As I stared at the blank wall in the small classroom at AVEH, I felt overwhelmed with responsibility. Organizing a mural was going to be difficult, especially with only two days to complete it. I had never thought of art in a formulaic way before. First I had to sketch out the idea in my notebook, then I had to copy that sketch on to the wall with correct proportions, and then I had to paint.

The vision I had for the wall was simple: a boy leaning against a banana tree. The swooping leaves shielding him from the sun. A shield. That’s how I thought of AVEH, and what it did for the children staying there. A group of compassionate young women, working for very little pay, bathe, feed, and entertain the kids all day long. And I can say that from my mere two week experience there, the job is much more exhausting then it sounds. It can be emotionally and physically draining. I had always admired these women for how they had chosen to spend their time. It is for this reason that I wanted to pay a subtle homage to their efforts in my mural. AVEH as a whole is a nurturing and accepting environment that provides resources to children that they might otherwise be deprived of.

— Lucia F.