means they have shoes.

My child has shoes.

So I was thankful. I was so happy to serve, to clean. So glad to be in a place that cares for children, feeds children and clothes children.  

After I was done I quickly made my way upstairs to the nursery. I new there was a newborn baby boy but he wasn't seen. Through the window in the door I saw toddlers. I waved. I raised my eye brows and made silly faces. Then I knocked... 

Could one of these little ones be destined for me? For us? 

As I knocked the toddlers were smirking and coming towards the door with the caregiver. I sat right down with a little girl who I had met at the Children's Day fiesta. Her mom works at the hogar. With me sat a set of twin girls. And by sat I mean one of them ran and moved and danced. She is a silly little bugger. And her sister was a bit more cautious but equally silly. And next to me in a bouncy seat was a little dark haired fat faced little baby girl, about 5 months they say. A-dor-a-ble. I didn't pick her up until a little later but she was worth the wait. A little squish, a wiggler. Very sweet. 

It was a great first day. Who knows if any of them are adoptable. All I know is that I got to cuddle with some beautiful babies who's mommy's circumstances didn't allow them to be with their children. So I did my best to show them love.