Greetings from Lauders!

Greetings from the Cupid’s House in Lauders! Our group is back in Kingstown for the afternoon to do a massive shopping run, mail postcards, and have lunch. We have had an amazing time at our host family the Cupid’s home in Greggs and Lauders.  They are such warm and welcoming people! On Saturday we headed to the Owia Salt Ponds which are beautiful tidal pools that we swam and snorkeled in. We marveled at the amazing coral and aquatic life as we ate mangoes and picnicked in the Caribbean sun. On Sunday our group shared some of our musical talents as we attended a local church where Pastor Cupid (part of our host family) preached. We enjoyed the songs and energy of local folks and shared our own song, Give Yourself to Love, with the congregation. Sunday afternoon we did “The Pavement” hike and hiked 2.5 hours into the mountains and jungle of St. Vincent until we arrived at a magnificent freshwater spring and went for a dip. The hike further solidified the bonds of our group as we all made it together and safely returned to the Cupids in time for a late dinner.

On Monday we started our first day of camp at Antionne Level (a soccer field a few minutes walk from the Cupids). We had about 25 local kids arrive for camp and ran a variety of activities ranging from friendship bracelet making to baseball and soccer. Monday afternoon we headed back to Indian Bay beach for a quick dip in the ocean and then returned to the Cupids, reviewed our camp progress, and planned for Tuesday. Monday afternoon Pastor Cupid also showed us how to prepare a local dish of dasheen, coconut dumplings, local fish, and fresh coconut milk- it tasted as good as it sounds!

On Tuesday we once again ran camp and had even more local kids (probably between 40-50) turn out. We offered some different activities and further cemented our understanding of the rules of cricket. We walked down the hill to Ms. Black’s fried chicken for lunch and made our way to Brighton Bay in the afternoon. We enjoyed the larger waves (but still very safe) and played in the ocean for 2 hours before returning to the Cupids for dinner.

This morning we ran camp once again and then headed into Kingstown for a food shopping run as well as the other errands mentioned above. All are happy and healthy and we constantly marvel at the cohesiveness and powerful nature of our group. We feel like we have already made an impact in our community. We are looking forward to wrapping up our time in Greggs and Lauders before making our way to Bequia on Sunday.

STUDENT BLURBS: 3 highlights from our first days in Lauders

Francesco: 1) Group Bonding Activities: they foster a deeper bond between us and allow us to talk about what’s on our mind.  2) Swimming: we get to swim in the Caribbean Sea almost every day and it’s a great way to relax and play.  3) The Cupids: they’re some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, they tell great stories and their church service on Sunday was extraordinary. 

Seamus: There were so many highs this week it’s hard to pick just three, but seeing as I have to I’d say 1) playing with the kids at camp, 2) the amazing waves at the beach, and 3) the wonderful kindness of Cupids. 

Anna: 1) I went on a hike and went swimming in a river.  The hike was rather arduous but I felt great after. 2) I worked with children at a camp we started in Lauders – they loved me! 3) I had a long talk with Mrs. Cupid whose house we are staying at.  It was really deep and she loved me. 

Sophie: 1) Pavement Hike: I got a chance to experience the beauty of the island at its fullest.  We climbed the peak for the afternoon and explored the vast forest and went for an awesome swim in a freshwater river. 2) Camp day 1: I joined the art department for the day and taught a group of little girls how to make princess crowns out of pipe cleaners.  It turned out to be a huge hit and all of the girls told their friends.  3) Camp day 2: I befriended a young girl named Reana.  We played with sidewalk chalk and made bracelets for each other. 

Calvin: Overall our stay in Lauders has been amazing.  1) The Cupids are extremely nice and helpful.  2) I also liked Brighton Bay Beach, which had great waves.  3) Also we went on the Pavement Hike which had great views and a cool river. 

Isaiah: 1) Pavement Hike: I felt a good sense of accomplishment after getting to the river at the end.  2) Camp has been fun.  I enjoy working with kids and getting them involved.  3) Brighton Bay Beach was a lot of fun.  The waves were huge and awesome. 

Hannah: 1) Camp because I’ve been able to connect with a lot of great people.  2) Pavement Hike because I was able to climb the really steep mountain.  3) Body surfing in Brighton Beach. 

Ariel: 1) The atmosphere in Lauders and at the Cupids is gorgeous and friendly.  2) The kids we’ve been working with are much more open than any other kids I’ve met.  3) going to the beach everyday is incredible. 

Moose:  1) Took a crazy fun van ride to the Cupids.  2) Prepared a dinner with Pastor Cupid.  3) Went swimming in Brighton Bay… waves took my pants, but I found them!

Silvana:  1) Cupid’s with beds and living room.  2) Hiking the Pavement Hike.  It felt good to exercise.  3) Helping Pastor Cupid scale, gut, and cut fish for soup. 

Lee:  1) I really enjoy seeing the smiles on the kids faces when they show up for camp.  2) Drifting through crystal clear water with both white and black sand is unreal.  3) The kindness shown by the Cupids by letting us stay in their house is so unique and wonderful.

Judah: 1) Climbing Pavement: talking to George, seeing countryside and swimming.  2) Running camp: learning cricket, exercising and meeting older kids.  3) Food: Ms. Black’s friend chicken and Pastor’s fish stew. 

Sam: 1) French kissing a tiny fish for 10 Eastern Caribbean dollars.  2) The hospitality and overall friendliness of people here.  3) The awesome black sand at Brighton Bay Beach. 

Ryan: 1) Playing sports with all the local kids.  2) Going to the river in the mountains.  3) Bonding with the kids on the trip.

Leah: 1) The kids here are so compassionate and sweet.  Five minutes after meeting a girl on the first day of camp she held my hand and gave me a tiara she made.  2) We hiked to the Pavement on Sunday and it was awesome.  The hike was really challenging with steep hills and questionable trails and the view was unreal.  3) I made brownies tonight which not only tasted awesome, but were made in a cookie sheet shaped like a guitar. 

Joe: 1) It felt right bringing fun to kids who I’ve never met before, and their smiles were rewarding to me.  2) Cooking has been a learning experience – learning to work as a team.  I have really liked it.  3) I’ve met some extraordinary people who have gone through experiences like me to make it easier to connect with them and I feel like I belong here.