Child Development program for "foster" children and parents. I mentioned in an earlier email about a program our CCD team organized and hosted at the Hikkaduwa Community Center. Basically these children either lost one parent or both (or a sibbling) in the tsunami.

Above, the opening started with song time -- song time with kids (especially in Sri Lanka) always means dancing and movement -- some of the kids took a little time getting warmed up...

There was a good bit of laughing and giggling.

Above, it's the ol' shave-the-balloon-and-see-who-pops-it-first game....

...except that the balloons were clean-shaven and never popped! So, Plan B: the girls had to sit on them and pop them. Except that the balloons still wouldn't pop. So they were scooting all over the floor on top of the balloons, trying to get them to pop.

Hasitha did a great job of organizing games that were fun for the little kids and the older guys. There are a couple that y'all should all include at your next party. This game starts with 4 guys on stage in a line (see above). While music was being played, the guys had to dance while also passing a plate of shaving cream down the line. When the plate gets to Guy #4, he turns (still dancing) in a circle, and passes the plate back up the line. Guy #1 then does the same thing and passes it back... until the music stops (Musical Chairs, style). The guy stuck holding the plate then selects a friend from the audience to come on stage for a "dance off" competition. The best dancer is selected via audience cheers. The lesser of the two dancers then gets a face full of shaving cream (see below); the winner exits, stage right. (So, if you're smart - you choose your friend that can't dance!) And it continues until the last guy is standing.

There was also a story time, then small group discussions, and craft time.

Hasitha, above, leads the group discussion for the middle school kids.

Above, the kids completed a "wall hanging" craft - pictures were taken in front of a banner that states "I am special;" then they decorated the sheet with markers, stickers, seashells, and pencil shavings (resourceful!). Storytime, small group discussion, and the craft focused on how the kids are special because God created each child in His image and He loves them very much.

A common practice at cultural celebrations is to choose a "Beauty Queen." Mindy often gets tasked with the job of judging these contests, ie, choosing the "prettiest" girl. (Mindy is not a fan of this at all!) Here, the kids were divided into groups, given a role of toilet paper, and told to decorate their queen in cultural attire for the beauty competition.

This was the first place group, due to fantastic "artistic expression" and their attention to accessories! In addition to her toilet paper sari, she had a necklace, arm band, bracelet, ring, a bouquet of flowers, and headwear.

This is the final event... and the other game you all might add to your party list. It's really fun when you pair people up randomly (like a group of 20 people, you divide them into 2 groups, number them off 1-10, and then tell them to find their partner). You play music, and the pairs dance with the balloon in between their faces, hands behind their back, until the balloon drops. It kind of has a way of neutralizing the dance floor - and everybody participates. I love it! "Uncoordinated" dancers don't look quite so bad. And even good dancers don't look quite so coordinated. It is FUN-NY -- especially when the partners are 6'4" and 5'2"!

Parents attended as well and an awarness session was conducted specifically for them. We were quite touched by one parent’s following comment about the program: “I wondered what this program is about, when I came in the morning. But now I understand how much this program is important for our children and for us as parents. I lose my beloved wife and my daughter by the Tsunami disaster. Now all I have is my little son – Malindu. Thank you for organizing this program for children. It is a good attempt to bring up these tsunami victim children to have positive relationship with the society. After listening the parents awareness program, I understood that I’ve done nothing to my child. I promised myself to care for my child in the best way I can and to love him without conditions. Tears came to my eyes after the session. Thank you for your kind advice – we want this kind of programs in future too.” -- Mr. Viraj Kumara Gajaweera.

construction update: highs and lows

In the last update I told you that we hired an engineer…that engineer is no longer with us…I guess she found a better offer…not real sure…she was never real honest with me about why she was leaving…she gave her two week notice and then did not show up for those two weeks…didn’t call…e-mail…not a thing! Nice.

This was a minor set back because we had planned projects around having an engineer…so we had to call an audible at the line of scrimmage and try a new approach (those who are female and are not sure what “call an audible” is referring to, ask a guy about calling an audible in football). We have a new plan and it looks like we will get real busy, real fast.

I have hired a Technical Officer, which basically means he is in charge of quality control. He visits all the sites to make sure contractors are doing what they are suppose. So far he is doing a great job, I wish I had two more just like him. So currently there are three of us in the SW Construction Office. Adam, Benjamin - Investigator/Technical Officer, Mahinda - Technical Officer. I will need to hire at least one more technical officer in the next few weeks.

Since the last construction post, we have gone through a holiday (that lasted three weeks) and had some weather issues…all of which impeded the progress of completing construction and getting the designs we wanted in the timeframe we were expecting. We were told that the month of April would be difficult but we did not believe it until we were in our second week of no trash pick up, 80% of businesses and restaurants closed, no bread (unless it was a Muslim bakery, they don't celebrate the Buddhist New Year), no water delivery, and nobody working on job sites!

I have decided to give projections instead of concrete stats…because rarely are the stats concrete.

West Coast (the project I oversee)
Projected for the end of June…
51 houses complete.
36 new houses under construction

Projected for the end of July…
30 partial rebuilds started (homes have completed 80%, still need some assistance).
3 Community Centers under construction
All remaining Community Facilities Designated (this means we will know exactly
what we have left to build).

East Coast (Dave oversees these projects)
Projected for the end of June…
35 houses completed
Sports Complex under construction
Dave started a new office on the East coast in January, and the construction process is completely different over there, much more time consuming…so 35 is pretty impressive.

We have been off on some of our previous projections (mostly with designs for big projects) but we remain optimistic…striving to meet these goals.

We started our biggest (financially) project in May. The pictures below are of the beneficiaries and of the stone laying ceremony. We are building 10 houses in a Muslim community for 10 Muslim families. These families were given homes in another community, that was not Muslim, and let’s just say they were not welcomed with open arms. So, the local government approached us with this property and asked us to build for these families. The site sits on a hill and will take extensive excavation in order to be ready for building houses. The excavation is well underway and we are looking forward to starting the house in the next few weeks. This project will probably take 6 months to complete.

Above are the families who will move into the houses.

Did you notice no one is sitting in front of the platform? It's hot in Sri Lanka, even hotter in the sun and at the time of the ceremony...the shade was on either side of the platform...enough said. The funniest thing...the speakers didn't look out to either side at the people...yup...straight forward at a pile of dirt!

We just finished the houses below last week and have handed over the keys to the families. In case you were wondering...the house color is pumpkin...they brought me two options and this was the lesser of two evils. Good Times.

Thank you for praying. We miss you and love you.

Adam (and Mindy)