Why My Time Here Goes So Fast

Last week zoomed by and now it's Saturday already. Not only that, but we are 5 days into June! Let me see if I can figure out why the week zipped by so quickly....

• We had a team of 32 volunteers at Holy Cross from Amarillo, Texas. They were GREAT, but there was a whole lot of them to keep busy. They were from a Baptist church. They did an "event" in Central Park with face painting, balloons and Bibles for children and adults. In addition, the youth raised $9000 within their church and purchased Bibles for every child at Holy Cross!!!!!! The Bibles didn't get here (remember shipping is a challenge) before the group left, but as soon as they do, we will distribute them. What a great gift.


• Reregistration for the 2010-2011 school year continued which meant a steady stream of parents into the office. There will be very little room at Holy Cross next year for new students other than in Infant I. Once children come, they stay. The Ministry has capped the number of children who can be in each class which really is a good thing in terms of instruction, but not in terms of the number of children being turned away.


• Letters went out to parents of children who teachers/administrators think might be better served at another school, and they came in to talk about it. Some of the ring-leader trouble-makers are on the list (if you've been here, you probably could name them) as well as kids who are beyond the 14-year-old compulsory education age and continue to fail.


• Two children - one on Wednesday, the other on Thursday - split their foreheads open and had to be rushed off the doctor for stitches. Not my finest moment....


• Francis decided all the bulletin boards in the school needed to be "refreshed". I took them all down and today she is putting up new ones. I truly dislike doing bulletin boards and have never been very good at it. Thank goodness for Hill's policy on that!!


• The PSE scores for Standard VI came back -- 30 out of 37 children passed!!! Yippee!! Twenty-five students are being recommended for scholarships to high school. A few are moving out of the San Pedro area and will also continue their education in high school. It's a very high percentage for Anglican schools and for Belize.


• Exams that were supposed to come from the Education Office in Belize City arrived 2 days late, and only 1 copy of each test was sent. We had to duplicate them for the children. It's a very slow process without a photocopy machine -- documents have to be scanned and then printed on the office computer printer. I almost wished for a ditto or mimeograph machine.


• A transformer blew out on Wednesday on the street right behind my apartment. It wasn't fully replaced until late Thursday afternoon which meant no lights, fans, AC or water. In addition, I lost whatever was in my freezer and most of what was in my fridge. Ugh.


• Friday was the Spring Fair at the school. It's a fund raiser, and, like the Valentine's fair, was fun but chaotic. The fun and games were supposed to last from 9-2 but most "booths" were out of food or prizes by noon. The money will probably go for more sand. There is a donated swing set on its way here, and the sand is needed so there's a place to put it.


• My visa had to be renewed -- for the final time -- on Friday.


• Another volunteer group of 20+ arrived yesterday, ready to work --- TODAY. This morning, we did tours, orientation and sorted their donated supplies. Enough til Monday.

I think that about covers the week. Construction continues on the new bathroom building. The latest picture is below.

I still can't explain it, but I know there will be something like 22 new toilets when it's finished.

Have a good weekend and a nice week. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival next weekend of the St. Luke's youth. It will be good for me to have a little taste of home, as well as acquainting them with Holy Cross and Belize.