Getting tighter.

The Pk team started tackling the large pile of scrap wood and refuse piled near the entrance - in the playground. While the construction is underway, the children do not have a area to play, but mostly hang around in their rooms or along the sidewalk. They have also learned that PK members make excellent climbing / swings / slides / general playground equiptment. Unlike in Canada where if construction was taking place, there would be endless signs, tape, pylons and baricades, the children at La Esperanza continually walk though areas littered with wood scraps and rebar.

The team piled wood behind the school and removed nails from the wood. Quickly a road block was found when there was a shortage of tools to pull the nails with. We did not have a single what we Canuks would consider a 'Normal hammer' with a nail pulling claw on it. We made due with crow-bars, until finally someone finally came across a real hammer. Yet, this is just a taste of the Dominican and the way they work. They do not have all the same tools we have. Instead of using a jackhammer and blasting away concrete, the workers would use sledge hammers and picks to slowly take out concrete. 

The roar of the concrete mixer caused a cringe with most the team. Concrete meant endless shovelling under the hot sun. Yet, the Lord blessed us again today with rolling cloud cover and little problems to give us breaks. From the mixer losing water from a lost bolt to the generator would not start so the pump could not deliver us water in full capactiy - little things gave everyone well needed breaks.

At lunch, we joined with the teachers and some of the students in a classroom in which the children presented us with gifts and songs. We shared thanks, prayers and gratitude with the teachers as they did with the PK team. Everyone then shared in a amazing lunch completed with a quick melting bucket of ice cream.

The afternoon The PK team walked around the area of the School, La Esperanza. The school is based in a area with more poverty and the shacks across the road proved so. We went from different home to home of where some of the students lived. These homes were truly humbling. They were not much more than a shack of loose wood with a tin roof that could fit inside your garage - twice.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with the school kids and staff - soon our ride appeared and we were off again.

To drive in the Dominican, it is imperative you have 3 things on your vehicle. 1. A horn, in which you will honk liberally, honk to say your passing on the left or right, honk to remind the drive in front to go, honk to say your daughter scored a A on her test, honk just because you can.   2. fine tuned steering. Swerving in and out of traffic needs precision - and those pedestrians take some fine maneuvering.   3. Brakes. When the steering doesn't work to avoid things, use those brakes.  The rest of the vehicle, doors, engine, lights, seats, e.t.c. is optional.

Our Driver is Daniel, this is the second time he has driven the PK team around the Santo Domingo streets ( last time being April ). We discovered this trip he accepted Christ as his saviour last April at a service we attended. He is always smiling and despite the language barrier, he gets along with every man. He is also a master of darting through traffic and has caused us to catch our breath many times but has managed to not get knicked.

This blogger needs some sleep thanks to a late night visit of ants as well as the rest of the team thanks to a late night dog barking.