Home Sweet Home Stay

Friday June 27

A good night’s sleep and a cool rainy morning, refreshed as we awakened in our host families’ home.

Alecia and I wanted to know and observe how to make fry bread and refried beans. Getting the recipes to take along home. Naomi is a beautiful and lovely hostess. She allows us to ask many questions and participate in her home.

Kayla enjoys doing nails and hair. We have not yet met Brenda or Evreal. J’lynn in 2 1/2, Naomi’s child and is just adorable. Devane just graduated from 8^th grade. Ashton is active and likes watching TV, he is very shy.

Breakfast was frycakes and homemade refried beans along with happy cow, a Belizean cheese. Everything was delicious. Alecia and I tried our hardest at patting out the frycakes. There is definitely a knack to it that we don’t have.

Rain, rain, heavy rain, rain, more rain! This is the last day of school and its closed because the wet roads make travel difficult. We were to meet with the teachers and Dyann Garnett, the principal, but this was delayed, and our canoe trip was cancelled because of high waters.

Finally, we were able to meet with the teachers. We had excellent conversation. Dividing into groups we brain stormed on what would make good curriculum, how to meet the school’s needs, and how to form a long term relationship with the La Democracia primary school.

Dyann did her share with us. She informed the group that she was relocating and would not be in partnership with us directly next year.

The St. John’s trio was also sent on a mission to bring home Belizean dance and music for next year’s school music festival. Dyann and a friend were excited and willing to help. Actually we were promised a DVD of the dance with music along with perhaps a Belizean dress for replication for the girls. They were so positive and willing to help us out it was exciting. Two themes seem to be heard over and over- food to feed the children and computers.

In the evening in the home stay, we have played cards with our family, each “country” teaching the other some games. This evening we all enjoyed UNO. Playing many hands- we even got shy Ashton to talk.

During our afternoon session we played a few games and then got to work. But first the games –“If you loved me, really loved me you would smile” – only Alecia really could keep a straight face. Others like David couldn’t help but smile.

Our sharing was good and our Market Place activity is off to a good start. Again in small groups we developed some ideas about curriculum and fund raising to initiate the service projects for our kids.

Its been cleared up some, or rather, made more clear: our goals and purpose. It's vital for all to understand in order for this program to be a success. Some voiced their concerns and opinions on the practicality of using climate change as new educational premise for the middle school years!

Alecia’s birthday was today- we celebrated. I think it made her feel special and loved on her special day. --Jeanette Becker