Small Acts of Love
Hello! My name is Myrna Torres and I am a very fortunate teacher of six wonderful kids with neurodiversity. Together, we are the Salón a Tiempo Completo Modificado at the Eva Patria Custodio High School in Las Marías. I learned about Plenitud PR through Arlene Ramírez, the occupational therapist for my students. INFINITE THANKS, ARLENE!
For me, coincidences don't exist. That’s why, when I couldn't go to the first Plenitud PR event that I was invited to, I felt sure another opportunity would arise at the perfect moment. When I spoke with Paula on the phone for the first time, it was pure magic; with only the sound of her voice she was able to transmit so much peace and openness. During the call, she let me know that at that moment, there weren't any ongoing activities for students to get involved with. However, she promised to contact me as soon as some ideas they had in mind came to fruition. Loyal to her word, she called me back a short time later to invite my students to participate in the creation of the mural at the Las Marías Community Center, also known as La Cancha de Alto Sano. To me, this seemed like the perfect opportunity we had been waiting for.
Feeling motivated along with my team, we started getting ready for the trip. We contacted Karina, the director of the Sports and Recreation Program of the Las Marías municipality, who immediately facilitated transportation for the group. Upon arrival, we were welcomed by beautiful faces full of love: Paula, Natalia and Owen, among others. Paula shared with us the purpose of the mural, to bring color and creativity to the Las Marías Community Center, a space for community support and resilience. After meeting all of the curious kids, Natalia took each student to their respective painting stations and explained to them their tasks. After this, it was all hands on deck! Every one of the students took their role very seriously and worked together in a beautiful manner. I could not believe how concentrated they were. The music, the landscape and the art were soothing and therapeutic for the burdens of everyday routine. We were very happy to see what the children were capable of doing. My team - Yalitza, Jeisy and Ángel - supported the kids through every brushstroke with the patience and love that distinguishes them. Thank you team, you are amazing! Everything was perfect.
After painting, we shared a delicious lunch prepared by Monica with produce from the Plenitud PR farm. The agricultural methods they use - free of chemicals and pesticides - bring a unique flavor to everything they harvest and create a delicious gastronomical experience. In the process of saying goodbye, one of the students saw a microphone and that was when the party got started! I discovered that my students love to dance and sing.
We were free, happy and grateful for the experience.
Thanks to their excellent teamwork, Paula invited the group to continue working on the mural the following Friday. At the time I thought: “Paula is as crazy as I am, and that doesn't happen often!” This is why we said: “Yes, we accept!” Again, we received the support of Karina and the rest of the team. The students were pumped to share with all of the Plenitud PR volunteers again. This time we were welcomed by Paula and Migdalia, who had us dancing and rejoicing early in the morning. Meanwhile, Natalia started to organize the tasks for each student. When it was time to start painting, Paula helped calm down the kids' energies with yoga, breathing and meditation exercises. Total silence surrounded us… I was surprised to see how relaxed the students were. At the end of the day, with our souls filled with gratitude, we retired from that place filled with so many people who opened their hearts to us and gave us the opportunity to show that we can also learn outside of the classroom.
Thanks to these unforgettable days with Plenitud PR, we learned important skills like teamwork, solidarity, respect for those who learn differently, acceptance, love, inclusion, empathy, resiliency and respect towards diversity and nature.
We also learned how small acts of unmotivated love make a grandiose impact.
Thank you Plenitud PR for giving us the opportunity to collaborate with your beautiful community project and demonstrate the capacity of my students. We all have limitations, though discapacity lies in those unable to see how far we can go if we have the will to, and how far our neurodiverse youth can go when given the opportunity to belong and be treated with respect and empathy. Again, thank you. I remain eager to continue participating in this collaborative eco-educational alliance and continue creating experiences like these ones, which are essential for the empowerment of neurodiverse youth in our beloved town of Las Marías.
