Hello friends, at LCDM we hope you are well and creating interesting opportunities whereever you are! March was an interesting month for us in Chincha...full of good, great, bad and concerning moments! Now, we are really trying to make April an extraordinary month for all our kids! In their March surveys our older kids told us that they wanted more opportunities for in-depth conversations, and all our kids asked for more music, more travel, and more art. SO, we are looking for volunteers who can help us bring more art and more ways to spark our kids' curiosity and need for creative exploration and expression. Check out our call for volunteers on the top left side of this page!
Andy and Abel are working hard making several repairs to the house and trying to fix all the things that broke down in the last 4 years...we want the house to be in better shape and ready to welcome a few more volunteer friends this month. April must be rich, full of moments, new experiences, new skills, and more friendships...I want it to be our best month ever and I want to spend special quality time with each of my kids.
Buen dia amigos, esperamos que ustedes esten sanos, bien, y creando oportunidades interesantes donde quiera que esten! Marzo fue un mes interesante para nosotros lleno de momentos maravillosos y dificiles pero estamos decididos a hacer de abril nuestro mas divertido, interesante, productivo, e intimo mes. A traves de una encuesta los chicos mas grandes nos dijeron en Marzo que querian mas oportunidades para conversar, y todos pidieron mas arte, asi que estamos trabajando bastante para darles a los chicos lo que nos piden. Andy y Abel estan trabajando mucho, arreglando todas las paredes rotas, tuberias inservibles, huecos en el techo y pisos, pintando, y demas para dar mas vida a nuestra casita y poder invitar a algunos amigos voluntarios este mes. En este nuestro cuarto año, estamos sintiendo muchos cambios en el barrio, en nuestra provincia, en los chicos, en el mundo, en todo....todo cambia dice la cancion, pero yo quiero asegurarme de que todos mis chicos a medida que crecen y cambian, se queden prendidos de alguna herramienta de expresion, y sepan valorar y nutrir la maravillosa amistad que existe entre ellos, que nacio aqui, en mi casa en agosto del 2007. Entonces, este mes dedicare mucho tiempo a nutrir nuestra amistad y a dar a los chicos muchas razones para reir, y muchas mas fuentes sanadoras.
In march we kicked off our swimming lessons/retreats with our first group of 5 kids. We took 5 older kids first and I am happy to share that 4 of 5 kids were swimming by the end of the afternoon. For the first time in their lives these kids were able to glide through water and really enjoy being in there knowing they would not drown. I was very proud of these guys and Andy who was an excellent instructor. We had a lot of fun in the water and great conversations during our pool breaks. These kids have each other and their wonderful friendship which is worth the whole world....I am proud of their friendship which was born in my house and nourished with love and creativity all these years....this was a great first retreat!
En marzo iniciamos nuestros retiros/clases de natacion durante las cuales conversamos, nadamos, nos compartimos, y nos disfrutamos. Fue linda nuestra primera experiencia con 5 de nuestros muchachos mas grandes. La idea es poder dar mas atencion, energia, y tiempo a cada persona en cada grupo pequenho. Usualmente en cada viaje llevamos a todos los ninos, pero tambien es importante dar tiempo exclusivo y enfocado. Estoy muy orgullosa de estos chicos por que de 5 chicos, 4 estuvieron nadando antes de caer la tarde. Fue una maravilla verlos nadar sin miedo, y por primera vez verles disfrutar el agua, deslizarse por ella sin temer ahogarse...nuestras conversaciones tambien fueron interesantes...relajadas, y tambien me senti orgullosa por la honestidad compartida. Andy fue un extraordinario instructor de natacion y todos los chicos quedaron super contentos y agradecidos por el dia que pasamos juntos.
First Retreat/Swimming Lessons (Older Boys) 1er Viaje/Retiro/Natacion
Reading notes the kids wrote to each other about each other during our pool retreat. Nice moment :)
Jo reading his notes...
The boys and I getting ready to go back in the pool to swim away!
Los muchachos y yo listos para regresar a nadar a la piscina despues de conversar un rato.
Back in the pool...round two!
Jo aprendiendo a nadar!
Giampi & Joel getting their turn to learn how to swim!
HE DID IT! Jo's first time swimming!!! Yes..yes...YESSSSSSS!
Andy teaching kids and I the frog kick... Andy ensenhando la patada de rana
Jo nadando por primera vez! Que felicidad para mi!
Chin and Minero in a SWIMMING race....:) Chin y Minero en una carrera de natacion :)
And off Joel goes! y ya nada y nada y sigue nadando :)
Chin just chilling after swimming for a while!
Kids encouraging Jo ....
Ice cream time after pizza time...kids had pizza for the first time and most did not like it :)
March Workshops - Talleres Marzo
Paloma dancing on the chair....Paloma bailando....
Xio dancing while paloma sang
Paloma and I going over the ABC's...repasando el abecedario con Paloma
Origami time.. trying to make a crane....Haciendo origami....nuestra primera grulla!
Manzanitas canhetanas para los muchachos!
My first crane...I loved it!
Kids playing "heart attack" Jenga....
Castigo para Chin....
Aguita Chinnnnn
Chin...Chin...jaja :)
Kids working on caligraphy and basic mathematics
Giving our giant chess pieces a final coat...we've been making those pieces for a MONTH! gggzzz
but only 6 pieces are left to complete...all the rest are ready for painting...Yay!
Manuel & I providing the entertainment for the evening....Manu y yo tocando para que trabajen mejor!
Poniendo una capa de goma y papel a las piezas gigandes de ajedrez.....
Llevamos un MES haciendo esas piezas....pero ya solo faltan 6 piezas mas...
entre ajedrez y penha Chinchana en la noche.....music courtesy of the boys!
Jenga!!!!
Se va a caer...Minero se va a caerrrrrr
28 pieces completed and ready for painting....6 more to go
28 piezas terminadas y listas para pintar
6 piezas mas y terminamosssss...por fin!
Home Repairs & Maintenance - Reparaciones y Mantenimiento de Casa
Andy preparing the bathroom for repairs and painting....Preparando el banho para reparaciones
Abel fixing the kitchen's walls and preparing them for painting...Abe arreglando la cocina
Abe y Andy descansando un ratito.....the guys taking a break to eat
the back room finally getting fixed
2nd Retreat/Swimming Lesson (Girls Only)
Paloma and I during our all girl retreat/swimming lesson
Yeni y Xio divirtiendose juntas durante nuestro viaje/retiro solo para chicas :)
Xio y su nueva amiga Jose Maria...Xio and her new friend Jose Maria
The girls having fun, enjoying each other, and their new friends..
Paloma THE GREAT...she did it...nothing will defeat her :)
Paloma LA INVENCIBLE....escalo la pared solita ...nada vencera a esta hermosa Palomita!
Trampolin time!
Las chicas disfrutaron mucho el trampolin....
I can flyyyyyyy.....
The girls really felt the whole place was theirs....jaja
Xio practicing her kicking
Yeni looking beautiful!!!
Las chicas listas para ir a comer heladitos depues de nadar toda la tarde....
us girls looking refreshed and beautiful :)
Paloma has lost three teeth in the last month and didn't want to smile
The girls enjoying their ice cream at the main square...
1st Karate Class with Alberto 
Discussion after movie night!
