Pancake Breakfast

After being here for almost three months….I have come to understand what family means to these children and how NPH has become their home and all the children here have become their brothers and sisters.

I see it all around me every day, but it was not until my family project this past Saturday that it all became so apparent. On Saturday I was supposed to have family project with two boys who live in the older boys home in the city and either go to school or are working in their year of service. But as I am sure you have come to notice from my previous blog posts, not much goes as planned here. When I went to meet up with the boys on Saturday morning only one of the two was to be found. Juan Rudy told me his brother could not come, but he still wanted to go ahead with the project as we had planned.

Bryon and I mixing the pancakes!

Ready to cook!

I had asked another volunteer, Karla, if we could borrow her office to do our project because she has two burners and we were planning a pancake breakfast with yummy Vermont maple syrup.  Her office is located in the clinic where two boys, Bryon, 3 years old, and Victor, 11 years old, have been staying for the past two weeks after they both had surgery. As soon as Juan Rudy saw the boys he suggested they join us for the pancake making since his brother could not make it. After being in the clinic for two weeks the boys were elated to have something fun to do.

Juan Rudy helping Bryon cut the strawberries.

Freddy joined the gang and we are ready to flip the pancakes!

We quickly got to work, mixing the pancakes and cutting up fruit for our breakfast. Bryon, one of the boys in the clinic, had both his hands operated on to separate his fingers. Although his hands were all bandaged up that did not stop him from wanting to help. Juan Rudy took the time and the patience to help Bryon wash and cut up all of the strawberries to put on top of the pancakes… it was too cute!

Ye-Ye and Rosa enjoying their pancakes!

Juan Rudy, Bryon and Freddy.....yum!

Rosa could not get enough of the
Vermont maple syrup.

Freddy wanted every last drop!

As if the morning had not been enough fun already, the other 4 babies (three year olds) from the babies section came down to the clinic to visit their friend Bryon. We were in the middle of cooking so Juan Rudy invited them and their tios all to stay. We all took turns cooking, mixing, cutting, flipping until we had enough pancakes for all. The finishing touch was Vermont maple syrup (thanks HAN!), which I decided to be nice and share! Everyone was so happy to be together and enjoying a delicious breakfast. We all sat around the table as if we were one big family and that is when I realized that we are.

Group shot!

Juan Rudy, Victor and Bryon!