Off to a good start

A flat tire and delayed construction materials kept our crew from heading to the work site this morning, but it didn't keep the men from working! After an inspiring devotional from Randell and a delicious breakfast, they assembled 120 backpacks in record time. Another crew headed to La Guana, a rural village about 30 minutes away from our home base. There we visited the Marco Aurelio school where we provided flouride treatments and worming medications to 140 students. The teachers here are on strike, so mothers of the children were filling in today. Of course the children captured our hearts. The kindergarten kids filed in one by one with their hands on each other's shoulders and lots of smiles. Only one child cried, but a few stickers and some warm hugs went a long way.

After lunch, our group headed to a local kindergarten where we will begin the eye clinic tomorrow. None of us seem destined to have a profession in the medical field! We practiced on each other with the auto refractor and had Emory believing that she needed coke bottle glasses! Don't worry. We will have perfected the process by tomorrow afternoon! Donna has us doing the math problems before we go to bed tonight!

We couldn't end the night without a visit to Shirley's for ice cream. We are all happy and well and missing our dear families and friends.

With gratitude for opportunities to serve,

Anne Buffington