Today I was assigned to work with the children at the local school. I enter the fourth grade classroom a little nervous at first, but I was greeted with warm welcomes from everyone. The students began asking me thousands of questions and didn't hesitate to start climbing all over me. The classroom was filled with huge emounts of energy, which is quite different from our classrooms at home. Shortly after I arrived we were dismissed for recess. I took part in a very serious game of tag with a group of girls. It was quite difficult to communicate with them at first but shorty after I found my stride and it got much easier. Later that afternoon the teacher asked me to teach the class an English lesson. She told me to work on pronunciation and handwriting skills. It was an amazing sight to see all the students so excited to learn from me! I look forward to this week with great enthusiasm. I love communicating with the people and making friends with the students.
-Andrew Melick
Today I worked at the construction site where we are building a new home for a woman and her family, and things were a little different. The woman was greatly in need of a new house and had quickly asked us to help build one, and we happily took up the task with open arms. From mixing concrete in the streets to chipping away at the ground with a pickax, we definitely gained a sense of appreciation for simple things like having a roof over our heads. Although beyond the physical quality of the work, relationships were forged. While some enjoyed the company of the incredible builder Don Lo Lo, others relished time spent with the young and energetic Estevan and Kaylee. This allowed us to transform our mission by creating a genuine care for those whom we serve. Over the course of the next few days, we hope to build not only a house, but a sense of hope and optimism in both ourselves and those surrounding us.
-Mario Markho
Today I went to the nursery to work with the children, most of whom were between the ages of 3 and 6. I was very surprised at how excited the kids were to see me; as soon as I walked into the classroom, several of the kids immediately ran up to me and greeted me with smiles and squeals of excitement. Throughout the day, this energy and joy from the kids never stopped. I don't remember a time when there weren't several of them surrounding me, asking me to play and telling me about themselves. From spending my time with them solving puzzles to running around at recess, I found these kids to be just the same as kids from back home, despite their backgrounds back at their homes. As a whole, being with the kids was a fantastic feeling; they immediately gave me their trust, and I can only hope that throughout the week I can know I'm giving them the same joy throughout their days as they gave me today.
-Bilal Yassine
Thank you for posting these wonderful photos and posts. We are praying for you all as you serve the residents of Zone 3
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