Valentine Day

Woke up this Valentines morning missing Margot, and I know there were others on our team thinking of their loved ones.  But we are here for only a short time and there are lots of people to meet in the meantime.
The team had the opportunity this morning to visit the schools in Soto and in Maria Auxiliadora. We had met  on Monday with the Soto students during the day-camp at the TEARS Centre.  So it was great to see them again at their school with their teachers.  We received many big smiles and were enthusiastically welcomed in song.  Lorne led the children in a blackboard exercise using numbers 5 and 3 that ultimately resulted in an outline of a lion which was very attention-getting.

Math work at the blackboard

Soto School class

The older students at the TEARS school in M.A. will be coming to the Centre for a three-day camp starting tomorrow.  After talking to Chelo and Judith, it looks like an excellent camp program awaits them.

El Camino school

Judy and her girls

The water system there is functioning very well with Polo servicing clients.

Polo selling water

We were also met at Soto by representatives of Aguas de Unidad, an NGO that specializes in the installation of community-based water systems and related health training. Discussions centered on how we might work together to install such a system for the Soto Community.

Discussing Soto water project

We are more or less resting up this afternoon for the busy three days ahead.  Some of the team apparently will "renew their strength" by undergoing a bit of shopping therapy in Santiago. The leaders of the El Camino school and our team are into final decorations of the church and the TEARS Centre. We expect over 90 overexcited children to arrive early tomorrow morning. Let Camp 2012 begin!
Cliff and Don