3rd
day of the trip, 2nd day with the children and 1st day
working VBS and not a day lost. It began early this morning with breakfast in
the restaurant; we had an authentic Dominican meal that consisted of fruit,
fried eggs, fried cheese and mashed plantains which were all fantastic!
Afterwards we drove in the gua gua (bus) to the Cien Fuegos Children’s Center. When we
arrived, some of the children were already there, and more kept coming. They
were all very happy and smiled incessantly. The children love taking pictures
and equally love being in them.
It has been amazing to be with the children and it is heartwarming to have them yearn for our affection. At many points in the day it was very hard and frustrating to work with them and get them to comprehend or cooperate because of the language barrier. However their excitement keeps us going, and their desire for love reminds us why we’re here. We are able to communicate with them more fluidly through song. Our worship time together is great and they sing along enthusiastically. They already knew Abre Mis Ojos (Open the Eyes of My Heart), even though their verses were a little different. The children also enjoy the recreation time, and craft time in addition to our daily Bible study. We had 50 kids in the morning and then a different group of another 61 or in the afternoon. Each group is fed one meal which is often the only meal they receive for the day!
After the morning group and our lunch (rice, lentils and cow,) Pastor Ruddy took us to some of the children’s homes. The homes showed countless signs of poverty: no running water, no air conditioning, no electricity, bare floors, minimal furnishings and simple, vernacular construction. Also, they receive their water from a nearby canal. The condition of the canal would undoubtedly violate sanitation laws in the United States. Even though the water is not safe to drink, they consume it and bathe in it, because other healthier options are too costly. Their poverty is so different from our standard of poverty in the States; our poverty is their luxury. Things we consider necessities and that we take for granted, are never attainable for them. As we were walking through the neighborhood children would come out of their homes and follow us. It was so precious to see how joyful they were to simply walk with us!
Later on, we served dinner to the children. They could scarf down a whole entire plate within minutes, and then they were ready to go run around again. Their energy was never ending. After dinner and socializing with the children some more, we said our many “hasta mañanas” and “adioses” and got back into the gua gua to return to the hotel.
Tonight we sat down for a scrumptious dinner of pork, pasta with alfredo sauce, bread, rice and potatoes. Every night we have “WOW” time after dinner when we discuss our thoughts on the day. Our “WOW” moments are a great time for team bonding and emotional renewal. Right now we are each preparing for tomorrow in some way: putting together the Bible lesson plans, resting up for the next day and looking over the crafts. Though some could call today chaotic due to our crazy moments with the children, all can agree that it was unforgettable.
It has been amazing to be with the children and it is heartwarming to have them yearn for our affection. At many points in the day it was very hard and frustrating to work with them and get them to comprehend or cooperate because of the language barrier. However their excitement keeps us going, and their desire for love reminds us why we’re here. We are able to communicate with them more fluidly through song. Our worship time together is great and they sing along enthusiastically. They already knew Abre Mis Ojos (Open the Eyes of My Heart), even though their verses were a little different. The children also enjoy the recreation time, and craft time in addition to our daily Bible study. We had 50 kids in the morning and then a different group of another 61 or in the afternoon. Each group is fed one meal which is often the only meal they receive for the day!
After the morning group and our lunch (rice, lentils and cow,) Pastor Ruddy took us to some of the children’s homes. The homes showed countless signs of poverty: no running water, no air conditioning, no electricity, bare floors, minimal furnishings and simple, vernacular construction. Also, they receive their water from a nearby canal. The condition of the canal would undoubtedly violate sanitation laws in the United States. Even though the water is not safe to drink, they consume it and bathe in it, because other healthier options are too costly. Their poverty is so different from our standard of poverty in the States; our poverty is their luxury. Things we consider necessities and that we take for granted, are never attainable for them. As we were walking through the neighborhood children would come out of their homes and follow us. It was so precious to see how joyful they were to simply walk with us!
Later on, we served dinner to the children. They could scarf down a whole entire plate within minutes, and then they were ready to go run around again. Their energy was never ending. After dinner and socializing with the children some more, we said our many “hasta mañanas” and “adioses” and got back into the gua gua to return to the hotel.
Tonight we sat down for a scrumptious dinner of pork, pasta with alfredo sauce, bread, rice and potatoes. Every night we have “WOW” time after dinner when we discuss our thoughts on the day. Our “WOW” moments are a great time for team bonding and emotional renewal. Right now we are each preparing for tomorrow in some way: putting together the Bible lesson plans, resting up for the next day and looking over the crafts. Though some could call today chaotic due to our crazy moments with the children, all can agree that it was unforgettable.
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