And the work continues!

Thursday, the 10^th of July, in the year 2014!

Thursday was another spectacular day of sunshine and fun times here near Ammoudara, in the Hotel Handakas, with our GV family on the Isle of Crete!

In the morning, up the hill, we found our way past grape vines and olive groves, (and a barking dog or two) to a school of blue.  What a good day there, looking about the playground, watching those boys, imagining to be Germany or Argentina, kicking and scoring, “GOAL’” – while sometimes the balls went whizzing by 4 Square in Play!  Amazing … no one seemed to mind.  Later on, there was reported a stunning comeback on the Kickball field, down 14 to 7, bouncing curve balls rolled by star cricket-pitcher Samantha Pinakoulaki, those kids raced the bases to home, turning the tide in a 30 to 18 upset!  Smiles, Sweat, and Cheers!

The walk to school.

In the classroom bright, eager children continue to impress!  A Shout-Out to ‘”Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes” pointing at sturdy Stick Figures; OR the exuberant screams of “’B-I-N-G-O”’ – there is much delight in learning.  Also, “Ä sofa juggling crocodile, wearing silver underwear, who is dancing to Michael Jackson.”  It was a Mad-Lib Laboratory, OR how about jogging the mind with Mad Memory, where they’re missing their Helicopter to get to Spain, or their Motorcycle on the way to Italy, or looking out from an Airplane to America!  Beautiful brainy kids abound while bouncing around …. “’Ï have the Ball, You have the Ball, and we have the Ball –let’s go out and play Ball!’”

We all worked up an appetite saying our letters and playing with words, quenching their thirst for learning, the children keep raising the bar, as we feed them new nouns, adjectives, and verbs.  They can’t get enough; it’s all too fun; they’re hungry for more.  But wait, we GV volunteers must take a break; school’s out for the day; good thing, we’re hot, exhausted and have run out of options.  Maybe brick oven pizza, at Petrino, with alligators and parrots and brownies and beers.We need a swim!

During the evening we were invited to  a Greek bachelor party, ROASTING a lamb, and the groom too, enjoying another delicious meal by the light of the Moon.   It’s just what we needed to get back in the groove, with really cool Cretan kids, enjoying another day at our Global Volunteers Summer School!

Traditional Cretan dancers.

 Seeking the Face of God in everything, everyone, everywhere, all the time, and seeing God’s hand in every happening – THAT is the heart of the world.                                                                                 – Mother Teresa of Calcutta