Baseball, birds, and cookies.
28.05.2011
It’s been a full week. We received the warmest greeting ever from the kids and staff. It looked something like this: hugs, kisses, smiles, and tears.
We hit the ground running! It was wonderful to see the Sala that 3L built with such love being used every day.
Baseball is the plan. Implementing it was the hope and prayer. We spent the first 3 days just catching and throwing. I taught them pop ups, fast pitches, and grounders. To see a child put on a baseball mitt for the first time was amazing. Most of them had a challenge understanding that the glove is worn on the catching hand, not the dominant throwing hand. Eventually we moved past the looks of confusion and spent many many many many hours each day throwing catching. Yesterday I introduced the baseball bat. Lots of wide-eyed “WOW!”‘s from the kids.
We spent the day batting and again catching and fielding for many many many hours. I emerged from the day as the sun began to set with a bruised thigh and severely jammed middle finger. I am hoping at this point that I do not need to have my ring cut off to allow for the swelling.
My wound licking will have to be short because they return from school in 3 hours and I need to be ready to do it all again. Where’s my assistant coach ?
Animals are born and eventually they die. Some die too soon and if one of our kids happens to find a suffering bird for instance laying on the ground, they take it upon themselves to be the great savior or comforter for the being’s final hours.
Just before I emerged with the baseball bat from the office, I had to attend a funeral procession and burial of said bird. A group of us marched solemnly out to the garden. We dug a small hole and placed the bird in. A older girl by the name of Dak had us all put our hands in the prayer position as she spoke the final words that would accompany the bird to heaven.
The day ended with a delicious dinner and a special dessert of homemade chocolate chip cookies that Ashley lovingly baked all day in the hot kitchen. I mean HOT. Of course cookies are not complete without cold milk, so we made sure we had plenty on hand. They were devoured within minutes of being placed on their tables.
We will return to the slums this week. We will also try to focus our ideas as to what our next project here will be. We have some ideas, but nothing concrete. As always though we would love any support that you can give so that we can continue to support the dining Sala and make sure there is always enough food to eat for 50 people three meals each day. We could not do this work so thoroughly without your help.
Peace
Pam & Ashley
Help is on the way ! Next year “Papa Grande” will arrive to teach the kids how to throw curves, sliders & spitters.
Love,
Dad