After raining hard all night I wasn't sure what to expect for the first full day of activities with the group but it turned out to be a very good day. MF picked us up at the hotel along with all the donations everyone had brought with them so we could take them to the office and sort them. All donations are appreciated and all will be used however in El Barranco (EB) the girls still wear traditional clothing so we don't take them western clothing. On tue. MF delivers food to each of the 7 MF preschools so part of the group went on the food run so they could see 2 of the other preschools on the way to EB. They went to San Jorge and Tierra Linda before arriving at EB. The rest of us stopped in Solola to drop off Jay, Dave and Mike at the back doctor since both Dave and Jay were suffering from back issues. It must have worked because they both seemed better for the rest of the day even before the beer and wine started to flow. When we arrived in EB there was a truck blocking the road. It was being loaded with the carrots that had just been harvested and bagged. The men were strapping them on their backs and carrying them to the truck and up the steps into the truck to off load them. These people may be small but even the women can put a full grown American man to shame. Once we were able to move on we arrived at the preschool just as the kids were getting ready to do some of their songs as a great way to learn Spanish. Most of these children grow up in homes where they speak only Kachiquel and when they attend public school it is only in Spanish. You can tell they love doing this because they have lots of hand motions that go along with it. Sara, the MF volunteer coordinator got right in there and sang and did all the hand motions too. The kids loved it. The older students performed traditional dancing for us. Since several of my group have been on this trip before and have sponsored students, their sponsored students came to sit with them and receive lots of hugs. My heart swelled as some of the children who I have known for several years and are sponsored by friends would look up and recognize me and give a big grin or the little ones who came to sit on my lap or just come for hugs. I love these kids so much I can't describe the feeling I get when I see them. These are a very shy and reserved people so to have the kids know me well enough to come up and hug me means so much to me. If you are a sponsor and have not come to meet your student or have but not for a long time I can tell you that they ask about you. They love to meet their sponsors and to have them come visit. They often ask me if their sponsor is coming to visit them. So know that if you have visited but it has been a long time they miss you and if you haven't visited they want very much to know you. Then it was time to relax on the veranda of the hotel for a bit before dinner. Poor young Mike was getting advise from the women in the group of what not to say to a girl. It was pretty funny and of course at 10yrs. of age he couldn't understand why you should ask her age or talk about her weight or ask if she is pregnant....he will never be the same I'm afraid. Our friends Stephanie and Michael joined us for dinner at El Bistro since they also know several of the group from previous visits. It was a good day!!