frustration

kids are always going to be kids- no matter the time, the place, or their company. we all know it but sometimes we have to continue to remind ourselves. i found myself in that situation this week, constantly getting frustrated and upset at our project. this week the amount of cuts, scrapes, and tears i saw was a little out of control. the kids have been really rough lately when playing outside...many of the older kids forget the size difference between themselves and the younger ones and end up being too aggressive, hurting the little ones physically and/or emotionally. then when the little ones end up in tears and in our arms, some of the older ones continue to bully and taunt them, making fun of them for crying. we were playing one game where we all twist around and run in a circle and start going really fast. it was fun until one girl got whipped into the side of a house (a jagged metal edge) and two other kids ended up on the ground with bleeding knees and hands. two videos of the game from kristy, one of the girls i work with:




i know that the bumps and bruises are a part of being a kid but it still breaks my heart to see this. sadly, we are only with the kids for a few hours a day so i would be interested to see how much of the tears and injuries go unnoticed.

this week has also been difficult because the attendance has been so irregular in the mornings we spend at the soup kitchen. it is known amongst the "neighborhood" that they open the doors at 9 and that is when we arrive to work with the kids. the program isn't really organized though so the kids come and go as they please until it is time for lunch to be served. some days there are kids waiting at the door for us to get there and other days we are sitting around waiting for the kids to come to us---one day this week, we were without kids till 10am :( it frustrates me because our time is so limited to work and play with them since the kitchen closes by 12 or 12:30 daily so there are days when i come home feeling like i wasted my time going there and no one really benefited from my presence.

i am trying to keep a positive outlook on things. each day is a new day with kids. the problems or struggles that we have one day are, more often than not, forgotten about the next day so i can only hope that next week will be better. as for now, i am treating myself to a getaway this weekend---2 friends and i are heading to samara beach for some fun and relaxation...and maybe some surfing lessons too :) pura vida!