1 month old boy at La Grada, June 2009
1 month old boy at La Grada, June 2009
In the weeks before I began my volunteer work at La Grada infant orphanage, many of the youngest babies had been sick with the flu. Happily, by my arrival most had completely or almost completely recovered. There were a couple of infants, however, who were still experiencing uncomfortable symptoms and receiving extra medical attention. On one of my first days there, one of the “tias” (caretakers at the shelter) was administering this medication via a shot. As a future nurse, I took an interest and observed what she was doing. What struck me most, however, was not the simple and brief procedure, but rather the moments that followed.
I had only been in Santiago for a few days, and while I was already enjoying myself immensely, one challenge that I had discovered was communicating in Spanish. I had previously studied the language but because of the time since my classes and the frequent slang used by Chileans, my confidence level was quite low as I struggled to understand the words spoken to or around me.
So, in the moments following the shot, I did not comprehend the words that were spoken, but their sentiment was clear to me. As the infant screamed in displeasure, the tia bent down close to her and talked in a soothing, gentle tone. She softly rubbed the baby’s skin as she continued to offer her words of comfort and reassurance. I realized that despite my inability to translate the words, I understood this interaction. I understood that some things do not succumb to barriers of language, that the expression of love and compassion are universal.
