The Water Theme Continues

EVERYWHERE!
God bless our teachers and recreation instructors this year! After arriving in the rain and enduring a late afternoon shower, we all joined in to prepare supplies and equipment for a full day at school. Sorting out the contents of so many suitcases; trying to guess what is in the suitcase that went astray at the airport in Miami, and sorting selections by project and task and planned activity. I can just imagine what each one was thinking as we drove in the driving rain that first morning along the highway from our living quarters in Boca Chica to the El Tamarindo community. But, all fears and trepidations disappear when we enter the classroom / assembly / sanctuary where all 90 or so cheering, laughing, jumping children greet us without hesitation, nor worldly care for the weather outside. Even the airport was closed that morning, but our mission was up an running.

So, what about the maintenance and construction team? We too must plan around water. The #1 request we received was to paint the exterior of the building (preserving, of course, the fantastic "Noah's Arc" painted last year by our youth-group mission to El Tamarindo). But of course, rain and latex paint do not come together to produce a satisfactory result. But that allows us to redirect part of our portion of the budget towards other needed repairs and activities. Both bathrooms need attention - LEAKING WATER - of course!! Both toilets at the school leak at various points, but the most challenging one was leaking from the bottom. And the bottom of that one was cemented to the floor! We decided to re-direct part of our outdoor painting budget towards calling in a professional. A local plumber from the community offered his services, and for less than $4 we had new floor bolts, wax seal, and white cement to re-seal the deal. In his community, everyone jumps in to help, and we will make sure the local plumber's efforts are compensated. But this will be nothing like the $100 to "come take a look" to which we are accustomed back home. Our plumber arrived, assessed the situation, and we were off the la ferretería for his supplies.


Meanwhile, our team has attacked the indoor painting. Students and teachers were more than happy to scrunch up into one less room, or move outside under the temporary canopies while half of the downstairs was painted. Naturally, there was water seepage there too, making the ceiling by the windows a challenge to scrape down and re-coat.

We've all made it to day number two. The rain continues to fall. . . . . . . . . . Tomorrow is another day, and the one thing on which we can count is that whatever the weather may be, we shall all teach our lessons and perform our repair work. It will meet a very real need, and it will be greeted with the full and complete appreciation of everyone! After all, there's always next year to pick up where we left off !!!!!!