A few days ago we went and visited the local Ngobe village, Buena Esperanza. There are a number of villages nearby, this being the closest to us. This was a wonderful experience for the kids, as well as Alex and I. The villagers welcomed us with shy smiles and lots of stares. They do not get many outside visitors so many were shocked to see blonde hair and white skin.
We met Michelle, a Peace Corp volunteer, who has been living in the village for 2 years and is nearing the end of her stay. She educated the village on the importance of clean drinking water and helped them put in water tanks. She also has been teaching them English. Michelle gave us a "tour" of the village and introduced us to many of the villagers.
The kids got to sit in the classrooms and play with the kids at recess.
The kids soon warmed up to us and were treating us like one of their own. They even invited Riley in a game of baseball.
Cole eventually got tired of the little girls chasing him and giggling.
They taught the kids to play a game called Mar y Tierra (ocean and dirt). The kids quickly caught on.
This is one of my favorite pictures. Cole was trying to have a conversation with the kids. They were so interested even though they couldn't understand a word he was saying. It was absolutely precious!
Then it was lunch time.
The women cooked big pots of food in the kitchen.
The kindergardeners ate first. They enjoyed a creamy soup. Then the older kids had beans and rice.
Many of these kids have never seen a camera. They loved having their picture taken and then looking at themselves.
Despite the grim and often times unsanitary living conditions, these kids are as happy as any kids I have met. It just goes to show that you don't need fancy cars, over-sized houses and video games. You can live just as happy of a life with next to nothing, as long as you have food, shelter and family.
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