Lights, Camera, Action!

I thought it was important to make sure we had first aid kits at all of the VAP locations because it seemed likely that we would need them with so many kids playing sports, etc.  Several weeks went by without us having to use them.  A few weeks ago, I was thinking about how I hadn't used my first aid training and I was talking with another volunteer about how it was strange that none of the kids had needed bandaids, etc.  On that very day, one of our kids lost a toenail while he was playing in the yard and I happened to be there to bandage him up! He was really brave because I could tell that it hurt...

3 nights a week, we teach English to adults of El Porvenir. We have 5 students and there are a few volunteers who take turns teaching each night. Here are 3 of our students taking the final test before the holiday break. We will begin again in January and have also been talking about starting up another class for beginners :)

We had a Health/Hygeine themed week at all of the VAP locations before the holidays and our Friday Activity was a puppet show!  Anne Fowler (who I've described in earlier posts) has 3 educational skits for children and she lent us all of the puppets, props, etc. to put on this show for the kids!

I played Maria :)

VIH/SIDA (HIV/AIDS skit)

There was also a dental skit and a general health/nutrition skit.

Even though many of the kids had seen these skits during school, they were excited to see them again and seemed to have fun!

After the dental skit, we handed out a new toothbrush to every child, courtesy of Anne :D

Here is a snippet of the health/hygiene/nutrition skit!

And here is a clip from the dental skit!

In our spare time, we are painting the Beach House!! My roommate (Liz) and I picked out the colors for the interior of the house and we have slowly been starting to paint...

Painting party :):)

On our last day of the first session of VAP, we had a Christmas party in the downstairs classroom at the Beach House!

Cookie decorating...

My Grandma Sellers used to say, "Take 2, they're small." Each of the kids got to decorate 3 cookies, but I think I ate about 20 as my roommates were baking them!! 

A brother and sister waiting in line for the cookies <3

Here are a few pictures of the kids enjoying their cookie creations :):)

I love to see how the siblings stick together and look out for one another <3 I miss my brothers and sisters back home!!

Christmas crafts :)

They made snowflakes...

cards...

and ornaments!!

:):)

Friday Activities = Organized Chaos + Fun!

I get to spend a lot of time with this little girl :)

Too cute <3

At the end of the party, we read a few Christmas stories...

Even though all of the volunteers were far away from their families, it was fun to celebrate with the kids!

It's great to get all of the kids from the 3 different VAP locations together at the end of the week. Here are some of the flags they painted to represent their individual groups.  It's been an interesting teaching point to allow the various groups to have pride for their small groups, but to also recognize that we are really one big group of kids and volunteers who are coming together to learn and have fun.