"Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful of your life ..."
With this saying was I, Remo Jauch, high school teacher from Andermatt, welcomed on the 1st of October 2016 in the children’s home "yo quiero ser ...". How time flies. Meanwhile, I have been part of this big and cordial family for 4 months ...
With this voluntary service, I am able to fulfill my own childhood dream; social service in a developing country. After visiting my godson for a week this past May, it was clear to me that I must return to this wonderful place. It is impressive to see what Patricia has built up with a lot of hard work and above all, incomparable passion.
The best moments for me are the ones when I see how well the children support each other; while playing together, doing crafty projects in small groups or when the girls help in the kitchen. I am amazed how little quarrels occur and how independent the children are. It amazes me how nicely the children keep themselves busy with much fewer toys and forced stimulation compared to our Swiss kids.
When I experience how happy and content the children are in their everyday lives, I can hardly imagine what baggage they carry on their shoulders from their own past. It is impressive to see how a supportive and positive environment can influence children’s’ lives in the long run.
At the beginning of my stay, when the children had no vacation yet, I supported them during the afternoon hours with their homework and tutored them in mathematics.
In the morning, many household chores had to be done: cleaning, dusting, getting rid of the garbage, taking care of the turtle pond, etc ... according to the motto “he who seeks shall find”. I also try to support Patricia with her duties.
For some time I am responsible for the entrance gate and spend most of the day there. By placing a table near bye, I have now almost the whole kids visiting and lost count on how many times I’ve played memory (and lost) or how many drawings the smaller ones have done for me ...
Interesting are always the trips we undertake, it gives a welcoming change to the children’s everyday life I get to see more of the country. The holidays in Santa Rosa with all the children was definitely a highlight too, I will never forget how to pick coffee beans the right way, what a learning experience.
I am happy and especially grateful that I am able to be part of this amazing community and I am looking forward to many more unforgettable and beautiful days ...
I wish the children that their dreams come true.
Remo Jauch