| | |  Vallarta Living | January 2009 
Mercy Mission for Mexican Orphans
 Chris Saunderson - The Northern Scot
go to original
| | Jemma Campbell and Lana Gordon have helped brighten up the lives of orphans in Mexico. | |
Babies abandoned in buckets, children abused by their parents and teenagers living on the streets - harrowing tales of how children came to be in a Mexican orphanage.
Two young Scottish women helped brighten the lives of these unfortunate youngsters with some TLC and simple gifts.
Jemma Campbell and Lana Gordon spent a month in Mexico earlier this year working with the orphans.
The 21-year-olds from Portessie spent most of that time working at the Refugio Infantial Santa Esperanza in Puerto Vallarta.
The friends were keen to do some voluntary work overseas and found the orphanage through an international voluntary charity on the internet.
It was a harrowing but also very rewarding experience for the Moray pair who are keen to return in the future.
And they will be able to bring some cheer to the orphans in the new year thanks to a £453 donation from P6-7 pupils at Portessie Primary who organised a bring and buy sale to raise funds for the orphanage after Jemma gave them a presentation on her time there.
Jemma and Lana had also fundraised before their trip to pay for simple things like paper, pens, nappies, soap and baby wipes which made life much happier for the children.
“It was difficult but very worthwhile,” said Jemma, a classroom assistant at Findhochty Nursery.
“When you gave the children a cuddle you felt like you were doing something right. When you thought of how they got there and your own childhood, it was heartbreaking.”
Jemma is studying for a degree in children and youth studies through Moray College and hopes to go on to become a teacher, while Lana is at university in Aberdeen studying social work.
“It was difficult to leave them. Three weeks is not that long but you did get attached to the children in that time,” said Jemma.
The orphanage is run by nuns and relies heavily on overseas volunteers to function. It has around 30-40 children aged from birth to teenagers.
While the orphanage itself is relatively modern, the facilities are basic. A bath for the children was a combination of a sink and a hose.
“We didn’t speak Spanish and they had no English. The children were terrified, so we went to a local Walmart and bought some squeaky toys.”
Jemma and Lana would like to return to the orphanage some time in the future and were delighted when the youngsters at Portessie Primary decided to raise funds to buy equipment and toys for the children.
“It has opened my eyes to how other young people are living in other countries. I would like to go to Africa where conditions are even worse,” said Jemma.
c.saunderson(at)northern-scot.co.uk |
|
| |
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us