Our projects are complete and we just finished our devotional and watched a slide show with 900 images. Tonight we pack and leave for Prague in the morning after breakfast. I know that everyone has enjoyed the fellowship with our Slovak guests. Peter and his church family have been wonderful hosts and many of the youth will miss them. We leave knowing that this partnership will continue as it has now for 9 years.
The work was successful and we completed much more than they expected us to do. The youth worked incredibly hard and never complained one bit.
At the orphanage, the work included painting rooms, fences, and gates. Landscape work was to clear brush in the front, pull up the roots, take down trees, and remove stumps. The centerpiece of what was accomplished was to remove a 2-story concrete structure in the back. By the end, it had been reduced to rubble and hauled away in several dumpsters.
At the school, 4 classrooms were painted and the landscape was cleaned up. The principal was most grateful and made some nice remarks at our social.
To celebrate all the hard work, we were treated to pizza at lunch today (not two ham and cheese subs as has been the norm). Afterwards, everyone had the afternoon off to shop or do whatever. It was nice to have some free time to roam the city center.
Yesterday, the group climbed several hundred feet up to the remnants of a 700 year castle. The group had a large time scaling the walls. Afterwards, the group went on a boat-ride to the large lake nearby. One of our buses broke down and we had to shuttle separately. Our destination was a beautiful old church by the dam.
For everyone who has been sending notes - thanks. I've been forwarding the notes. It is my hope that the internet will be available as we journey on.
Rumor has it that a "secret" plan for some of the older youth to journey up the hillside early in the morning to watch the sun rise. The sun rises at 4:00 AM or so. Allen and Jim Somerville are apparently co-conspiritors of this plan. Good thing they can sleep for 8 hours on the bus tomorrow.
Good night from Ruzomberok.
