Filed under: 2007 Winter Trip
Hola!
Greetings from sunny (and windy) Campo Alegria. We were up for an early breakfast (except for Liam, he is willing to sacrifice being first in line for a few more minutes of shut-eye) and then we started prepping for the kids to come. We got a phone call from the teacher at the school where the kids were coming from, who said that she had 100 kids to fill the 60 spaces available.
Janeth came to the rescue by riding down the beach on the back of Oscar’s motorcross bike and sorting it all out. They talked her into 4 extras and then they set off northward to our camp.
They arrived in about 10 horse drawn “carriages.” They take old car axles and weld a metal box to it and hook it up to a horse. Viola-
transportation. It was quite a sight to see that procession make its way up the beach. The principal of the school said the kids were so excited, they could barely keep them in the carts for the ride.
They have all been divided into groups and the activities have begun. We are having classes of geography, English, science, beach time and Bible. Then we do two stints of swimming before lunch and before dinner.
We have all been commenting on how this is the best group of students yet. They are working as a team and are always looking for some way to help. One day we had to literally force them to stop working and go cool off in the lake. The leaders are not sure whether we want to come back next year since this group is so good. (That is a direct challenge to you Jill, Hannah, Alivia, Calvin,
Corey, Rachel, Katie and Daniel).
Heather P… after a nervous start is in her element. She was busy handing out clothes for the girls who needed an extra outfit to swim in. She is a natural leader of her group of girls. (Pam - Heather may be bringing back a sister.)
Heather L… is in charge of some of the science classes and hasn’t hurt herself (yet), but Dave has told her to stay away from climbing trees and other dangerous activities.
Robin H… bounds for the water to join his group and actively assists his group in painting their wooden models.
David K… is liked by his group and has fun assisting them in geography class.
Cara Y… is using her Spanish and has a special buddy that likes to hold her hand as they walk around the camp. She got to take Oscar’s horse for a ride down the beach.
Tommy R… is another natural leader. He is great at teaching classes as well as the various work projects around the camp.
Darryl C… Wow! Does he know Spanish! Why has he been hiding that fact? He is conversing easily and comfortably. Great job Darryl!
Ben S… after we forgot his (and Jason’s birthday-ooops) we had a belated pan of brownies and a pretty lame song of Happy Birthday in Spanish. He led his group out of the water and to lunch: they looked like a family of ducks with Ben the tallest in the front and the rest following behind.
Jason B… likes to play football, even in a country that has baseball as its national sport. He got a game going with the older boys during swim time.
Annie N… is always willing and able to do whatever job is asked of her. She is always asking what else she can do. She is a great girl to have along.
Sherilyn W… another leader of the group. The kids love to hang off her in the water and she is always surrounded by smiling faces.
Ice… towers above every Nicaraguan. His shy smile seems to draw them in. He loves to paint the toy models with the kids.
Liam… has blossomed in the last couple of days. At lunch “his boys” were listening to him tell a story in broken Spanish and laughing with him.
Mike Stevens… We have got to find a way to quiet that guy down. He is a quiet spirit, but he is willing. He spent all yesterday retrofitting the bunk beds to be sturdier. He went to Rivas one day to help gather supplies- he said it was crazy with activity- he thinks he will hang out at the camp.
The rest of us are doing well. We will update more later.
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