Page 9 of River
“How many volunteers do you have?” I asked Maya.
“At the moment, it’s just me.”
I stared at her. “You work here all alone?”
“Yes.” She smiled. “We’ve been lucky enough to have volunteers on and off, but the last one left more than three months ago.”
“But how do you even manage?” I asked.
“The same way any mom with eighteen children would. I make the children help out and do my best to keep them safe.”
Her comment that one mother would have eighteen children didn’t resonate with me, but this was Asia, and things might be different here.
“Tomorrow, I would like for you and me to sit down and discuss the financial situation of this orphanage,” Maximum said. “I want to understand how you’re funded and how we can best help you.”
“Thank you.” Maya took his hand and looked from Maximum to me and back. “You two are like angels. I can’t tell you how happy I was when I heard from you. I’ve been praying for a miracle.”
“I think the real angel is you.” Maximum squeezed her hand before he let go and turned and nodded to me. “River and I will start tomorrow morning. It’s been a long journey, and we’d like to explore the city a little tonight.”
“Of course.”
When we left, we waved at the children and promised that we would be back the next day.
“So, what do you think?” Maximum asked as we walked away.
I was battling my emotions. “I knew they were poor, but I’d never imagined anything like those living conditions. The house is falling apart.”
“You’re right, but then I never pick out the most well-funded or well-run orphanages. I prefer to go in where I can really improve things.”
“I just feel so out of my comfort zone.”
“I know. It was the same for me the first time I volunteered, but you’ll soon get the hang of it, and the kids already love you.”
“They were so sweet.”
Maximum smiled. “Let me buy you a nice dinner tonight. I know it’s a lot to process, which is why I thought it best to give you a glimpse of the place before we start working there tomorrow.”
We continued walking shoulder to shoulder when I pondered out loud, “The first thing we should do tomorrow is to call for a contractor to look at the mold in the ceiling, and to change those cracked windows.”
Placing an arm around my shoulder, Maximum nodded. “I like how you think, sis. Let’s make sure that the limited time we can stay will make a massive impact on their lives, shall we?”
“I’m all in!”
