Day 4–Our day in Teo

Today our team went to the small mountain village of Teocintales (also spelled Teoxengales or Texoxengales, depending upon who you ask).

In the morning we met at the school and did a hygiene course with approximately 95 children. It included a deworming treatment,

hand washing, 

hands-on teaching with all of the children on how to brush your teeth properly,

and a fluoride treatment.

Afterwards, we started our Vacation Bible School program for the day about the “Fruit of the Spirit.”  We all gathered together in one of the classrooms while Ingrid and Maria Estela (two of our AP students) and Stanley (one of our interpreters) taught the lesson.

 Once the lesson was over, we divided up into four different groups:  drama, games, music, and crafts.

The children played several games such as freeze tag, potato sack races, and another form of race with a towel and different balls and balloons. The games were designed to reinforce the spiritual fruits of patience, gentleness, and self-control.   

In music, the children had fun learning several new songs about “amor, gozo, y paz (love, joy, and peace)” along with fun songs to familiar tunes such as “Father Abraham” and “If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands…stomp your feet…and say ‘Amen’” complete with motions.  Much laughter followed during musical chairs and hot potato.  

As a memento of their time in VBS, each student had the opportunity to color a spiritual fruit tree to take home.  Once all of the stations were completed, the children were fed a snack of homemade cookies from the bakery in La Montañita and then handed a goody bag to end the day.

Following VBS, Allen and Karen held brief meetings with the post 6^th grade students and the church leaders while Maynor, Dr. Tino, and the local health care workers finished their medical brigade for approximately 50 of the children’s parents.

Back at Martha’s, the entire team of 13 shared a meal while several of those in attendance practiced speaking in foreign tongues (English and Spanish, of course).  One of our special guests, José  (Dr. Tino’s 11 year old son), astonished us with his grasp of the English language. 

The evening ended with a discussion between the various members of the AP support team and members of the HAF Education committee.  

Overall the day was a successful day, accomplishing everything that we had set out to do and providing challenge to us all to go outside our comfort zones to share the love of Christ with those around us and to be unashamed to try new ways of communication, whether in spoken word or in sign language.

Tomorrow will be basically a repeat of today’s activities in the community of La Montañita.

Karen/Brooklyn