Post-Teams
So our last summer team left about 2 weeks ago now. I have wanted to write a bit telling about the amazing teams that we had down here this summer. From May to August we had 5 short-term teams come down, each of them a huge blessing, and each quite different.
First in May we had a team from New City Fellowship Church in St. Louis. It was a smaller group of 3 men, and they did construction work and a VBS in Amauta. They were our first group to go to Amauta (which is a new area we are starting a church plant in), and after their week there, essentially the work in that area began. When the VBS started there were around 30 children. By the end of the week there were 180!! Fellow missionary Laura Hoyt is working out there the most.
Then in the beginning of June, we had Laura's church here, Dayspring Presbyterian Church. It was a fun group, several adults, a few young ladies. They did work in Santa Anita, where the church plant that we currently attend is. They did work on tables and chairs/benches for Amauta, and in the afternoons a VBS for the kids in Santa Anita. They were a fun and lively group, did many creative things with the children. Many children in the area came for this too, and many have continued to come for Sunday school on Sundays!
Then in July, right after the 4th of July, a young group from Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian (Atlanta area) came. The majority of this group was youth with some adult leaders in the group. They had what seemed to be an endless amount of energy! They did some work in Huaycan and Amauta. I was with them in the days that they were in Huaycan, doing a mini VBS with the kids in the project there, and also Sunday school. The following week they were also in Amauta, helping with some construction and in the afternoons doing a VBS with the kids. This time it began with around 70ish kids and ended with 270ish!!! This group (like all groups) were great, and some of the youth could speak Spanish, so they were able to do a bit more.
In each of those VBS's I was there several days helping, and on many of those days doing little health talks for the kids. I learned quickly that the kids listen to puppets a lot easier than they listen to me, and so I've taken to doing many different puppet shows for these kids. The first one was about the importance of eating vegetables. Another was a puppet that had a cold and teaching the kids to cover their mouths (we had a little spray bottle to spray the kids each time the puppet sneezed...fun times!!) And then I also had help with a little skit where I taught about washing hands, and I was completely dirty (yet once again... fun times!!!)
Our next team was from the Atlanta area as well, West Cobb Community Church. This group had a different dynamic as there were 2 children, ages 6 and 8, and adults of different ages. We worked with them in our neighborhood, Salamanca, to do a VBS in the afternoons with the kids. A lot more kids came than we were expecting. Granted, not as much as in Amauta, but we had a steady number around 55 every day. We also started Sunday school with these children on Sunday afternoons (which I am helping out with). It makes it a bit convenient in that I only have to walk 2 blocks to get there.
Our last team that left 2 weeks ago was from Nashville, Christ Community Church. This group, the majority women, with Nathan Reidel (former missionary kid), came to do an Art Camp in Huaycan. They taught the kids in Huaycan (ages 4-18) about different art, music, and theater. We had a few translators that week which helped us MTW staff do more of the crowd control. I stayed with the drama class to help with crowd control (aka DISCIPLINE in many cases) as well as to learn and assist for the closing program on Friday night, where the 3 different classes of the kids performed. The performance wasn't error-less, but like any drama presentation of kids, its cute regardless! The kids throughout the week did different art projects, mosaic art, that they did individually, as well as helping with a mosaic on one of the walls in the church of Huaycan. They made metal crosses decorating them with glass beads. They also got to learn (some of them) how to play the dulcimer, and they had a few music lessons to sing a few songs for the Friday night.
It has been a fast and busy summer (South American winter) here, much to the teams. If you are reading this and you were a part of one of the teams. Thank you again!!! You were such a blessing!!! If you are reading this and want to bring a team sometime, shoot me an email!
PS.... I am unable at the minute to post pictures, but as soon as "blogspot" lets me, there will be some picture to accompany the stories!
First in May we had a team from New City Fellowship Church in St. Louis. It was a smaller group of 3 men, and they did construction work and a VBS in Amauta. They were our first group to go to Amauta (which is a new area we are starting a church plant in), and after their week there, essentially the work in that area began. When the VBS started there were around 30 children. By the end of the week there were 180!! Fellow missionary Laura Hoyt is working out there the most.
Then in the beginning of June, we had Laura's church here, Dayspring Presbyterian Church. It was a fun group, several adults, a few young ladies. They did work in Santa Anita, where the church plant that we currently attend is. They did work on tables and chairs/benches for Amauta, and in the afternoons a VBS for the kids in Santa Anita. They were a fun and lively group, did many creative things with the children. Many children in the area came for this too, and many have continued to come for Sunday school on Sundays!
Then in July, right after the 4th of July, a young group from Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian (Atlanta area) came. The majority of this group was youth with some adult leaders in the group. They had what seemed to be an endless amount of energy! They did some work in Huaycan and Amauta. I was with them in the days that they were in Huaycan, doing a mini VBS with the kids in the project there, and also Sunday school. The following week they were also in Amauta, helping with some construction and in the afternoons doing a VBS with the kids. This time it began with around 70ish kids and ended with 270ish!!! This group (like all groups) were great, and some of the youth could speak Spanish, so they were able to do a bit more.
In each of those VBS's I was there several days helping, and on many of those days doing little health talks for the kids. I learned quickly that the kids listen to puppets a lot easier than they listen to me, and so I've taken to doing many different puppet shows for these kids. The first one was about the importance of eating vegetables. Another was a puppet that had a cold and teaching the kids to cover their mouths (we had a little spray bottle to spray the kids each time the puppet sneezed...fun times!!) And then I also had help with a little skit where I taught about washing hands, and I was completely dirty (yet once again... fun times!!!)
Our next team was from the Atlanta area as well, West Cobb Community Church. This group had a different dynamic as there were 2 children, ages 6 and 8, and adults of different ages. We worked with them in our neighborhood, Salamanca, to do a VBS in the afternoons with the kids. A lot more kids came than we were expecting. Granted, not as much as in Amauta, but we had a steady number around 55 every day. We also started Sunday school with these children on Sunday afternoons (which I am helping out with). It makes it a bit convenient in that I only have to walk 2 blocks to get there.
Our last team that left 2 weeks ago was from Nashville, Christ Community Church. This group, the majority women, with Nathan Reidel (former missionary kid), came to do an Art Camp in Huaycan. They taught the kids in Huaycan (ages 4-18) about different art, music, and theater. We had a few translators that week which helped us MTW staff do more of the crowd control. I stayed with the drama class to help with crowd control (aka DISCIPLINE in many cases) as well as to learn and assist for the closing program on Friday night, where the 3 different classes of the kids performed. The performance wasn't error-less, but like any drama presentation of kids, its cute regardless! The kids throughout the week did different art projects, mosaic art, that they did individually, as well as helping with a mosaic on one of the walls in the church of Huaycan. They made metal crosses decorating them with glass beads. They also got to learn (some of them) how to play the dulcimer, and they had a few music lessons to sing a few songs for the Friday night.
It has been a fast and busy summer (South American winter) here, much to the teams. If you are reading this and you were a part of one of the teams. Thank you again!!! You were such a blessing!!! If you are reading this and want to bring a team sometime, shoot me an email!
PS.... I am unable at the minute to post pictures, but as soon as "blogspot" lets me, there will be some picture to accompany the stories!
posted by Becca @ 2:11 PM
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