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(Editor's note: Marlee and Meleena Ottati, students at St. Mary's Institute in Amsterdam, have taken part in a family service project originated by their grandfather, working in a Jamaican orphanage. They created a presentation to share during Catholic Schools Week in January.)

Every year, I look forward to going to Jamaica. My grandfather takes every grandchild annually until they go off to college.

The first time I went, I was scared, because my sister, Mackenzie, had told me that the orphans swarm you because they are excited. The kids have problems and some are in wheelchairs. Some are little, but some are as old as 23. Their parents left them in the jungle or just dropped them off at the orphanage.

The orphanage is in Montego Bay, Jamaica. We have to travel through a thick jungle to get to a gated area. There are two buildings on either side of an open space. Kids play on the swings and do arts and crafts in a covered picnic area. What caught my eye were the beautiful, bright flowers leading us to the buildings.

We stopped at a man's house. He had a long beard; his clothes looked worn and dirty. I could see baskets on the shelves in his house. My mom explained that this guy makes baskets to make money. The man explained that he put his two girls through college. This surprised me, because he didn't look like he had the money to do this.

The road was not in great condition. A gigantic hole made the ride like a seesaw. The road was only big enough for one car.

When we arrived at the orphanage, the kids were screaming with joy and smiling from ear to ear. Some of the children could barely talk, so it was hard to understand them.

Every year, we build something to improve the orphanage. We have constructed a chicken coop so they could have fresh eggs; we also fixed a school. The adults built a playground and made the school safer. They had to dig six-foot-deep holes to put in poles to support the playground. An artist painted the building with beautiful scenery.

My favorite part of the trip was when a kid who used to be at the orphanage came down from the mountains on crutches to bring paintings he had done. He started drawing right in front of us. I'd always wondered what it is like for an artist to draw a painting. A lady who makes instruments and jewelry came down to share what she made. These people have done such an amazing job.

When I leave Jamaica, I am glad I made this visit, because I put a smile on someone's face. I can't wait until this December, when I'll make another visit to Jamaica and make a child's life even happier.[[In-content Ad]]

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