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| Calloway places orphans
over college |
April
Klaassen
Features Beat |
Jacque Lenz | The AppalachianAfter completing two years at
Appalachian, 22-year-old Ruquay K. Calloway volunteered time
last year to 75 orphans in Mexico.
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Spending a year
away from college is common, but while most students take the
year off to work and make money, 22-year-old Ruquay K. Calloway
volunteered his year to 75 orphans in Mexico.
Before starting college, Calloway aspired to
take a year off to do volunteer work but waited until he completed
two years at Appalachian State University.
With encouragement from his mother, Calloway
chose to spend last year at the orphanage his mother monetarily
supports in Ocozocoautla, Chiapas, one of the poorest states in
Mexico.
“I just wanted to see what it was like
to help raise kids as well and see if I could help them out in
any way, which is a lot tougher than it sounds,” Calloway
said. |
Receiving
no wage, but food and a bed, Calloway began his challenging job
as a house parent.
“I started off taking care of 12 secondary-school boys and
it got to be very problematic,” Calloway said. “They
were very rebellious, and I had no experience being a parent at
all, so I ended up changing jobs a few times.”
After attempting the house parent feat a second time, Calloway
chose to serve where he could best use his abilities.
“They were going to put me with another house parent,”
Calloway said, “and me and this other guy had very conflicting
views, so I opted to just teach English there and also drive the
bus … I even helped in the kitchen.”
Calloway also taught some of the kids how to drive.
“It was quite frightening,” Calloway said with a laugh.
Working for no wages sometimes put Calloway in a tough spot.
“My family helped me out,” Calloway said. “Sometimes
I would make it a contest to see how long I could go without spending
any money. One time, I went for a whole month without spending
a single cent, and that was good. It was a little tough.”
Calloway also received donations, some from Appalachian faculty.
“I don’t know who donated … but I’m thankful
to the people who helped out,” he said.
Working with children who grew up with little knowledge about
personal care was also challenging.
“One of the toughest things is the kids don’t have good
hygiene, and you have to really work to get them to brush their
teeth and to get them to clean up after themselves,” Calloway
said.
Meshing with people of a different culture was sometimes difficult.
“The adults there reject American culture and don’t
like to be helped,” Calloway said. “Despite the fact
that nearly 100 percent of their donations come from the United
States and Canada, there’s still an attitude of wanting to
make all the decisions there, which in a way was very good, but
it could be frustrating.”
Sometimes Calloway and the Board of Directors of the orphanage
disagreed and problems arose, such as when Calloway campaigned
for them to rid the orphanage of cable TV.
“To me it’s ridiculous to have cable TV in an orphanage,”
Calloway said, “but they were extremely resentful about that
because the case was clear-cut for getting rid of the television
as far as the well-being of the kids. They put it back as soon
as I left.”
Further difficulties arose when Calloway tried to replace the
TV.
“I tried to convince them to buy books with the money, and
I promised them that I would give them as much money as they were
paying in cable once a month for books,” Calloway said. “I
ended up buying some books, and when I brought this up they got
upset because I had not reviewed which books I was going to buy
with the directors, and I hadn’t got it approved. There were
problems in dealing with them.”
When Calloway became a house parent again, near the end of his
term, the difficulties with 18 young boys became too much for
him. “They got to be so rambunctious that I could not execute
any control without getting super-frustrated,” Calloway said.
“I ended up deciding one Saturday that I would have to leave
that job at the very least, and possibly the orphanage, for a
short period of time and maybe come back and just teach English
or some other job.”
Since one of the American Board of Directors planned to leave
the next day on his plane, Calloway abruptly left with him in
order to save money for airfare.
“I told the kids I was coming back,” Calloway said.
However, when Calloway attempted to drive back to the orphanage,
several Mexican officials stopped him. They gave him a hard time
about his paperwork and ambiguously asked for money.
“I was so set on going that I actually did [give money] a
few times, I’m ashamed to say,” Calloway said.
After the third official threatened to impound his car, Calloway
reluctantly returned home.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been at such a low point,
especially because I promised the kids I’d be back,”
Calloway said.
Despite his many difficulties, Calloway says he does not regret
spending last year at the orphanage. He grew to know some of the
kids well and keeps in touch with them. He plans to visit in January
and hopes to return for another year someday.
Calloway’s experience taught him to appreciate his life in
America and close friends.
“It’s nice to be part of a culture where you can really
blend in, and that never happened down there,” Calloway said.
“I think probably the most important thing I learned is that
other people can be like my family. Kids at the orphanage and
the university students were like brothers and sisters to me.”
Unable to return to Appalachian State University as a student
this year, Calloway still involves himself with programs within
the department of foreign language and literature. He is also
working so he can return to school.
“I guess I’ve always had a kind of lackadaisical attitude
about when I have to get finished,” Calloway said. “Right
now, I wish I could just concentrate on finishing, but it’s
been worth it, and I knew it would be worth it when I went.” |
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