mocha for me please: Back to see the angels

This was our 3rd or 4th trip to see the beautiful children at Angel's Orphanage. My Aussie friend Lainie came with me again this time... she's a professional photographer and the last time we came together she took nice pictures of most of the children. This time as a parting gift (since she found out a few days before that she was being deported since she accidentally over stayed her tourist visa) she gave them a photo album with all their pictures!! And one big one of all of them together in a matching frame. It was so nice of her and when she gave it to them, it was obvious how surprised and pleased they were to see their own faces in the album.

This time that we came back was different from the other times... when we got out of our taxi... the children ran up to us and mimicked the rhymes and hand rhythms we had taught them the previous visit. Things were also a lot less formal than before. We just hugged the children and played with them and of course took their photos, which always makes them so happy. I was happy myself to finally feel like they had come to trust us and see us as their friends. Sabina, the lady who is in charge of all the children, told me once that they have a lot of visitors but very rarely do they come on a regular basis... like we have come to do. I think that they really appreciate it ... I'm glad.

Here are some shots of them posing for the camera ... and just having fun :-)

This is Grace... the youngest of the bunch (the orphanage has grown to 82 children!!!). She is about Sofia's age. She was brought to the orphanage as an infant by her mother who was really ill and could no longer take care of her. I asked Sabina if any of the children have ever been adopted... she told me this was not that kind of orphanage. When children are brought to her, she just raises them until either they are married off (girls) or go to college (boys). Wow... talk about mothering!!! What a job!!