Funinthesun: November 2013

Hi.... can't believe I haven't blogged since April.. Time goes too fast and we have been busy with 3 Joyful Projects for the children, families and students in Chuburna, hosting a fiesta for a local baseball club we enjoy being part of, sailing, gardening, installing water systems and travelling. . Hope you enjoy this brief look at the last 4 months of our life at the beach.

May
TENT SHELTER for the Primary School Children
Not allowed to eat lunch in their classrooms children sat on the cement covered ground outside, on the outdoor stage; wherever they could find some shade.

Fathers and grandfathers provided the labour. The Apoyo program paid for the materials, tent and refreshments.

THE AREA WE STARTED WITH

Workers Arrive

The men mix the cement... No Machines here.

Cement is carried by bucket from where it is mixed to where it is spread.
No wonder Mayan men have such broad strong shoulders.

Two weekends later: Nuestro trabajo aquí ha terminado! Our work here is done!

RAISING THE ROOF: NOW IT WAS TIME FOR APOYO volunteers TO DO THEIR WORK.

The cement is cured and ready to be sheltered.

Who has the instructions? I think Gord does!

The Cheering Section : wonderful women I volunteer with.

GRAND OPENING

Tables and chairs were provided by the school. Principal Martin tells us the tents are a hit as children clamber inside to eat their lunch, taking turns when all the seats are full. He showed us photos on his phone - many smiles.

May Beisbol Fiesta... We have been part of this team for 2 years enjoying the games on the weekends and being included in team related gatherings. So it was time for us to reciprocate with an afternoon of swimming, eating and practicing our spanish!!!

The Pool was Never so Busy

The Mamas Serve.....Never a Buffet Here.... No Helping Yourself

Gracias from the boys for hosting the fiesta.

PS: They Won the Championship

JUNE

EDUCACIÓN INICIAL ( the first education)

This government funded drop-in program is offered Mon, Wed, Thurs., Fri. from 4:00 - 7:00. Ten to 15 moms and their infants-3 year old children attend.

Using some of the funds raised at last year's Fashion Show, we filled the almost empty room and shelves with 2 play carpets, snap together mats, large lego building blocks, puzzles, various stacking and matching toys, a CD player, art and crafts supplies, a play centre, water dispenser and lots of cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and paper cups..

Comfortable on new mats and carpets playing with new toys

The 2 teachers receive $1,000 pesos ( $80.00) a month from a government fund to pay for:
Rent: 400 pesos or about $32.00
Supplies 300 pesos or about $24.00

Wages: 100 pesos or $8.00 a month

Parents and children work on projects planned by the teachers

Just like the good old days, dancing and singing along with children and moms to music played on the new CD player.

JULY

Free Community Computer Centre

Our Apoyo Program, The World School, from Boston Massachusetts, and Principal Sergio from the Secundaria School, partnered to provide children and adults in Chuburna with a Free Computer Centre for school related studies only.

For us, our children and grandchildren, access to computers is a given. However, for the students of Chuburna this is not the case. Unlike our experience, there is not a computer or two in every home.. Even students in high school have limited access to a few computers at the school and often must pay for time at local internet cafes.

the space to be renovated between the two class rooms.

The World School is a charitable organization founded and run by students.

Seven members of the school arrived at their own expense, mid-August, for 8 days. They provided 37,000 pesos in funding towards the 70,000 peso renovation and 10 computers plus 6 laptops for the school classrooms.

We contributed 20,000 pesos of Fashion Show funds plus we raised an additional 13,000 pesos.

From this

Gord and friend Roy did all the electrical including installing plugs, lights, and fans...

To This...... an amazing feeling to witness the students using the computers; many for the first time.

TIME OUT TO GO SAILING

ONE OF THREE WATER SYSTEMS GORD IS INSTALLING ... keeps him busy and the extra pesos come in handy.

AUGUST

SCHOOL SUPPLIES SET UP UNDER OUR TERRACE SO WE CAN FILL 80 BACKPACKS.

NEED SURGERY??? you must provide your own blood donors..
Here is the hospital in Merida where Gord donated blood in response to a request by another expat for A- blood. He was one 3 donors needed for the surgery. Three hours later he had been tested, accepted and gave blood.