Happy Birthday to You!

Birthday's galore today! We started the day out with a Birthday Bun for Mr. Freddy, the Facilities Manager (Chief Construction Officer!) that we've worked with every since we came to Holy Cross. Then the cooks made a cake for Clara for lunch and then we again celebrated her birthday with a cake and singing at the Chicken Drop at Caliente's. Great fun!

Joanne had the little ones enthralled with a story before school started. Began with one and had a crowd before long.

The sand men kept up their good work creating new land by the computer room. This space will be used for a vocational training center for carpentry--ever expanding!
We ran four eye stations today as well as the Dr./Nurse screenings--even the construction guys got involved! Got through all of the little Infant I kids. They had never had eye screenings before so it was a slow process, but fun.
The catwalk deck is completed and Jim Hooker is working on the railings. There is a group of dentists and spouses here from Minnesota. One of the spouses is Alan, a really great guy. He has been working with the construction guys. He's a farmer and runs a landscape business. He's taken a great interest in the septic system they are considering installing and spent alot of time studying it yesterday. He'll be a wonderful consultant as he's installed other very similar systems. Another of God's blessings for Holy Cross! He and John have been working together cleaning and painting the wall behind the library...in the swamp. Interesting scaffolding but can't get to a place to take a picture without my hip boots!

Dr. Jim went with Sandra and Kim into town to visit some folks. They took some short videos. We're going to try to install some of them so keep checking back. They show some of the reality these Holy Cross students are living in!

All in all it was a VERY productive day and great night at the Chicken Drop. We ate on the lower deck this time and found it much better! Nice breeze, great company, and another great rum cake with a candle!

Can It Get Any Hotter or More Humid???

THE 2009 RECORDS HAVE BEEN FOUND! Kim found them when she went digging..in the top draw of the desk in the office! Hurray! And even better news is that the Holy Cross soccer team beat St. Peters 5-0! See the comment for more details!

The wind yesterday blew every ounce of breeze out of here and it was still, humid and HOT from the beginning of the day! The medical team got going early and we saw alot of kids today. Had four eye stations going so most everyone did eyes at some point! Got almost all the heights and weights finished up and lots of screenings. Bob and Jim have the deck surface completed - HOT! and John cleaned the mildew off the back wall of the library-ugh! Ron worked on smoothing new door pulls and everyone else was pretty out straight baking on the porch with kids!

Soccer game today at 2:00. Bob, Ron and Kathy headed down about 1:50 to be our contingent. The 6th graders were selling raffle tickets for free cupcakes at the Valentine's Fair on Friday as well as for soccer jersey's so they're learning the art of fundraising early!

Despite the heat we got alot done! Looking forward to a cooler day tomorrow!

The internet has been running very slow to non-existant for the last couple of days. Pictures tomorrow, if it's better. Right now it would take ages to put them up!

All is well in Belize! Elvi's for dinner tonight!

What a great day of work!!

Today was an awesome day of work! We were almost blown to school today! It stayed cloudy for a good part of the day and the breeze kept up so it was a great day to work! The medical team got the clinic running and had kids in there by about 10:30. Joanne is working the check in desk, Pam is the runner to get the kids, Clara and Ginny and Kathy and various others did vision screenings, Nurse Joyce, Dr. Peter and Dr. Jim did Medical evaluations, Marie treated acute cases, Jean unpacked all the suitcases and worked on the medical records and everyone kicked in as needed. The construction crew of Bob and Jim continued work on the deck built last week-- now they're adding a railing. Ron and John moved sand to create new land next to the computer room--ALOT of SAND! The sun came out in the afternoon so it got hot. Headed home about 3 as the kids were long gone and everyone was pretty tired. Met at 6 and headed to the Jerk Pit for dinner. Great start!!

Free Sunday

St. Luke's folks were all over San Pedro today...walking, biking, golf carting. It was a totally free day until 5:00. Dr. Jim went to the school to meet with Kim, a social worker here from Univ of Mississippi he worked with last year; Dr. Peter and Sandra biked to up north of the bridge; Clara Joyce, Ron and Kathy rented a golf cart and headed north and south; Bob and Ginny shopped; Jean and John walked up north and everyone relaxed for the rest of the day. We gathered at 5 and headed to Jan's place for a Super Bowl Party! It was quite the success! Great time had by all. Home early enough to be rested for tomorrow! Be sure to check out the blog entry on Saturday by Team 2. It follow's John H-C's return home entry!

Adios from Team-O Primo

We enjoyed our time in San Pedro. Attached is a picture of 2 motley crews: Team-O Primo and the Holy Cross Anglican School soccer team. Good Luck to the Team 2 Crew!

Team 2 - On Their Own!

Saturday was a great day for Team 2 (and a few holdovers from Team 1). After good-byes to Team 1 members returning today, all but Jean, Joanne, Jan, Ron and Kathy headed for the for John's favorite sail boat for a day of sailing, snorkeling and relaxing. Turns out the Captain of the boat found it stuck on the reef and he got it off and has repaired it and now takes groups out for day and multiple day trips. One of his kids or grandkids goes to Holy Cross so he gave them a really great rate.

Nothing like a day of sailing to bring you all together!

They had a tremendous lunch and snorkeled in the Coral Gardens area, a new one for all. They caught a baracuda--but that wasn't lunch! All had a grand time.

Ron and Kathy headed out at 7:00 for the day trip to Lamanai. They had a super time and saw monkeys etc while there. Came back weary after their boat, bus, and more boat rides, but very enthused and happy. The rum punch on the way back might have had something to do with it!

Jean, Joanne and Jan headed for Caye Caulker for a trip down memory lane and a visit to the Sandbox! Caye Caulker was where we had out first Belize adventure in 2002 building houses for an Episcopal Relief and Development Project. First stop was the fruit with yogurt and granola breakfast at the Sandbox. Has not changed at all, except the staff. None of the familiar faces. Daisy's looks just the same...even with the same coat of paint on it! Our houses look great..they're holding up very well. The one by the gas company had a swing set beside it and looked great. No foul odors so the septic must be working well also!! The shopping is about the same. Mr. Chocolate was there this time and we had a good conversation about the Manatee Conservation Area. Walked down to the split and it looks just the same. They're finally finishing up the hotel building that was boarded up all those years ago. Back to the Sandbox for conch fritters and then the water taxi home.

Great day had by all. Carumbas for dinner and the first of many birthday celebrations for Clara.

Week One nears an end

Today is the last day of work at the School for Week One. It is also the hottest day we have had. Since the children are away, we've done some painting in the "lunch porch" along with some outside painting. Our maintenance deck over the swamp continues to grow; we returned this morning to find the pros had extended the framing around the side of the building and were headed around another corner. We are suspicious that the old "bait and switch" is being used to have us build the Holy Cross Fishing Pier. Craig and Wayne extended the decking as far as prudence would allow, plus 3 additional boards. Fortunately, we heard no splahes.





Holly, wielding the circular saw, and David did various repairs around the school. Jean and Hope have been continuing to work on the student records in the library. We are confident that we will have done all that we can in advance of the Medical Team.





Holy Cross' soccer team plays the catholic school this afternoon at 3 and we plan to knock off early to watch the rivalry and cheer as only St. Luke's Mission Team members with a Bit o' Belikin in the belly can ("We don't care if you have the Pope, when you play Holy Cross, you've got no hope"). The internet is having a little trouble uploading pictures right now, but if I get a chance later, I'll post some pictures of the team at work, a picture of one of the students who walked hand in hand with Van to school one day has been added to a previous post.





We are looking forward to the arrival of the Week 2 Crew; from among their ranks will come the next blogger.