Changing the World One Smile at a Time

     Good news everyone! I was able to have more dance parties this week. These spontaneous moments of joy occurred while I was visiting some of the orphans who are in the hospital. There is one particular girl who we visit quite frequently because she is in the hospital fairly often. She is probably two years old and has a skin condition that causes large sores and blisters all over her body. The doctors aren't sure what causes the wounds but one cause could be human contact. This means that we can't touch her and have to be careful with how we play with her. She is always stuck in her crib and constantly has her hands, feet, and most of her body wrapped up in bandages.
     Now that I've told you about this girl, let me really tell you about her. She is such a sweetheart. She is usually playing with a toy or eating a cookie when we come into her room and the only person who might smile bigger than she does when we see her is me. I have never seen this strong little girl upset. Her many bandages and constant pain never seem to phase her. Her quality of life at this point is not ideal but her quality of happiness is the most wonderful thing I can imagine one having.
     Our favorite thing to do with her is have dance parties. We put on music and dance around the room all crazy while she sits in her crib and watches. Occasionally she will bob her head along or clap her hands but most of the time she sits and stares at us like we are crazy. The nurses (who all obviously love this sweet girl) will often poke their heads in and laugh along with us at her amusement. At the end of the song she will always giggle and smile and clap for us. Dancing around in this girls room is something that I will genuinely miss and I will definitely be holding dance parties in her honor in the future. Like many of the children here, she has left her mark on my heart. She has taught me that appearances are next to nothing compared to our character. She has taught me not to complain ever again about blemishes on my face. But most of all she has taught me that I can do hard things. She was dealt a hard life and at two years old has chosen to live it with joy.
     When I first visited the hospital four long months ago I remember having a conversation with the other girls about the hardships the kids here have. We talked about how blessed we are to have been born into the families and lifestyles that we were born into. How it is not fair to these children to have been born into their situations. I have thought a lot about this and I have come up with an explanation. These children were sent here to change the world. They were given the hardships they were given in order to teach others important lessons that we would not otherwise learn. To teach us to be strong, to love others unconditionally, to be thankful for what we have, to be brave, be kind, be selfless. So why did I and so many others get to grow up in a safe and loving home in the most safe and secure place? I honestly think that it is because I might not have been strong enough. These kids who I have the blessing to interact with on a daily basis are the strongest humans that I have met. That is why they were chosen to be given the lifestyle that they have. Because they are strong enough.
     Although they are young, and fragile, and sometimes can be a bit of a handful, they are the ones who can change the world for the better. I believe that they have that ability. I know that there are hundreds of inspirational speakers and thousands of people who dedicate their lives to serving and helping others but the kids here have a special gift. They inspire, help, and bring joy to others simply by living. By existing. And I will forever be thankful for them.

Here are some pictures from the past week:

It was pretty cold this week and so we had to get creative with how to stay warm.

This adorable puppy followed me home all the way from the orphanage and sat outside my building whining when I had to go inside without him. It broke my heart that I couldn't keep him!

Me and all of the girls in the orphanage!

This is Teo. She does so much for the kids in the orphanage and is the greatest example of kindness and selflessness that I have seen. I will miss her a lot.

We sang in church today for a special Christmas music program. Regan and I were matching! 

These are the girl and sister missionaries who sang with us. The Elder's sang too but are not in the picture.