Escape..

Final day at the orphanage! Although it wasn't what we had expected and we certainly have had to work a lot harder than we imagined it hasn't all been bad. I think the girls have got quite a lot from it and realised things about themselves and others. As a family it has been tough living in a very small space together but as everyone does, we developed a routine and it all worked out. Jo and I are now experts at cribbage, which we play a lot of every evening!

It has shown me how ridiculously safety conscious we have become with children at home. These kids somehow survive fine rolling around in dirt, paint and whatever else happens to be on the ground. In the playground I found lots of glass and long rusty nails but the kids never seem to hurt themselves. They are very rough with one another but they don't cry. They all always eat everything on their plates, even the three year olds. I realise the kids need to be tough and street wise to survive here but at home surely we are just too soft?!

Finished the playground and it does look brighter and more inviting. We gradually got the hang of the gloss paint and managed to not be completely covered every day. Another thing here is that not a thing is wasted, so paint which we would have thrown away at home, full of lumps and horrible bits is thinned down and used again and again. Old clothes and rags are never thrown away, but used again and again, old paint pots are never thrown away.

We have tickets booked this evening on a bus that leaves here at 9pm and should take about 10 hours to reach Mancora, where the weather should be sunny and warm. We are hoping to be able to sit in hammocks and look at the ocean, the sea should be pretty warm as well so hopefully we will be able to go swimming. The girls will be sad to leave some of the children and Mili is saying she definitely wants to come back next year.