DAY 37 TO 38
TODAY WE WERE PICKED UP BY A VAN TO GO WITH CRISTA’S CLUB TO THE SCHOOL IN THE FAVELA. THE FIRST PROJECT WE DID WITH THEM CAME TO AN END TODAY, AND THE SECOND ONE BEGAN. THIS PROJECT WAS BEING OK’D JUST AS I WAS LEAVING. IT GIVES THE SCHOOL ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY FOOD FOR A YEAR. THE SCHOOL IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A FAVELA, AND INBETWEEN 2 OTHERS. FAVELAS ARE RULED BY DRUG LORDS AND OFTEN THE POLICE WILL NOT EVEN GO IN. WE HAD BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO COME IN TO VISIT TODAY. AS FAR AS THE FAVELAS GO, IT WAS ACTUALLY CLEANER THAN MOST WE HAVE VIEWED FROM AFAR. IT WAS RATHER STARTLING THOUGH TO HAVE CRISTA POINT OUT THE BULLET HOLES NEXT TO THE SCHOOL AND A WINDOW THAT HAD TO BE BLOCKED UP TO GIVE PROTECTION. PAUL, NATALIE’S HUSBAND, WENT WITH US, AS HE IS A TEACHER. HE WORE A RED SHIRT, AND WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE THAT IF HE WONDERED OFF IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION, HE WOULD PROBABLY BE KILLED , AS IT WAS THE COLOR OF A RIVAL GANG.
THE CHILDREN ARE WELL LOVED, CLEAN, AND ARE LEARNING QUITE WELL. WE SPENT THE AFTERNOON AT THE SCHOOL, AND I GOT SOME PICTURES OF THE KIDS, THE DESKS AND SOME OF THE SUPPLIES OUR FIRST PROJECT GOT THEM, AND THE KIDS EATING LUNCH. THEY GET 3 MEALS A DAY. IT WAS AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE ACTUALLY SEEING OUR MONEY WORKING.
WE DROPPED OFF THE REST OF THE TEAM SO THEY COULD SPEND THE LAST DAY AT THE BEACH AND I WENT TO LUNCH WITH CRISTA AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE FROM HER ROTARY CLUB. IT WAS A DELIGHTFUL AFTERNOON AND ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY. GOT DROPPED OFF AT THE HOUSE AROUND 4:30 AND HAVE BEEN READING AND PROCESSING THIS TRIP SINCE. HOPE TO DO ONE MORE DAY OF THIS JOURNAL TOMORROW, BEFORE WE HEAD OFF TO THE AIRPORT AND HOME TO OUR LOVED ONES. AS FOR THIS TRIP, MY GOD WHAT AN EXPERIENCE. I CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE I HAVE MET, AND WHAT MEMORIES I HAVE. THE TEAM WAS WONDERFUL AND REPRESENTED US WELL. I AM VERY PROUD OF THEM. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, ROTARY FOR IT’S FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND THIS CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THIS, AND TO MY HUSBAND WHO SUPPORTED ME FROM DAY ONE.
