Just four days after leaving the SOS Village of Rionegro and 450 kilometers under the wheels, on July 10, 2008 I arrived to the town of Floridablanca for visit to a new village.

The reception was very warm, with a hugewelcome sign and paper flagsthat the little ones waved affectionately greeting me. Unlikeothervillages, most of the kids herewereteenagers. The visit began with the youngest ones riding Maira, which was a bit of encouragement to the older kids that finally dared to try a few laps on the bike.

We meet in the multipurpose room and in the midst of an intensivedialogue I was answering their questions.While they initially seemed withdrawn, itwas not long before the older ones got more confident and askedone question after another.

I settled into the guest house, had a lunch with the families and then I was ready in the library for a presentation of the videos of visits to other villages and photos of the trip, which was a success.
 
The origins of the Village
 
SOS Village Floridablanca arose in response to people affected by violence in the Magdalena Medio region of Colombia, going into full operation in August 1999. It was officially opened on March 1, 2001, and was the fourth SOS Children's Village in Colombia. It is located in the province of Santander, just two kilometers south of Bucaramanga, close to the border with Venezuela.
 
Located in an area of 18,000 sq meters, it consists of 13 houses in which 115 children and young adults (between five and 18 years old) found a new home. The SOS Children's Village also provides a home for the director of the village, one for guests, one for the SOS aunts, an administrative building and recreation areas.

In January 2006 a SOS Youth Home opened in the city of Bucaramanga, which housed six young adults from the SOS Children's Village. Usually young people from the village move to the home when they start their training, receiving the support of qualified staff to guide them in their independence as heads of the household.
 
Moreover, in February 2006 began its activities in the city the Social Center "The Rest." This program was born as a response to the problems of the sector, such as high crime rates, unemployment, displacement, poverty and violence. SOS Children's Village has partnered to create a space in order to advance a program to strengthen family and community development and work together in the prevention of child abandonment. It is currently serving 220 children and 103 families.
 
Birthdays, pharyngitis ... and a new project!

I arrived to the SOS Village Floridablanca with a fever, very sore and with almost no energy. I had caught an acute pharyngitis which, after medical consultation, it decreed that I take a couple days of requiredrest. That did not stop the night of my arrival to the Village to be surprised by its people with an emotional feast ahead of my birthday. Despite my sorry state, there weremany dances, cake and the joy of aunts and older members of the site.

The following days I spent my time visiting the various families and sharing moments with the kids while I slowly recovered form my health ailments. Due to the disease and the short time I had to reach Ushuaia before the austral winter, I began to assess the possibility of a change of plans and extend this journey for another year. This way I could include all the South American countries with SOS villages, increasing the number of visits and spending more time with the kids in each village.
 
I was in full existential conflict about what direction to take whenthe letter from a 9 year old girl, Nubia, gave me the push that was needed to define my ideas. Her sadness at me not being able to stay longer with them in the village made me see that this project deserved more time and dedication and sofrom then on, I beganto build in my head a new travelplan, much more extensive with a course marked mainly by the visits to the SOS Children's Villages.

My stay lasted between one or two mates sessions (with little success, in fact), my failed attempts to learn how to make yarn wristbands, sewing sessions, making new posters for the panniers and photos to no end. When I left this village, I went out to bringing with me something very valuable: the love and affection that would prolong the journey twelve more months...

Want to lend a hand?

The support of all of us is essential for these children and young people so they can grow in a proper family, with love, respect and security. You can be part of their hopeful future with a donation. Would you like to add?

To make donations directly to the SOS Villages in Colombia you may do so via the following contact:

www.aldeasinfantilessos.org.co
Fundraising Office Colombia
Address: Carrera 57 N. 44th - 38 - La Esmeralda
Phone / Fax: 315-3739 / 482-1048
e-mail: amigo.sos@aldeasinfantiles.org.co 
            comunicaciones@aldeasinfantiles.org.co 


THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION!

Acknowledgments

To Carlos Torres Garcia, director of the SOS Village Floridablanca: for facilitating the necessary resources to make this visit possible and for giving me the needed medical care due to my illness.

To the Village staff and volunteers: for making a great effort to organize my reception.

To Laura Mendivil Anaya, form the Office of Communications and Fundraising in Bogota: for making efforts towards the realization of my visit.

To all the aunts, mothers, children and young adults from the SOS Village Floridablanca: for the warm welcome to your homes. In particular to Aunt Gladis and 4 kids in the house: for taking care of me while I was sick.