Update from Melissa!

Twas a scorching hot day of door and window painting ... And teaching English to some extremely bright youngsters! These kids are soaking up every second of our visit. It is remarkable that they already can count and say ABC's in English, a tribute to their hard-working faculty! Today we taught colors and naming body parts. We have also learned how to identify children who are the minority Khmer. This helps us understand cultural differences and expectations needed by the kids.

More painting and teaching tomorrow, and the beginnings of grout work on the outside floor tiles!!

Photos of the progress on the school

David Snellen working! 

Bryan Mullins at work mixing paint

Update from Bryan and the team

We just completed our second day of work and got doors and windows painted. We also had a blast with the kids at lunch time. We are all assembling right now to head out for dinner. 

Photos and update from Bryan Mullins

We had a great time on the Mekong Delta yesterday and learned a lot. We have gotten to Rach Gia and checked into the hotel. Everyone headed off to the school worksite this morning other than me unfortunately. I must have picked something up on the plane ride over or possibly before I left Lexington. It has finally caught up to me with the weird sleep schedule and such. I started taking antibiotics and it seems to be working, but Jeff and I decided that I should stay back and rest today to make sure I recover. It bummed me out and I prayed about it a lot and it seemed like the best thing to do. I just have aches, low fever, etc. I am grateful it is not a stomach thing. It still has not dampened my spirits and cannot wait to rejoin the team tomorrow. Here are some picks. 

* Bryan is feeling much better now and will be able to join the group tomorrow! 

Update from Melissa and Team

Today our team began sanding, painting, and the teaching of English and fun games to the students at our school near Rach Gia on Southern Vietnam.

The Y's mission of youth development made me reach outside my comfort zone today and entertain children! Imagine being swarmed by smiling faces and easy laughter. Always I believed that if our world could remember to view this world through the eyes of its children, prejudice & hatred would not exist. I witnessed this first hand this day. Our summer camp songs worked just fine, and I places about 25 temporary tattoos on tiny arms & hands. The children at one point ran out in front of the school courtyard and promptly fell over a drying fishing net! Just like American kids, they were not paying attention! Same issues, same smiles, 6000 miles from my home.

Me, Barbara, and Kristin from Albany on the Mekong Delta

Update from Melissa Bellew

What an exhausting & brilliant day traveling to the school site via the Mekong Delta water tour!

Our team is bonding - we are already employing the Y's core values and planning our work at the school. We had lessons in Vietnamese with our fabulous young hosts and experienced river life on the Delta and its fragile ecosystem and human poverty. When you walk in another's shoes the insight gained is priceless. Tomorrow we see the school and the kids! The work days begin!

Melissa

Chris from Albany & Brian, on the Mekong River

Update from Melissa Bellew

School supplies for kids loaded up! 

Me (Melissa) and friend Mai from Houston