Muntinlupa City – When most young adults would pack their way into a dream tourist destination, five young girls from Spain traveled to the Philippines for an entirely different reason – to render volunteer work at the Elsie Gaches Village (EGV).

EGV is a residential care facility managed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that provides care and rehabilitation services to abandoned and neglected children with special needs such as those with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, visual and hearing impairment, mental retardation, autism, and other related conditions. To date, there are around 400 mentally and physically-challenged kids at the center.

For Maria Portillo, Isabel Marin, Maria Quiralte, Leticia Camuñas, and Mariola Medina, no amount of sightseeing can beat their experiences as volunteers  at the center.

The girls were assigned to assist in taking care of the children, as well as in maintaining the cleanliness of the center.

They helped feed the children,  played, and joined them during their regular therapy activities like singing, dancing, and walking  around the center.

Thankful for her almost four weeks of stay at EGV, Isabel described her experience as a memorable one.

She said, “EGV has given me the opportunity to demonstrate what humanitarian work is all about.”

According to her, they easily adapted to the environment at the center as they continued to interact and get to know the children, staff, and the nuns of the Sisters of Charity of St. Anne.

To her, EGV has something special, “a charm, perhaps that encourages you to stay behind.”

She observed that the children enjoy music a lot usually showing their dancing skills when they hear a music playing.

“It would be good if there is a music facility at the center to make the children happier,” she suggested.

Maria, on the other hand,  shared her observation that “EGV is just like one big family.”

The time she spent at EGV taught her to value the simple things in life like hugs and kisses.  She also learned that it is important to show one’s love and care for others.

For her part, Leticia feels that the experience she had with EGV is one to be remembered. It showed her how young residents of EGV long for a bit of love and to be part of a family. She had a great time feeding the children and spending story telling sessions with them.

These heartwarming experiences made her see that with whatever it is you give to those who are deprived, they would take it whole-heartedly.

She also observed  that the children of EGV loved to be around with people, longing for company.

Leticia shared that though the children are differently-abled, “they are smart children, always showing me what they learned in school.”

“My stay with the EGV children is one I will never forget.  I have given and received more love than I could ever imagine. I made them happy by just hugging them, but I felt happier seeing them smile and laugh. Truly, I can say now that when you give love, you certainly receive double,” Leticia further shared.

Moreover, Leticia said she learned that it is important to value everything you have and that nothing is of value without people to share them with.

Likewise, Mariola said,  “EGV is the perfect place to realize that giving is receiving. EGV remains as an enormous ‘house’ of love, compassion, generosity, and help.”

“We are thankful and proud of the days we spent at EGV and will not hesitate to return, if given the opportunity.  We also laud the staff and the nuns for their patience and for their organized way of work.  They are always very attentive and sensitive to the needs of the children,” the five teens said. ###