Our cultural committee organized community soccer games with the villagers. Our team was divided into four teams and we recruited any villager who wanted to play. We played tournament style. The women in Yanamono II requested a womens only game. This game was epic as the field contained hidden puddles that caused face plants, hard core Peruvian women playing in bare feet, and we've heard tale of a few cases of pants wetting! The entire community showed up to watch these games and it was a complete blast.
Towards the end of the trip we carried out our shoe distribution project. Youthlinc participants were partnered with someone from the community and our Youthlincers helped them find that special pair of shoes. There's nothing quite like taking the hand of someone, walking them down the tables of shoes, dusting of their worn feet and helping them try on shoes until they've got the perfect fit.
The medical committee taught great lessons all throughout our time in the village. They rocked maturation, basic hygiene, women's health, CPR, and many others. The villagers were so engaged as they colored in diagrams of the human body, made bracelets to help them with family planning and received various kits.
Our medical committee also helped stock medical supplies for the community. They fundraised enough that every family in the community was able to get the mosquito nets they needed. The team spent countless hours working on repairs for the medical clinic. It is their hope to see this clinic become a functioning station for the community by next year.
Our team was hard at work teaching fun, interactive English lessons in the primary school. They also worked on school repair projects, which consisted of a whole lot of painting. In addition to these the education committee oversaw the Mondo Art Project. The primary school students loved seeing the art we brought from home and were excited to know that their pieces would be going to places all over the world. The mural came out beautifully and everyone had a hand in its creation. It depicts the great nature found in and all around the village. To finish it off all of the Youthlincers and primary school students placed a hand print surrounding the mural.
The days shifted between scorching hot sun and torrential rains. Despite the difficult climate construction was always up and running. We were able to complete two bridges and a cement walkway. Our team had amazing work ethic and often inspired the villagers to dig in and work even harder. Construction time was filled with sing-a-longs and getting-to-know you games. It was also a time when villagers would share some of the amazing local wildlife with us... anacondas, prehistoric turtles, iguanas and piranhas.
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