Dacutan outings

So, last time I wrote, some of the guys were finishing off the verandahs at Joyland (check out the photo I have added to the earlier post), on the Wednesday, which left the women in the team, and Chris, Jo and Josh to go with a group of 30 or so 3 to 6 year olds from Dacutan, the local fishing village we are supporting, to MacDonalds.

We were dropped off in the village, and for some of the team, they got their first view up close and personal of some of the conditions in which the poorest of the poor are living in this country. We actually ended up walking through the village and back to the road, to join the kids on the bus. We were accompanied by the teachers from the village school and some of the Payatas Mission Volunteers, plus members of a formidable group called the Handmaids of the Lord. Mostly former teachers, and single ladies, through whatever life event, who are great at organising events, and more noticeably, the children!!!! The kids were excited but pretty overwhelmed by the experience at first. We take trips to a fast food restaurant for granted. For some of these children, it may have been their first time out of the village. Certainly, from the looks on some of the faces, it was the first time they had driven past Robinsons, the big shopping mall on the main street to MacDonalds. We were joined by the seven children of similar age from Joyland, and even though we had spent a few days with them, they too seemed a bit overwhlemed by the experience.

Mcdo's had laid on the food, paid for by Heart of the Father, and a compere for the morning, and whilst she was bright and chirpy and welcoming, it was clear she did not have a clue regarding the circumstances from which these kids had come. They had several games and races, and a dancing competition, which proved that even at the age of six, some of these kids have a natural rhythm that we can only dream about!!! That point was to be well and truly emphasised the following day.

One noticeable thing is that a lot of the children ate their fries and drank their drink, but kept their burger to take home for brothers and sisters who could not come... We also noticed that they were dressed in what looked like not only their best clothes, but possibly even new clothes, and Deb in particular commented that it may have been that other kids in the families may not have been able to come, as they could not afford new clothes for all, so maybe that was why the burgers remained uneaten... We only hoped that the families had not gone without in order to enable their kids to take advantage of this "free" outing.... After the meal and games, there was some time in McDo's play area (there is no truth in the rumour that some of the kids could not play on the slide, as some of the adults went down it and got stuck!!!), and then, the coach picked us all up to take us over the road to the swings and slides at the local park. The kids warmed to this, and it was all pretty exuberant, with only one injury.... But what was sad was that there were other young kids there who seemed to be living in the park, and almost seemed even poorer than the ones we were helping...

After what seemed all too short a time, the bus came to pick the kids up, and off they went back to their everyday lives. The Joyland kids stayed on for a while, and we then had the joy of taking them back, and seeing the hard work of Gordon, Reg, Ian and Glen, plus Rafael, the other Payatas Mission Volunteer, at Joyland. The verandahs were almost finished, and it was clear that the work was much appreciated by Rick and Suzet....

There was very much a sense of a job well done, by the end of that particular day, but more joy was to follow on the Thursday....


Jo