Local student Nina Ferzacca writes about her experience working with orphans in Cambodia
Editor's note: Eagle resident Nina Ferzacca, 13, recently spent two weeks in Cambodia working with orphans. This is one of her blog entries.
“One hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car you drove, how much you had in your bank account or what your clothes looked like. But the world may be a little better because you were important in the life of a child.”
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It's been a few days since I have blogged last. I was sitting here with writer's block, trying to fill you all in on what happened on my trip. I look around and I see a young Cambodian girl to my left, and outside, I see an even younger one begging for the smallest amount of money. There is a lot of traffic — nothing like what you would imagine. You think New York can be bad — well, this is much worse. The difference between the traffic in America and the traffic here is that here, there are no accidents and back at home, there would be five easily.
I've learned how little you need to be truly happy. I have become really close to on orphan named PonLou. Today, I learned this entire time I have been spelling his name wrong. He is my age and he is so sweet. When he was young, his father died and he was left with only his mother, who was a major drug addict. She would get so sick, and PonLou would care for her. PonLou, only being 10 or 11 at the time, was taking care of his mother, who was his entire support system.
Finally, his grandmother stepped in and took him in because she saw how wrong that situation was. His mother died soon after. Not too long after the death of his mother, his grandmother could no longer care for him and took him to the orphanage. After being at the orphanage for a few months, his grandmother died, leaving him alone with only a brother. PonLou's brother was never around. He has gotten into illegal things, and PonLou rarely hears from him or about him.
Knowing what PonLou has gone through and how he is still so sweet and so loving breaks my heart. He is the smartest kid at the orphanage. He is one of three at the orphanage who were sponsored to go to private school. I really just don't understand why or how he could be so happy, but he is. He asks me everyday, “When you return? I come with you?” and “I will miss you.” I have one day left with him, and I've really gotten attached.
I came here to give the children someone they can look up to, someone that they will remember for the rest of their lives and to share all my love with them. But instead, I look up to these children as my role models; they have integrity, love, kindness, leadership, courageousness and so much more. I will remember these children as the children who changed my life forever, and most importantly, I am leaving here understanding how it really takes so little to be happy and to cherish who you have around you, as they could be gone before you know it.
Read more at: http://onelifeoneheart70
children.blogspot.com.
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