Final Preparations

We had our final preparation meeting last night (Sunday, June 28) of the CCUM 2009 Nicaragua Seeds of Learning work team.

Troy Wilmsen, our youngest participant, delighted us with his balloon creations, which he will do in Nicaragua. He put a hat on our host's head (John Davenport.) His grandmother, Deanie Wilmsen, made his balloon apron, and created the t-shirts we will all wear during our trip.

We made a ritual out of taking our malaria pills together, and will continue that ritual once a week during and after the trip.

Bob Smith played the square dance music on his i-pod that we will be dancing to as our "entertainment gift" while in Nicaragua. But it was too hot (in the upper 90's in Santa Rosa) to practice afterall, although it would have been good preparation for the heat of Nicaragua!

We practiced singing some hymns in Spanish and English, and shared some of the things we're looking forward to, and things we're concerned about as we travel next week. We used a meditation from the booklet Larry Trent created for us, and closed with the prayer that has become a tradition (started by Larry) as a benediction on the CCUM work trips:

The One who calls you
always walks beside you
giving you bread for the journey
and direction for your feet.

Packing Supplies for Nicaragua

Our Seeds of Learning (SoL) work team met at the home of Bob and Janet Smith to do preliminary packing. Each of us will take an extra suitcase full of donated supplies for the school in Nicaragua. It was fun to make it all fit!

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CCUM Continues Seeds of Learning Work Project

Can you remember when the Christ Church United Methodist (CCUM) started sending work teams to Central America with Seeds of Learning to help build schools? It was way back in 1996. Mike Turgeon and Ted Wilmsen organized the first trip -- Ted will be going again this year along with his grandson.

In 2000, when Larry Trent (bottom right, above photo) was Youth Director, the youth wanted to go "far away" for their summer work project, and so another trip was organized. Some of those youth are now working internationally to help the world's people have healthier lives. Adults signed on to go as well. Bob Smith (far left) has gone to El Salvador every year since 2000, and will be going with a team from Christ Church United Methodist to Nicaragua this July 2009. (There's an article about Bob's commitment in the Spring 2009 Seeds of Learning newsletter.) www.seedsoflearning.org/downloads/SOL_News_Spring09.pdf

Linda Carroll (far right, above photo) will be leading the team this year. Thirteen youth and adults will participate.