Working with Tía Gaby

Today started like any other day. We ate breakfast, listened to an excellent recap of yesterday by Katie, heard an inspirational quote of Mother Teresa's, and took a bus ride to Calderón. It apparently rained last night or this morning. Everything was "fresh." I was looking at all of the shops as we left our neighborhood. Most still with their doors down, but many opening as we passed. I saw all of the cars headed into town as we were leaving town. All of these people were going somewhere for their daily activity and so were we.

Each of us thought we would continue with the assignment we began yesterday, but as we arrived, we found out that the shelves would be built today, so Tom went to work hand drilling pilot holes for a huge number of screws to hold the bookshelves together. I worked again in Tía Gaby's room. Gaby received a new set of children in her room yesterday who were relocated from a nearby preschool that was closed. The kids, Gaby, and I were getting to know each other. Throughout the day yesterday and today, the lady from the ministry came in and took a child or two away and brought others. The resiliency of the children was remarkable, although today Amber showed up at our door several times after being reassigned. I know that even though I don't understand much of what the children are saying to me, they appreciate my presence and my smiles and high fives.

For our "morning exercise", all of the classes moved into the main room for songs and dancing or body motions that went with the songs.  There was one boy, Estevan, from Gaby's class that didn't want to join the kids out in the middle of the floor, so I stayed with him and followed the motions of the teachers.  For a while he just watched, then he got up and started doing the motions with me, still on the sidelines, but we had a great time together. We even did the “Hokey Pokey” and “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” in Spanish! Later I heard from Maggie that he is a super shy boy. I was glad I was able to get him to dance. I also heard that Neal was watching us from the kitchen.

Tía Gaby and Suzanne changing classroom decorations

Tía Elisa, Tía Marisol, and Neal in the kitchen 

There was some drama about the kitchen needing to be relocated by next Monday. I'm sure that this will unfold throughout the rest of the week. Maybe our team will have a chance to help with a solution. We are open to whatever calls us.  

Neal and I had a quiet dinner in the hotel tonight as all the others went to explore the neighborhood. By the way, we had our fifth grandchild, a boy, on July 1. Mom and Calvin are home and doing well.

Entry submitted by: Suzanne Pierce

Message for the day – Neal Pierce: “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” – Mother Teresa