Fall Volunteer Group

Our one and only volunteer group for the Fall joined us this week from Villanova Univ. Here's everyone at the top of the El Moro hike.

and down at the beach that evening ... me, Joella, Perla (who teaches at the English Institute with us) and Jazmin

Heavy Lifting!!!

Some of the younger boys trying to show off their muscles with a metal weight that was lying around ... here's Moncho ...

...up next- Edwin

...and last but not least- Jaury (very serious)

Sunday @ the orphanage

As always, our Sunday mornings are spent hanging out with the kids at the orphanage. Here are Jessica, Raileni, Anallelis and Marianny out on the orphanage patio.

Franchesca and I
Indiana, Luz Maria and Jennifer

Marianny gets a bike ride from her brother, Manuel

Indiana and Marianny in matching dresses

Jazmin gets a bike ride, on the handle bars, from Leonel

Indiana, Nena and crazy Marianny with Joella

One of our new interns who just arrived yesterday, Jennifer, with 2 visiting girls at the orphanage and Franchesca.

Scrub that Bus!

By far one of the favorite chores at the orphanage is washing the orphanage bus! Typically a few of the older boys take on this job during the weekends. Here are Christofer and Jochi on top of the bus.

...Cristofer scrubbing, Jochi hosing it down ...
Mr. Sudds and Batman pause for a smile during their bus washing adventure.

Crazy Hair

Jazmin has very curly hair. We thought it would be fun to straighten it, but that didn't work, so instead, we just brushed it all out into a fro.

Good luck trying to manage that much hair!

Here is Joella, with an afro she brought down to wear for Halloween, and Jazmin, with her real hair

Carmelito

After helping to washing the bus, Carmelito uses the soapy water to wash his shirt.

more sunglasses ...

Sunglasses were the hot ticket item at the motivational toy store last week ... here's Indiana with some Pink sparkly ones.

Marianny, Bryan, Indiana and Joanni
Bryan ... borrowing Marianny's purple shades

Leonel helping Jennifer with some crazy goggle glasses

Jennifer & Nicol

Jennifer and her fav hair stylist- Nicol. Nicol does most of the girls' hair, and also does braids and hair styles for volunteers when they come down.

Action!

Quiet on the set! Bryan and Meghan getting some footage at the orphanage for a future Serve and Learn video. The Serve and Learn videos teach US and Canadian 5th graders about life in the DR ...including life in Monte Cristi, at the orphanage, in the bigger citties, at schools and more. Several classes in the US and Canada are participating in the program this Fall.

Lunch Time!!!

We were at the orphanage during lunch today ... here's Joanni eating some rice and beans.

Leonel, looking serious about his plate of food ... but I guess you have to be serious about eating to be able to finish a plate of rice and veggies that big!