Visiting the Village

Today was a tough beginning because we took a heartbreaking tour of the village that Kids Alive serves. The conditions in which they live are very unsanitary, unsafe and sad. They make their homes out of whatever materials they can find. Many of them have dusty dirt floors and moldy roofs made from palm branches…both of which lead to respiratory problems. They wash their clothes in the river…the same river in which the kids play and swim…and it is the same river in which the animals use for “animal type” things. Many of them fight just to survive. They don’t always have food and many of the children are without proper clothing. It was very moving to see these fellow humans who have so much less than we do. It also made us more aware of the great need that Kids Alive is meeting…and it made us feel great to know that we are helping in a small way.

The staff of KAI keeps telling us how excited they are for this playground. Before we came, the only playground item that they have is one swing set that has 5 swings on it. This means that all 200 kids have to share these 5 swings! The kids keep lining up at the fence around the perimeter of the school as they watch us build the playground. They know full well what is happening and often cheer for our progress when they walk by and see, with excitement, what we are constructing. It is a good feeling and we are all really looking forward to the day when we can let these kids loose on this playground equipment! They are planning to do this either Friday or Monday depending on how quickly construction goes. They have no way of communicating with the kids other than walking through the streets with a megaphone…which they will do once we are ready for the kids. In less than an hour of doing this they can have hundreds of kids at the school ready for action!

The construction today went well. We were able to cement the support posts to the main structure and suspend 2 of the platforms. In addition we cemented in the parallel bars, dug the foundation for the geodome and put up the slide! It is starting to come together and it looks great. There is still quite a bit of work to do, but the team is growing in excitement for its completion.

Spiritually, our times in the Word (in the morning AND in the evenings) have been rich. The guys are open and honest with one another and God is working in each of our hearts. Each night 2 of us are sharing our life story. It has been awesome to hear what God has done and is doing in different lives. God is so good in so many ways!

- Scott

Today was a very good day!!! I was rather happy and relieved that 3 quarters of the main structure was done. We have all put are best into putting this playground together. As many of you know it´s rather hot down here but, we all persevere and do what needs to be done. Even though we don´t understand some of the directions some of the times, we are patient and get through whatever the problem is. As we do this playground I see change in many of us and see us all become closer than we where in the beginning of the trip. I pray and hope that God will continue to work in us and allow us to do his work. I'm happy that we all have been able to join together as one and do God´s work, to better the lives of the children here. I can´t wait to see all of the children's smiling faces when we are done and we get to see them enjoy themselves. I just am glad that I was chosen, by God, to attend this trip and make other people happy. I am glad that I am allowed to serve in his name.

- Ryan