“You can't be serious!” was my reply to the Honduran travel agent who had just informed me that she did not have my return ticket - I only had a copy of it and not the original - and that she could not book me on a flight. She then happily advised me to 'have a nice day', seemingly unaware she had destroyed my week.

I was returning from eight months in Costa Rica and, although by that time very happy with Latin America, I was quite looking forward to getting home. However, resigned to the two weeks it required to re-issue my ticket, I decided to visit the Tierra Santa Home, an orphanage primarily for girls, situated in the sleepy little town of Villa de San Antonio in a verdant valley, surrounded on all sides by imposing mountains. This was not my first visit to the Tierra Santa Home - a few years ago I had also been there visiting my brother who was spending his gap year working there - and for this reason I approached the Home with some trepidation. I could still remember the tidal wave of small children who descended upon us last time, screaming and shouting as they pushed, shoved and grappled to be the first to ask you your name, gleefully tell you theirs and then two minutes later would - after thirty other such introductions had reduced you to a fixed grinning wreck - ask if you could remember their names. It was with these thoughts in mind that I donned my riot gear, took a deep breath and entered the Home. Far from encountering a boiling sea of eager little faces, however, I was quietly approached by a handful of children who were warm, inquisitive and polite. The development of this aspect of the Home is really quite amazing. Before every child would call for your attention, whereas this time the children seemed to be far more emotionally stable, appreciating any love shown to them and extremely affectionate in return - but in a much more mature and less demanding way. This was true for the whole structure of the Home. In the past it had been quite reliant on volunteers, but now it quite easily runs itself with older girls taking responsibility for the younger ones, and difficult situations, such as the drinking water running out, being overcome with hardly any trouble.

One of the highlights of my visit was to take the boys to the local fair - the most stressful occasion being when the fireworks were let off and five boys scattered screaming into the crowds while our dog tried to start biting people. The older boys took me to the lagoon and tried to teach me how to fish, the younger children taught me to dance a little Salsa, the older girls invited me to a local dance where I stood perplexed as about a hundred youngsters danced in a very un-English manner and the toddlers taught me to be a very adept climbing frame.

I cannot recommend Tierra Santa enough as a place to do volunteer work. Even though for the most part self-sufficient, volunteers can offer so much extra to the children just through their presence and attention and can make invaluable contributions through teaching or pastoral care. The cost of living is very low, the Home provides accommodation and three meals a day for free. It is also the best place to learn Spanish since children are the easiest people to talk to, the most likely to correct you and the most patient in giving explanations, plus there will always be one very close at hand.

WR