Day 3: 3/15/11

Kala and Elizabeth E's Post

This morning, we enjoyed breakfast together at the Chateau Caribbean and set out for a day at St. Mary's Primary School.  When we arrived, we gathered in the principal's office to discuss what needed to be done.  However, there were not enough chairs for all of us to sit in.  Many of the little children happily brought us chairs with large smiles and bright eyes, eventhough the chairs were bigger than they where.  While there, we divided up tasks.  Some of us worked in classrooms beside the teachers, others started work in the center classroom by cleaning out the room, and while our artists began to draw a mural of Jesus feeding the 5,000.  In the classrooms, we observed the teachers as well as helped the children with their schoolwork.  T.J. was blessed with the chance to teach his very first math lesson! While some of us were working in the classrooms, another group made a trip to the hardware store to purchase supplies. The group of painters worked for hours stripping paint, cleaning walls, and painting.

After lunch, we all went back to St. Mary's to put a second coat of paint in the center classroom, paint chalkboards with chalkboard paint, begin painting the mural, and organize books to put in the center classroom.  While all of us were working hard, Cory decides to lean a little too far over the side of the ladder.  The ceiling fan hit him in the top of the head.  We made him sit down immediately.  The principal of the school called a taxi and Dr. Meg took him to the hospital.  Cory ended up getting only three stitches and is now on antibiotics.  For the exception of a headache, he is fine tonight.  We are all very thankful that he was able to safetly climb down the ladder without passing out and ending up on the concrete floor!! Praise God!!  While Cory was getting stitches, the rest of us got back to work.  We were able to put two coats of paint on almost all the walls in the center classroom and organize all the books.

Around 5:30 we finally headed back to the Chateau Caribbean for some relaxation.  Some of us brave souls decided to get in the ocean!!  We all met back up later in the evening to discuss what we would be doing the next day at St. Mary's.  During our meeting, there was a great sense of togetherness, gratefulness, and love among the whole team.  We laughed, we cried, we grew as Christians.  Kelly wrapped our meeting up a few poems and prayers.  We then gathered all our school supplies into the hallway, organized which supplies we would take to St. Mary's in the morning and which supplies we would set aside to take to St. Luke's when we travel to Lemonal later in the week.  Caroline pracited the cheers we will teach to the the children tomorrow while T.J. practiced his guitar. 

We ended today with smiles on our faces and love in our hearts as we reflected on the glorious ways God is already changing our lives.  We are so greatful for all the many blessings He has already given to us thus far.  Keep praying that we can change lives in this short amount of time we have with these precious children.