Last week I had the opportunity to volunteer at the children's hospital in Cartagena, known locally as, Casa del Niños. A group of doctors, nurses and support staff, have been coming to the hospital for the past 17 years performing all sorts of surgeries on children, including cleft palate and skin grafting for burn victims. This year the doctors for the first time ever, performed surgery on a 43 year old woman who had never had her cleft palate corrected.
I coordinated volunteers and donations of juices and snacks to be given out to the parents while they waited for their children. Volunteers helped translate for the doctors. I went for three days in a row and I was overwhelmed by the needs of the hospital.
One of the local Rotary clubs coordinates the logistics of the group's visit. It was through this group that I became involved. I met one of the women earlier in the year and when she told me what she does, I immediately offered my assistance. It felt so good to be useful. While I have been having a lot of fun, I have been feeling a little useless. I have decided that although the group has left (they come each year for ten days) I will continue to help the hospital in any way I can. I am going to continue to go, maybe once every week or every other week. I need to learn more Spanish. People at the hospital kept walking up to me with questions and I felt bad not understanding them. I am more motivated than ever to learn more so I can communicate in a meaningful way.
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