End of Week One

The first week of our work in St. Lucia concluded with an open house at the suite of Patti and John. It was a relaxing way to celebrate not only the magnitude of contacts made in the community but the new friendships that had been fostered among the volunteers.

The construction crew at the Infant School completed most of their repairs to the roof and walls of the school. Several members of the neighborhood came to work. Additional supplies were purchased today and all the workers will return tomorrow at 9:00, their day off, to finish the remainder of the project. The children will stay dry the next time the pounding rains come.

The Earth Box assembly and demo was done at the library for a group of young mothers who responded with enthusiasm about growing their own vegetables for their families. The roving care givers had spread the word to the mothers about the meeting at the library. The team then visited the nursery to determine what type of seedlings would be possible to purchase for the Earth Boxes. Mr. Francois Henry was so helpful and gracious. I found myself feeling humbled and small in the presence of these ingenious, hard working people.

Vickie exploded with joy when she was presented with 8 soap dispensers for the restrooms at the primary school. She even had three gallons of liquid soap. Having taught several hygiene lessons at the school, the children and staff were anxious to incorporate hand washing into their daily health habits.

Teachers in the secondary and infant schools helped with assessments and supported classroom teachers in their monumental task of instruction with few resources.

Before the evening meal the team of Global Volunteers, dressed in matching shirts, assembled in front of JJ's Paradise Resort for a group picture since two of our group will depart this weekend. The Global Volunteers' shirts, containing a large thumbprint, symbolize that our dream is to leave a mark on the world.