It is a bright sunny morning. A boy wakes up, stretches and wipes away the sleep from his eyes. At the same time 75 other kids are waking up and doing the same thing. There is no washing of the faces or brushing of teeth. There is definitely no showering because water is scarce. Going to the bathroom is just a short walk away to the outhouse. Mateo doesn’t mind because this is his life and he is used to it.
Ding Ding Ding! Breakfast is ready. It is a basic meal of rice, beans and tortillas as usual. Mateo slowly eats his breakfast. It is the same food that he eats every morning. He drinks his half cup of water, which he never seems to get enough of. Asking for more is not an option. He doesn’t mind though because today is special.
After breakfast the kids will all get together and play. Mateo especially likes the playground set that mysteriously arrived one day. After some time playing on the swings and kicking the soccer ball around boredom kicks in. “Just a few more hours” he says to himself smiling. “In a few more hours the Americans will be here.”
Meanwhile about 30 miles away, Michele wakes up, stretches and hops in the shower. It is a beautiful sunny day and she is excited! She washes her face and brushes her teeth with clean running water that she has grown accustomed to. This is her life and she is used to it.
She drives over to the local coffee shop for a drink and the diner to grab a bite to eat. As she looks at her menu she is overwhelmed with the amount of choices. She is grateful that she never has to worry about going hungry. As she wraps up with breakfast she looks at her watch, “Time to go, today is a special day.”
She has been meeting this group for the past year now and it has become a part of her life. They meet in the same parking lot. Sometimes there are 25 volunteers, sometimes there are 50. It makes her feel good that so many other people have a heart to give back to those less fortunate. They load up the donations and water in the cars and off they go. “Just a few more hours” she says smiling.
They reach their destination, one of the many orphanages in Tijuana. Mateo runs to Michele and gives her a huge bear hug. As volunteers exit the vehicles they are swarmed by excited kids and laughter. Everyone is full of joy! After a bit of free time spent with the children, they transition into arts and crafts followed by a delicious lunch. After lunch comes a either a math or an English lesson and it is soon time to go. They all wave their goodbyes until next time.
Unity 4 Orphans is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based out of San Diego. Our mission is to raise awareness, inspire action, create and mobilize communities that are committed to improving the quality of life for orphans. We also strive to make a meaningful impact in the lives of orphans by providing emotional, educational and financial support to orphan communities. Our current project is to provide clean, running water with no shortages. To learn how you can support us through donations or financially please contact us at unity4orphans@gmail.com. Thanks for reading our story!
Joe Brandi
Founder, Unity 4 Orphans
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