The Cercadillo Project

December was full of celebrations in Cercadillo.

Epifania at CyC Christmas Party

Angel at Children’s Christmas Party

Youth Christmas Party

Yes it’s true that all three events have the same decorations.  Having the parties three days in a row at the TIME Center meant I could decorate once and party thrice.  I’m getting wiser in my old age!   And speaking of getting older . . .

My ladies gave me a surprise birthday party. Notice all their work to make the blue building look festive.

Of course, our biggest December celebration of all – Christmas morning.

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January started off with a Three Kings’ Party.

Limbo, musical chairs,  and corn hole for the children.  Crafts and parachutes for the preschoolers.  Approximately 175 children participated in the fun.

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Cindry modeling the half apron she and Ricki made.

Mayleni modeling the apron she and Yaquelin made.

Some of you have been waiting a long time for this.  Aprons!  We’re FINALLY making aprons!

Three “Maine ladies” returned for a week of apron and jewelry making.  What an impact these women have had in the lives of Cercadillo!  Jean and Janie were two of the original four who started CyC with necklace making in 2009.

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 On January 21 we had a training event for our Super Sabado volunteers.

 Super  Sabado (Super Saturday) will begin February 11.  For 14 Saturdays children will be engaged in meaningful reading, writing and math activities.  So thankful for these young people from IBI and our four brave women from Cercadillo!  (Our Canadian friends will be joining us later in February for crafts, English and games.)  Saturdays are going to be SUPER!

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I was in Orlando last week for a children’s leaders conference and am now at a friend’s guest house for a week of writing the Cercadillo stories of the last 9+ years.  Will you please pray with me this week as I seek to communicate the powerful work of God in the lives of the people we’ve come to love so deeply?  

The start of a new school year tends to bring added levels of financial stress for our families. Our children are required to have uniforms and black, close-toed shoes along with what most would think of as the “usual” school supplies of pencils, erasers, notebooks and crayons. In the past some didn’t go to school for the first few months until the necessary funds could be scraped together.

For the last few years we have been giving school supplies, socks and underwear to those who have successfully completed our summer programming with good attendance and no significant behavioral issues.   An appropriate reward for the children AND a great help to the families!

Have you ever tried to buy/collect school supplies for 180?  I’m always questioned at the store when I purchase the mascotas o cuadernos. (notebooks).  The store help is always certain that I’m not saying the quantity correctly.  🙂   “Are you SURE you want 720?”  Or those years where we have more money, “Are you SURE you want 900?”

Two churches in Massachusetts heard about our students’ needs for black shoes and began collecting new or gently used shoes for us.   There is always great excitement in the air as we open the boxes and begin setting up a shoe store for our campers.  Each pair of shoes costs the villagers 50 Dominican pesos, the equivalent of a little over one US dollar.

Black school shoes for girls

Ricki helping Darleni find a bigger pair of shoes.

Boys patiently waiting for their turn to receive school supplies and shop for shoes.

The squeals of excitement when the right pair of shoes was found came not only from the children.   Some of our mothers screamed and jumped up and down as well.  “ALL five of my children have school supplies and shoes!  ALL five!”

These incredible days, one for the girls and one for the boys, were brought to Cercadillo by:

Southcoast Community Church and Church in the Pines – shoes

Gateway Community Church, Valley E-Free Church. Peaksville Christian Church, and Eason Elementary (Jessica Terpstra’s school) – school supplies and underwear

Thousands of blessings and thanks for helping in such a practical way!