THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2009
UPDATE
UPDATE
GUATEMALA PRE-SCHOOL MISSION TEAM REPORT Thursday, January 22, 2009
Workday four has arrived. Due to its being Market Day in Chichicastenango, the bus leaves at
8:30 am. instead of 8 - allowing the few consummate shoppers , with Barbara, to prowl the stalls
once again in search of yet more needed items for the pre-school (and a few personal things.)
At exactly 8:30 the intrepid group boards the bus - minus three souls who have succumbed to
various ailments. The ride to the preschool takes one half hour -- with some chattering - some
catching a few extra winks (could that be Jack?) and others discussing and planning the day´s
work.
On this fourth day, the group has sorted itself into various work teams. A blending of ways, a
bonding of spirits is occurring among people of many different backgrounds and personalities -- a
few of whom have come from other churches. The team is composed of 13 women and 7 men; of
these, 5 are in their 70´s and 10 are in their 60´s. Everyone has a common goal -- doing the best
possible job to allow the preschool to open in a week.
Tara (our teacher trainer), and Carey (the preschool director), are doing an excellent job training
the Guatelmalan teachers. Today´s discussions involved learning a Behavior Management
System. They made charts with classroom rules and learned innovative ways to implement the
rules.
Today, Jack, Gil and Steve are soundproofing the classrooms and building another cubby. A.J.
and Bob are doing more of the endless grouting and some landscape repairs. Silvio and Norm
are the top of the building team -- laying a few of the final blocks and starting to form with rebar. *
Chris and Barb are busy preparing a lunch for everyone -- they have provided super, delicious
meals every day.
All the little round tables and chairs have been moved to the courtyard where Elizabeth and
Aubrey II are repainting the classroom furniture -- bright blue, orange, red, and yellow tables and
chairs and green shelves are absolutely shouting at the children to come be part of the joy of
learning. Robin, Rosalie, Kay, Janet, and Virginia have been jack-of-all-trades -- buffing floors
-- putting hooks in shelves -- painting and doing organization with the childrens´supplies and gifts.
Thanks to the generosity of the church and community, there is the both welcome and daunting
task of unpacking, sorting, moving and storing this awesome amount of items that were collected.
Thank you so much again !
The day ends as people trudge and trickle onto the bus with various aches and pains but with
everyone feeling good that so much has been accomplished.
*As we ride away on the bus, its exciting to look back and see the second story beginning to take
shape.
Virginia Hammond Sella is today´s scribe as I am one of the three stay-behinds .....nursing colds.
Aubrey Lunsford
Workday four has arrived. Due to its being Market Day in Chichicastenango, the bus leaves at
8:30 am. instead of 8 - allowing the few consummate shoppers , with Barbara, to prowl the stalls
once again in search of yet more needed items for the pre-school (and a few personal things.)
At exactly 8:30 the intrepid group boards the bus - minus three souls who have succumbed to
various ailments. The ride to the preschool takes one half hour -- with some chattering - some
catching a few extra winks (could that be Jack?) and others discussing and planning the day´s
work.
On this fourth day, the group has sorted itself into various work teams. A blending of ways, a
bonding of spirits is occurring among people of many different backgrounds and personalities -- a
few of whom have come from other churches. The team is composed of 13 women and 7 men; of
these, 5 are in their 70´s and 10 are in their 60´s. Everyone has a common goal -- doing the best
possible job to allow the preschool to open in a week.
Tara (our teacher trainer), and Carey (the preschool director), are doing an excellent job training
the Guatelmalan teachers. Today´s discussions involved learning a Behavior Management
System. They made charts with classroom rules and learned innovative ways to implement the
rules.
Today, Jack, Gil and Steve are soundproofing the classrooms and building another cubby. A.J.
and Bob are doing more of the endless grouting and some landscape repairs. Silvio and Norm
are the top of the building team -- laying a few of the final blocks and starting to form with rebar. *
Chris and Barb are busy preparing a lunch for everyone -- they have provided super, delicious
meals every day.
All the little round tables and chairs have been moved to the courtyard where Elizabeth and
Aubrey II are repainting the classroom furniture -- bright blue, orange, red, and yellow tables and
chairs and green shelves are absolutely shouting at the children to come be part of the joy of
learning. Robin, Rosalie, Kay, Janet, and Virginia have been jack-of-all-trades -- buffing floors
-- putting hooks in shelves -- painting and doing organization with the childrens´supplies and gifts.
Thanks to the generosity of the church and community, there is the both welcome and daunting
task of unpacking, sorting, moving and storing this awesome amount of items that were collected.
Thank you so much again !
The day ends as people trudge and trickle onto the bus with various aches and pains but with
everyone feeling good that so much has been accomplished.
*As we ride away on the bus, its exciting to look back and see the second story beginning to take
shape.
Virginia Hammond Sella is today´s scribe as I am one of the three stay-behinds .....nursing colds.
Aubrey Lunsford
