Krysta Ann-Marie & Robert Keith: Another day. Another memory.

Monday, yet another great day with the residents at octavia waight. After doing all the exercises we decided to stay a little bit longer and play some bingo and parachute ball. They residents really do love the interaction and seeing them smile lets me know that. Even if I cant make their pain go away or come visit them everyday, I know that just the small time spent with them has made their day a little better. The pictures show their excitement while we played parachute ball.

Tuesday was a rainey day!! We started off the morning in San Ignacio going door to door telling everyone about the nutrition that we were going to hold on Wednesday. Most of them seemed interested but that might have been fake just to get us off their front porch haha. Who knows and if you don’t try you'll never be able to succeed. After that some of us headed to the Internet cafe where we did work on other projects. Today I started research on teaching a music basics class to young kids! Basically Amanda and I will be working together to teach some of the youth in San Ignacio. I'm super excited to share my love of music and help other kids understand what music has to hold for them!!

MUSIC

Wednesday was spent at octavia waight again, but today was different. We completed all the work and then chatted with Dorthee for a while. She took us around the center and told us the stories to each resident! Heartbreaking yet warming at the same time. All of the residents are now in a better place here at octavia waight. It was sad to here their stories of struggle and despair. But to know that they are well cared for makes me happy. This place is different from homes I've seen in America, it is truly a happy place with plenty of activities and good people taking care of the residents. So many of the residents are funny. They always compliment me and ask me to stay the day with them. A man named Norris sings to me. And a lady named Juanita is always having me sit next to her. Let me tell you this place makes you appreciate life so much more! In the afternoon Amanda and I headed to the church to teach our music class. Success! About thirteen kids came and it was amazing! They were excited to learn and they even took notes!

Thursday was an exceptionally great day. I say exceptionally because today was and exception. It was our country director, Calvin’s, Birthday. Everyone in the house was gone except me and three other girls, so we headed to the resort to swim and lay out. Of course we brought the lap tops to do some work but really we just played! After playing in the sun we had to do some work so we headed back to the house and then went to a computer class where we teach one kid Trinidad how to type and other comp skills! Trini is one of my favorite children that I have worked with here in Belize. Trini is 11 years old and just recently a convert to the LDS church. He is constantly coming to the lessons or classes we put on for kids in the community. He attends our leadership seminar, music , and computer classes. He told me that when he grows up he wants to be someone important and he know that’s only possible if he starts now learning everything he can. I think he’ll be the President of Belize some day. Its awesome knowing that someone appreciates our hard work.

Before

Friday: Today was probably one of the most rewarding days I've had here in Belize. Today I went with a team of girls to a Arenal, a village not to far from Benque. In Arenal we have been communicating and educating many of the community members on proper stoves. You see, most of the families have a open fire stove in their homes which leaves their roofs blackened and causes lung damage in everyone living there. We have devised a way to build an adobe stove with a chimney . They are extremely reasonable sense they are built out of rocks, mud, water, and corn husks. First we mix the mud with corn husks to create a adobe like mixture. We mush and mash the mud with our feet then slam it in the barrier built for the stove. All the children love to join us to throw mud. Haha its quite the scene. Anyways once the stoves were done the family had prepared us the most amazing chicken soup and corn tortillas I have ever tasted! After the meal we cleaned up at the river and went for a walk around the village. Of course we had a local kid give us the tour and he took us to a crazy rickety bridge! It reminded me of something out of Indiana Jones movie. So we chilled on the bridge and then walked across the Guatemalan border. No big deal, the town of Arenal is half Belize and half Guatemala! So I was in two countries today!On our way back we spotted a boy riding a horse Anyways before we left the community kept thanking us and telling us that we really made their lives better! This is where it was so rewarding to know that their children will be healthy and be able to build their own stove one day!