Boys pose for a picture between classes at Lima's Puericultorio Perez Aranibar orphanage. Volunteer vacations let visitors give them the one thing the orphanage doesn't: individual attention.

Photograph by: (photo by Judi Lees)

Lima, Peru--Three sets of tiny hands grasp at the nursery-rhyme book I hold and three sets of luminous dark eyes look up at me. "Escucher, escucher," I murmur and they giggle at my Spanish. "Listen" is a well-used term at Puericultorio Perez Aranibar (PPA), South America's largest orphanage, housing and educating 540 children from infants to 17 year olds.

This is day three of my two-week stint at the orphanage and often I am overwhelmed by the challenges. My Spanish is minimal, but there's still plenty I can do. I spend mornings in a kindergarten class of 18 rambunctious five-year-olds where the room vibrates with kinetic energy, doing everything from sharpening pencils to helping children with their work.

Some nights I tuck toddlers in. Although mayhem rules, eventually, I read a story and watch as eyes get droopy before I tip-toe from the dormitory.

I am part of a Global Volunteers team, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based organization that sends willing workers to 19 countries. Volunteers pay and give time to support non-profit projects. In Lima, we stay at a comfy, three-star hotel and are bused to the orphanage for a full day's work. We also explore Lima--the tourist sights plus the poverty-ridden townships--and dine at excellent restaurants.

I soon recognize some of the orphanage characters. There is the ring-leader, Jeison. A ham, he works quickly, then has time to entertain the others behind the teacher's back. (I later learn that before coming to the orphanage, he was doing manual labour.) Alexandria has remarkable sleight of hand and can pocket your eraser undetected. Vanessa is lazy but has a pretty smile, which she uses liberally. Angel (pronounced "Anhel"), an adorable little guy, frequently cries, which I decide is his token move for attention.

Alongside two other volunteers, I spend afternoons with either Grade 3 girls or Grade 4 boys. Through games, we familiarize them with English. With this highly energetic group we play soccer, basketball and skip-rope. We teach them hangman and run rowdy games of bingo.

It's exhausting, but there are rewards: a shy boy high-fives you after scoring a basket, a sulky nine-year-old girl lights up when you play skip-rope with her.

I had few expectations when I arrived at PPA. I did anticipate seeing unhappy children, but most reminded me of kids at home, having their ups and downs and occasionally conniving for attention--a surprise considering that some have been abandoned, others given up by parents who cannot support them or removed from their families because the conditions there were unsafe.

As volunteers, we often felt we weren't doing enough, but during our discussions we decided that what we give them is individual attention, the one thing the orphanage doesn't supply. The children are well clothed, fed and cared for at PPA, but undivided attention is scant.

I have many happy memories: seeing dozens of three-year-olds celebrate their birthdays at one big party; passing popcorn among teenagers who loved their Friday afternoon movie; and tucking in the smiling toddlers.

For more information on Global Volunteers, visit www.globalvolunteers.org.

For information on travel in Peru, go to www.peru.info.

Judi Lees is a member of the Meridian Writers' Group.