Alberto, director of the Caraballo Kids Alive Childcare Center
Day 2 Monday, February 14, 2011
Today was our first day of work.
We started our day with a tour around Caraballo, a community that is 25% Dominican and 75% Haitian. The Haitians moved here years ago to work in the sugar cane fields, but the sugar plant was closed six or seven years ago, so there is very little work. There is much tension between the two racial groups but Kids Alive is working to bring the children together and work on racial reconciliation for future generations. The child care center includes children from both races and they are learning to partner together on projects and play together at recess.
After our tour, we were privileged to hear from Alberto, the director of the care center. He feels so blessed that God has called him to head up this center and loves being able to provide food, education and spiritual instruction for the children in this community. His favorite time of the day is hearing the children, all 260 of them, worship God together after lunch.
The children waiting to thank God for their food before eating lunch
On Mondays and Thursdays, the children attend public schools half the day and go to the Kids Alive child center for more schooling the other half day. On Fridays, the children participate in an Awanas program to learn more about Christ and what it means to have a relationship with Him.
This child center has been around for six years and has grown from 60 kids to 260. Their dream would be to serve twice that many children. As God provides more classrooms, they’ll be able to accommodate more children.
Today our project was to build walls. Half of us worked on a perimeter wall around the property to expand the size of the property. The other half worked on a wall for a storage shed. Once the storage shed is built, items that are currently being stored in a couple classrooms will be moved into the shed, which will free up space for more classrooms.
What a great day! We all worked together to accomplish something great. We enjoyed our day, worked hard and felt great about our progress. I’m sure those who were the “gophers” today, carrying blocks and buckets of mortar for the rest of us, will be ready to lay block and let someone else haul blocks and mortar. We are grateful for their willingness to serve in that way and will definitely give them a less strenuous assignment tomorrow!
Day 2 MEN
A big THANKS to our loved ones at home who secretly sent Valentines cards to us. What a great surprise to get a love note from home! We love you all!
Karly – what a wonderful way to celebrate her 26th birthday!
Willy and Larry tying rebar
Carolyn and Sydney working while Willy looks on
Rick and Kim working hard
Our team at the end of our first day’s work. We look cleaner and less tired than we really were but after short showers and an amazing dinner prepared for us by a local cook we perked right back up!
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