The Park And The Creek

Playing in the water hole

Katty. An interesting way to be on the seesaw.

Jackson and Fernando showing their tricks

Rosy found just the place to stand that balanced Sisi and Daniela.

Karen has made a schedule for the kids while school is out. Monday morning is the day to go to the park. Karen and I and 17 kids left here about 9:45. The park is not next door, but it is close enough we can walk. What a sight we must have been, nineteen of us walking along, spread out along the way. Karen led and Maryuri and I were bringing up the rear.

Karen turned so that we could walk past the flower garden. It was mostly roses. It was beautiful and the sweet fragrance filled the air. We got to the point where we were to turn for the park and there were several roads (dirt roads, of course) and the kids asked if we could walk along one of them for a while. Karen said she didn't know where any of them went, but we could walk along and then turn around. We walked a short way, when they saw a little foot path that looked like it possibly led to water. The kids were jumping up and down wanting to walk down this path. Again, Karen said yes.

It was steep, narrow and rocky. Maryuri got scared and, I thought, was not going to go down. Cindy carried her water bottle and I carried Maryuri. Sure enough, there was some water. Brayan stuck a stick in and the water wasn't very deep. Karen told everyone to take their shoes and socks off and roll their pants up. The older kids went just a bit further and found a bigger water hole. Again, the depth was checked and determined safe. Everyone began a mad scramble to get to the bigger water. Maryuri was not going. Karen and I led her down, across large rocks. She got wet and began to have a great time.

Doris was not going to have any part of it, but finally found a place where she could get in by herself and got her feet wet. She eventually got in a little deeper.

The kids were laughing and jumping and splashing. They baptized each other. The first time Maryuri was baptized, she was through. She came out of there crying, saying someone baptized, I mean drowned her. Katty and Nohemy made Karen and I both nervous. They have no fear. Of anything.

When it was time to get out, we got shoes back on everyone's feet and Karen sent Maryuri and I ahead of everyone else. I led her and her short little legs carefully back up the trail. When we got to the top, she was so proud of herself for walking and not being carried. She looked at me and said "tired." I asked her if it was a lot of work. She said yes.

We walked on to the park and played. Since I had my camera, everyone wanted to show me all their tricks on the monkey bars and slides. The girls learned to balance on the seesaws.

It sure seemed like a longer walk home than it was there. After lunch, I know Nohemy had no trouble going down for a nap. I suspect no one else did either.

Terri