My friend Amy and I set out at 8am on the subway. The orphanage was a fair ways away, so we gave ourselves two hours to get there, although we were thinking that it wouldn’t take that long.
While we were on the subway, we noticed that it stopped at a station and we were waiting there for quite a while. Knowing that we had somewhere to be, we both became slightly anxious. All of the sudden there was an announcement over the intercom. When it was translated into English, we found out that the subway system was temporarily shut down due to a ‘casualty’ in the station ahead.
I had been told about these ‘casualties’ before I came to Korea, although this was the first time it was brought into my daily life. From what I’ve come to understand, Korea has a very high suicide rate and jumping in front of a subway train is fairly common.
I had very mixed emotions as we were all leaving the station (nobody had gotten to where they needed to go, so people were trying to find taxis). Part of me felt overwhelmingly sad for the person who did this; that they would feel so desperate to get out. However then I started thinking about all of the people who were angry that they couldn’t ride the subway and the poor train driver who watch this person jump out… how horrible!
Amy and I eventually found a cab that took us to where we needed to go and I tried to put the depressing incident out of my mind and look forward to the exciting day ahead.
When we finally arrived at the orphanage, I was surprised to see how well kept it was. There were three main buildings where about 100 kids lived and a nice yard with playing equipment. One of the girls took me on a small tour and showed me some of the rooms and dining halls etc. It was very nicely kept and had a very homey feel. Most of the bedrooms had about 4 kids in them and they all had their own bed and desk.
As I was walking around, the caretakers were very friendly and smiled and made me feel welcome. Due to the language barrier, it’s difficult to strike up a conversation with them, but I could get the feeling that I was welcome.
The kids seemed very interested in me when I arrived. Amy had been there several times before and so the kids know and adore her. Over the course of the day, they warmed up to me as well and it was so interesting to interact with them.
Our day was planned around a picnic in the park. When we got to the park with the kids, they were all sitting around in a common area with mats on the ground and benches. They were singing worship songs and there was a Korean pastor giving a sermon of sorts (all of it was in Korean so I really didn’t know what was being said). Because we arrived late, the worship quickly ended and the kids became very excited for the picnic.
The Korean picnic was much different from what I expected. Each person got a Styrofoam container of Kimbap (which is like a sushi roll except it has veggies, egg and ham instead of fish) and a cup of instant ramen noodles. It was interesting to see the dynamic because the kids did look out for one another and many of the older girls would carry the young kids around.
After lunch there were many games organized. Some of the leaders planned a bible game where the kids would find clues and then have to solve mysteries etc. Due to the language barrier however, I wasn’t able to participate in it. Amy, I and some of our Korean friends took a walk to the river and watched the kids play.
Although the kids are well cared for, they are not continuously monitored like kids back home. There were little kids running all over the place and just being free and nobody was telling them to be careful or slow down. I guess that’s the general assumption when you have so many kids to look after… they’ll learn to be careful eventually.
I was talking to Amy, who has gone to another orphanage before and she said that this orphanage is superior to the other one. She said that she could tell that this orphanage was Christian run because the workers genuinely cared for the kids and their wellbeing. These kids were taken many places, they had a beautiful outdoor area where they could play, they were well dressed and they seemed very content. Apparently that’s not the case for all orphanages in Korea.
I was lucky enough to meet a very special girl, Jane. She spoke English very well and we had a very nice conversation together. Jane is 14 years old and she lives at the orphanage. She shares a room with 5 other girls, but she likes it. She’s very interested in American music and movies and she hopes to go to America someday.
While I was talking to Jane, she mentioned something about her father and I became slightly confused. I asked her if she still saw her father from time to time and she told me that she didn’t. I was slightly perplexed that she would mention her father in the first place then and I think she could see the confusion on my face. Jane came to me and said “God is my father and he loves me so much… I am so lucky to have a father like him”. When she said that, my heart just melted. This little girl who has probably experienced so much pain in her life was able to find comfort, security and love. It’s amazing!
There was also this little girl named Daubby. She was about 4 years old and was head over heels for Amy. They had met last year and Daubby loved Amy. At the beginning she was a bit shy of me, but during the day she warmed up. Daubby didn’t realize that Amy and I didn’t speak Korean so she would ramble on and on and we would just nod, unsure of anything she was saying. From what I came to understand, Daubby has parents, but they can’t afford to provide for her so she lives at the orphanage. Apparently her parents come to visit her sometimes, but the orphanage is her home.
We played for a little while longer with the kids and then it was time to return back to the orphanage. Amy and I were dropped off at the subway station and we were wiped! Once we arrived home I hit my pillow and was out for quite a while… kids can be draining!
It was a wonderful experience to meet these great kids who don’t have the easiest life... They’re such loveable children and they’re so upbeat. Working with kids at my private school is so different from this: My kids are used to having everything handed to them on a golden platter—these kids are thankful for even the smallest thing, and my heart just goes out to them.
I’m hoping to return to the orphanage soon and spend more time with them.
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