This week our time is being devoted to serving our host family and the neighborhood children. Our mornings have been spent mixing concrete and building up the concrete fence around our host family’s property. After eating breakfast and washing the dishes, we all suit up in our ‘work jerseys’ and begin by mixing the concrete. Once it is approved by Nan, we commence the building process. It’s a nice change of pace… jamming out to our ipods and taking breaks for sliced coconut. There is great satisfaction in looking at the tangible progress after two days of hard work.
Around 4pm, after an afternoon of cleaning the house or fishing in the local river, our attention turns to the children that consistently appear at our door each day after school. For the next 2 hours our team will divide into various activities; usually involving English lessons, playing Uno, tossing/ kicking around a ball, and helping Ram’s sister prepare our dinner. It has been pure joy getting to know the children that live in the surrounding village. They are constantly smiling, attempting to ask quesitons in English, and when feeling brave they will shyly walk up and wrap their arms around you. The little girls, ranging in age of 3-12 years, are always hungry for love and attention and eager to give us hand made drawings and pictures. We hug and laugh and attempt each other’s language until dinner is ready and they slowly trickle home.
