I love children. I love their innocence, their honesty and their resilience. My trip has been one of giving back, of sharing my time and heart with as many people as possible. I was so happy and excited to begin my work with the children at the orphanage in Bali. I had emailed with Cecilia, the orphanage manager, prior to arriving and had offered to teach the children at Care for Kids Bali, Art, English and Yoga. She seemed so kind and loving throughout our communication and I knew intuitively that she and I would quickly become friends.
The morning after my first night in Bali, I met Cecilia at a Kindergarten that Allison Chester built for the local village (I am living with a modern Mother Theresa, more about her later) which is a few doors down from the family compound I am staying in. When I walk through the gates, I am overwhelmingly greeted by a large group of some of the cutest kids I have ever seen. They all rush to grab my hands and hug me with such delight. My cheeks hurt from smiling so hard. They escort me into one of their bright and beautiful classrooms and begin to sing songs, play on drums and show off their hula hoop skills. Cecilia arrives and greets me with a warm hug. “I am so happy you are here. The kids at the orphanage are looking forward to meeting you.” she says.
Cecilia works for Allison and manages this kindergarten as well as the orphanage. She has lived in Bali her whole life and has never travelled anywhere else. Her smile could light up a room and her heart beams out of her chest. Her energy is infectious. As we make the drive towards the orphanage in Depensar, which takes about 45 minutes from Canggu, Cecilia tells me a little about the children and what I can expect. They speak very little English but are very willing and open to learning. The age range is 1 to 18. Most of the kids come from a poverty stricken island called Somba where their parents still live but are unable to provide for their children so living in an orphanage is their only hope for basics such as food, shelter and an education.
When we arrive at the orphanage, I am immediately struck by how clean it is. The space is not large but very open and rich in plant life. The walls are painted with a beautiful mural graced with animals and ocean scenery. Overall the energy feels happy here which surprises me. Cecilia takes me to the main courtyard where groups of kids begin to pour out with warm greetings of “Hello! How are you? What is your name? Where are you from?” They have been taught to say “thank you” and “please” and to say their names and age. Although the conversations pretty much stop there, I am very impressed with their willingness to communicate.
I ask a couple of the older girls to show me around their home. They take me to their rooms which house four bunk beds and 2 dressers for clothing. The laundry area is drowned in piles of clothes and stacks of shoes sit at the entranceways to their rooms. The bathrooms are in need of a makeover, a lot of the doors have come off the hinges and the “toilets” (basically holes in the ground) seem to be crumbling away. There are 2 main social areas, a computer room which is the most popular area for the older kids and a communal area with rattan chairs and couches. The kitchen and dining area are in an open space overlooking a small grass area. The kids excitedly show me a new stove that has been donated recently by a generous supporter.
Cecilia and I agree that the best way to begin would be to gather all the kids together so that we can introduce ourselves to each other. She begins the process and suddenly I am sitting on the grass with 42 beautiful Indonesian children staring back at me. We go around the circle, and one by one they tell me their name, age and what their favorite hobby is (football is a dominant favorite but I jokingly tell them that yoga is just as fun which is met with huge laughter). I then introduce myself and tell them why I am here and what I will be teaching them.
Over the next two weeks, I arrive at the orphanage at about 11 am five days per week. I make sure to teach English every day and cater to the various age ranges and abilities of the kids. The little ones like to learn colors, animals and parts of the body, the older ones prefer to learn basic communication skills. I find myself using a lot of the improvisation techniques that I learned in acting school many years ago. The classes are joyous and filled with laughter. I am impressed with how quickly they begin to learn and how excited they are every time I announce class time.
Teaching the children Yoga is a dream of mine and I feel so grateful to be able to share my passion with them. I ask Jogi (pronounced "Yogi", which is too beyond perfect), an 18 year old boy who lives at the orphanage, who has the sweetest disposition and speaks English pretty well, to help me translate my guidance into English which he does willingly and with graceful ease. I am overwhelmed at how focused the children are and how easily they take to the poses. It becomes clearer and clearer to me with each class that this is what I am meant to do: teach children yoga. I have never felt more satisfaction with any work I have ever done, I have never felt so fulfilled, I have never felt more in tune and in line with the Divine.
My personal Yoga practice only really began about 2 years ago and my life has been transformed since. I can’t even imagine how different my life experience would have been had I been given the tools that I have learned when I was young so to be able to share what I know now with other kids is really a tremendous blessing. I love coming up with new creative ways to teach them and engage their interest and attention. There is nothing quite like watching a group of children sit in meditation. How beautiful to be a small part of teaching consciousness and awareness of self.
I spent my birthday, June 11th, at the orphanage. When the kids sang “Happy Birthday” it felt as though my heart might leap out of my chest. Being with them was the absolute best birthday gift I have ever received.
Although I have committed to a yoga retreat in Ubud, I have promised the kids that I will be back to teach which they are excited about. I am committed to helping them and sharing my heart with as many children in Bali as possible. They have given me so much more than they will ever know. They are MY teachers.
To make a donation to the Jodie O’Shea Orphanage (a little goes a LONG way), please visit their website: http://www.careforkidsbali.com/
With gratitude, sending Love & Light.
xoxo
