Hello everyone. The teams have left and I already miss them. I still have several notes from the teams and will be sharing them over the next handful of days. I am in VN till July 26.

Today's journal is from Akela Richardson. One of the founders of H.U.G.G.S. A  non -profit started by Texas teenagers after their trip last summer. Akela has had an impact on the children she has met but honestly I think the impact on her life is even greater.

It was not easy getting her to write and she sent me 2 journals in 1 email and I am including both today. Enjoy

Akela with a friend ready to chalk up the sidewalk

"My most memorable part of this trip was definitely staying at the orphanage. Those kids impact my life in the biggest way. We stayed at the orphanage for 4 nights and 5 days. Those kids are the sweetest, most adventurous kids with the biggest hearts that I know. They are not spoiled like American kids and they are extremely thankful for everything that is given to them.

The older kids took awhile to warm up

Last year when I was there, there was a group of boys that I hung out with that were very open and fun .Well, about 4 months ago two of the kids got into an accident. The way I understood  it was a scooter accident. The younger one died and the older one was in the hospital for a few days. And because of that the entire group of the older boys separated themselves from everybody and were mostly on their own the whole time.  

Took some time but even the older boys came around

I had to go out of my way to get all of them to come and hang out together with me. But by the end of the trip they were more open and more playful. The oldest boy was one of my favorites and he has never really shown any emotion other then happiness but I've never actually seen sadness on his face.

Marked!

Before we left he ran and got a marker and wrote I will miss you on my arm. Of course that made me break down in tears. And I wrote I love and miss you too on his arm. And I could see the pain of me leaving on his face. My eyes are actually watering up right now. Those kids have had the biggest impact on my life. And I plan on writing them so they know that I will not forget about them. And I cannot wait to come back next year. 

Will she come back?

 I think it was the day after that we went to another orphanage and at this orphanage a lot of the kids had hydro encephalitis, or were blind, or had some kind of deformity. The second we walked into the room where they were all laying I saw a little girl who was laying on the ground and it looked like she was throwing a fit because she had her head down into her arms. And every time somebody would grab her hand she would automatically pull away. 

"Don't leave!"

About the second time I grabbed her hand she got up and reached out to me. And so I held her the rest of the time we were there. While I was holding her one of the women walked up to me and told me she was blind. And I had many people come up to me and say  I'm sure that is the most relaxed she has ever been.  

The blind girl caught me by surprise

At first I would sit her down and get her to walk to me. But then after a while I would sit her down and she would turn around and make me hold her again. It was really hard for me to lay her back down in her crib when we were leaving. And when she realized that I was leaving her she went right back to how she was when we first got there.

On one of the last days we went to the orthopedic hospital and there were really two people that stuck out to me. The first one was this little boy and had major deformity in his hands and feet. He was very to himself. Every time somebody would reach out to touch him he would pull away in a heartbeat.

Amazing what bubbles can do, a smile from recent amputee

I went and got bubbles and when I started blowing bubbles with him his whole demeanor changed. He wouldn't stop talking and laughing. It was one of the cutest things I've ever seen. The other one that stood out to me, was this older girl. And she said she was 17 but she looked a lot older and by everybody's body motions she could tell that we didn't believe her.

 

Older then she says? Does she qualify?

 I was paying close attention to her and she started to cry, but instead of making it a scene she was trying to hide her tears. And I'm not sure why but it really touched me. I went and talked to my mom about it to see if she could pay for her surgery and if needed, I would pay her back for it. And she went and talked to Robert. Something about that girl, whether she was lying or not, it really touched my heart."

Akela Richardson 18; Dallas Texas

><((((º>  BBlessed