SanTEEEEagOOOOOOO!

VBS is a blast...painting not so much.

We had a very successful first day at Vacation Bible School. I spoke to the pastor's wife and she pointed out a few kids who she had never seen before and said that they were here because of us.  Of course it was in Spanish and it has been more than 30 years  since I took a Spanish class so it took a little more than one sentence.  She also told me that the church we were in had been there for 2 years and they hoped to finish the building soon.  

It consisted of a cement floor, four cement walls, a number of windows, and several holes that I assume will be for stained glass.  There is a small building at the front that looks mostly finished but is not fully connected to the main church.  There is one more detail that makes this church stand out a little more than most other churches I am used to...there is absolutely no roof.  None.  Nada.  Zero.  We didn't have our VBS in the building site but rather in a shelter that had been set up next door.  It consisted of two large portable shade structures, big enough to cover a pickup truck, set side by side with a large vinyl banner over the top for protection from the weather.  It took a while before Dylan suddenly said, "We're standing in an iPhone!"  The vinyl tarp that they are using is an old ad that used to hang on the side of a large building!

The kids were active and were full of smiles and energy.  There was one boy, Santiago, who stole the hearts of our group.  He is 2 and a half years of energy and mischief and everyone within 150 yards of the program knows his name.  Although it's pronounced more like "SanTEEEEagOOOOOOO!"  

We played games designed to be universal and need very little Spanish ability among us.  We also played the universal language of soccer!  The kids loved it and were very tired and thankful for snack time and rest.  We finished up that very tiring job just in time to eat another delicious meal and go to our second tiring job.  

After lunch we were given the task of painting what is essentially a two story house in a few hours.  We painted walls!  We painted door stoops!  We painted window sills!  We even painted a window! (oops) Paint was flying this way and that! So much so that today Holly is wearing a hat!  We painted dirt and cement too.  If you were standing still...they painted you!

I am happy to announce that they were able to paint 90% of that building in the time it would have taken me to choose a color.  I wonder what we are going to do for the other three work days?  There are three other two story buildings right next to this one.  I wonder if that is a coincidence?  Yeah...probably.  We will probably be getting a pampering day complete with massages and pedicures.  I'll let you know.

We are getting closer as a group and one of them has even asked me to prank her aunt whom she knows is reading and following along with the group.  I just can't figure out how to work the words "Jessica Died" into something funny.  But now at least I can say that I wrote them in my blog.  I suspect teasing will be happening soon.

The reality is that we are all doing well.  As a group we are nursing a cough, a little tummy trouble, and what seemed to be an epidemic of cut fingers trying to get into a plastic flashlight package with a pocket knife.  All is well even with the two snake sightings we have had.  The truth that they are more afraid of us than we are of them played out in grand fashion and we only saw them for a second each.  

Now I am starting to feel a little guilty for writing while the rest of them are slaving away on painting house number two...but I will survive.

Back to work...