Day 3 - Out into the Bateys

    This morning we met all of our interpreters and doctors that went out to the batey with us. We were able to learn some about the life of the interpreters as we rode out to the batey. We also learned that the scariest thing on the island is not a snake, but actually a centipede that can clear a whole village just by appearing. 

    I was part of the VBS crew today. We had 70 children for VBS and we did it in a school's cafeteria. It was un poco loco. The lesson was on how Jesus will find any sheep that is lost and then throws a party when the sheep is found. I read the lesson in English while Estella, our VBS interpreter translated it in Spanish often with motions. The story concluded with the comparison of Jesus's love for the sheep is like his love for us. Then, the children did a craft where they put cotton balls on a sheep outline and glued a head on it. Many kids said they were done and their sheep was headless. I would point and say cabeza aqui. 

    After the sheep were reunited with their heads, it was snack time or crazy time depending on how you look at it. Then, it started raining. The principal of the school we were at came to us and told us we need to leave because the dirt roads out to the batey would be hard to travel on as the rain continued. Most of the team, VBS and medical, were at the same batey, but our bus was at a different batey with the water team. We did not get stuck, the roads actually have a ditch system that allowed run off instead of road puddles!

After lunch, we played with bubbles. Three of us had bubble wands and the burbujas were flying through the air. We also painted nails. Several girls wanted to play with my hair that was contained in many pins, buns, and hairspray. I declined and my tangled hair stayed put. I was also asked a multitude of questions, most of the children's questions were incomprehensible by my limited Spanish.   

On the bus back home, I believe many members of our team took a siesta or they were deep in a contemplative state. We got back to Casa Pastoral and nap time was the main event of the late afternoon.

After rejuvenation, it was dinner time! (I've joked that I should write this blog like the youth write Passport blogs, they tell you everything they ate that day.) I'll just say we are eating good and someone on this island is a cake making genius.

After dinner some of us prepped water filters and some counted pills to prep for tomorrow. This is a great team of goofy people that are ready to serve. They are playing spoons, or tongue depressors, next to me and I have FOMO, so I bid you farewell and buenas noches. 

- Jessica Haywood