Sunday School

Amanda has started a Bible study class for the younger children on Sundays during mass.  After the morning prayer in the church, she leads about seventy five little ones over to our secondary school. 

Here, they gather together for a prayer and reading.

After the reading, the students break up into small groups and a group of the older guys-  Gary, Wilson, Fritzner, Biondy, Nesly, Dejeantis, Pascal, and Judex- teach a lesson.

In this picture Gary is teaching a song to his group, and is assisted by Enock. 

The children also do a small activity such as a coloring worksheet or play a game.  They seem to really enjoy it, and it is a great addition to Sunday routine. 

Pye-m

My feet grow with me every day

They take me down all sorts of paths

Sometimes they get dirty along the way

But they always lead me home.

 

My feet will never stop growing

With my feet I will happen upon new friends

I will leave old ones

But they will always lead me home.

 

My feet are strong

Sometimes they are cut and calloused

They will help me reach my dreams

But they will always lead me home. 

Ti Moman

"Hey, Paige! Come here!"

"I'm working right now. I'll see you guys in a while."

"I have something for you. Come here."

I stand looking over the balcony. 

"Hold your hand out.  I'll throw it up to you... but DON'T drop it."

I give a suspicious look but hold out my hand.

My gift flies through the air and lands with a smack right in my palm. 

Instinctively my hand closes around the object. It is slimy.

I open my hand to find a small frog. 

It ribbets at me.

I look down at two snickering boys. 

"Thanks, boys.  Can I go back to work now?"

"Wait- you're not scared?"

"Nope. "

I toss the frog back down.  

They toss the frog into a nearby bush, turn, and walk away.

I walk back into my room. 

Timoun Yo

After working all morning it is nice to be able to spend some time in the village with the little ones.  I always find I leave there feeling full... it must be the ten hugs a day thing.  

It is always so easy to find photo ops down there.  Don't really need words to go along with the pictures. 

Day Two

After breakfast yesterday morning we held our second tap practice.  We had recruited two more students, so that makes four in our group.  We were pretty impressed with how well they remembered the routine after just one practice, and Mikenson did a nice job teaching Doggy-Dog and Ti Tomas what they had missed the day before. 

 

They love the tap shoes, and it is so neat to hear them work together to "make music with their feet"!

Tap practice quickly turned into acrobatic practice as the boys made beats with their feet. 

We had a great time, and now every time they see me they want to practice.

First Tap Practice

This afternoon Wilson and I held our first ever tap class for a couple of our younger boys.   The dance room is still looking good, and all the mirrors are still in tact.  I am so impressed with how well they are taking care of it. 

The boys really enjoyed the lesson, and were so quick to pick tapping up!  We did some shuffles... shuffle ball changes... buffalos... and will be working on more as practices progress.  We will hopefully have a little routine done by the time I leave so I can post a video of it on my blog.

I was only able to bring down five pairs of tap shoes, but thanks to the generous donations and eager help of a couple of my friends- more of our kids will be getting tap shoes soon!

Update

Father Marc, Linda, Amanda, and myself picked Bonhomme up at La Madonne today after we stopped by the Arts Festival.  Bonhomme was so much happier, and even more happy to hear that he would be going back to Castel Pere.  We took him out to lunch at a local sandwich spot, and being the good brother he is, he saved half of his sandwich for his little bro. 

The two were so happy to see each other, and already Bonhomme has acquired a lot of autographs on his cast.