The Cultural Context

We are living and working in a tropical paradise and today we were able to relax after two days of volunteering at "La Casa de Alegria." Each day new opportunities were opened to us and we settled into a routine of loving and caring for the dear children and adults at this facility. The ten students who were selected for this pilot project work splendidly as a team with just the right combination of serious intentions and delightful senses of humor. They deserved a day of rest and relaxation and exposure to the Mexican culture. We spent the afternoon and evening at Xcaret swimming, snorkeling, attending a mini-rodeo, eating traditional Mexican dishes, watching people, and learning more about our cultural context.



The first picture was taken on arriving; the second is a photo of the entire group in an enormous hammock. We had just swum the entire length of the park in a subterranean river. 



The last is a photo is part of the group just before we entered the "Grand Palapa" for an evening of traditional Mexican music and a musical drama concerning the historical confrontation between the Spaniards and Mayan Indians. It was a meaningful and informative way to end an important day by continuing to learn about the cultural context in which we have the pleasure to live and work and learn.



Tomorrow the Friends students will attend church and spend the afternoon with the college church group. On Monday, our responsibilities have expanded to include a wider range of volunteer options. We look forward to a full week of assisting the community of the "House of Joy."