Our next village stop took us to what seemed the ends of the earth-Delger Hangai. The village is about 2000 people and it is literally in the middle of nowhere. The only functioning well is 3 miles outside the village, and they walk every day to fill their barrels. The village can't afford to put in local well because of the cost, $14,000-which I've been stuck on for days... When we arrived at the feeding center the kids sang songs for us - it was so sweet! They weren't shy either, they really belted it out! I loved it. They are so sweet and adorable. Then they all got together with several of us (about 5 of us, and 25 of them) and played a little game of "Sambo Says" (sound familiar?) - it was so funny, the kids loved it! I lasted until the 5th 'Sambo says'---it's tough when you can only guess what they're saying!!!
Then we went outside and played with the kids -this was my absolute favorite village we went to. The kids were so excited to see us, pulling us by the arm to do things, asking us to paint their nails (even the women - it was great!). And then I got out the camera - they were SO into having their pictures taken (all the kids have been, but they really loved it). One little girl who was about 13 maybe (it's hard to tell ages of the kids around here) was like my shadow - followed me everywhere and was obsessed with taking pictures with my camera - it was so cute. The children here were full of giggles and proud when they could learn a phrase (through our interpreter, Stephanie) and then say it to us, like 'thank you'. The children here in the desert are much more trusting, and more playful. It's more that their parents have trouble caring for them, and not as much like the capital where parents drink their income away. One girl in particular whose nails I painted (she was about 13) had gnarled hands, with some kind of skin problem. And when I took her hands and began to do her nails, she watched very closely and the corner of her mouth began to turn up. When I finished I said " Ta байх гоо сайхан" (Stephanie had to tell me several times how to say it)she looked up in surprise, smiled and thanked me. She walked away, looking at her shimmery nails and smiling. Stephanie explained most of the children rarely hear "you are beautiful" (what I told her, in Mongolian) or "you're special", stuff that seems trivial, or even silly to us. The impact, though, is huge! My parents have always told me how pretty and wonderful they thought I was, and I was always heartbroken to hear when they were disappointed, because words have such a profound impact. To only ever hear "you're worthless" and be pimped out by your parents (such as the kids forced to work at the dump, or the many kids who are spotters for their parent's thievery) would darken your soul. It just makes me so sad to know this children rarely get to see the face of love-to live without that seems inconceivable. The people at the centers put a lot of care and time into the kids, but with so many children, they can only make so much of an impact.
We finally left, and it was even more heartbreaking to leave them, because I feel like I really connected with some of the girls there. They waited outside our van and kept waving to us, over and over and over - the little girl who I had complimented especially (and kept smiling at me) so I hopped back out and gave her a hug bye - I love her!! She was so precious. I almost cried (again) leaving them. The drive back to the first village was sad for me... I really loved the people in Delger Hangai.
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