Day 2 was another full day and, as is so often the case, not necessarily filled with the things you think it will be. Some of the day was relatively straightforward: the parts involving buildings and library books and school supplies and other inanimate objects. The outside crew continued to work on rebuilding railings, applied some magic stuff to the roof of the computer center to try to seal seams and moving mahogany plywood (they use mahogany for plywood in Belize!) in preparation for some cabinets to be built for the computer room. One picture attached shows Bob Atwell and Wayne doing some roofing work -- two cats on a hot tin roof. A second picture is Barb Harris and Holly Hodges in the library -- the two emissaries from St. Luke's feeder cities.

Ah, but the part involving people: how complex. Two very young students have both lost parents recently, to treatable illness on the one hand and violence on the other. Anne is set to do some counseling, not only with the students, but with their teachers who are so emotionally invested in seeing the children succeed. Others associated with the school have been victimized by fraud and extortion, with threats and police involvement and the perpetrator reportedly sited in town. Physical and sexual abuse is apparently all too frequent, and much effort is made to help the children understand it and feel comfortable going to a teacher to report it. And with over 500 students, the parade of bumps, bruises, and other ailments is constant, keeping Terrie and others busy fashioning treatments.

Our suitcases of supplies were picked up and delivered to Holy Cross this morning; Francis felt like it was Christmas. Work continues on setting up the library and setting up a way to track children who receive medical attention, dental services, or social interventions. Anne taught a religious class to Standard 6 and we all engaged Standard 5 in a career hour, hopefully improving in our delivery and relevance as we do this each day. We ended the day watching a video prepared on the drug trade in Belize City and a significantly happier video on the holiday boat parade, where the Holy Cross boat took home 3 trophies. Third picture is Debbie and friend in the computer room; more to come later ...