Today was our Community Action Project where the Glimpsers decided to clean up and repaint the outside mural of the Fundacion un Nuevo Futuro. We chose this project because the sign on the gate was ruined by graffiti. We created smaller groups to be in charge of materials, CAP planning, and design.

The Glimpsers worked extra hard today to push through the heat and large amount of work, working a total of over 5 hours. It was surprising to see that with minimal breaks, they accomplished exactly what the planning team wanted us to do and more. Not only did we clean up the entire sidewalk in front of the mural and get our first layers of paint on, but our designers exceeded and outlined the mural´s design as well.

Throughout the front of the accommodation, there were huge chunks of rocks and cement, weeds, trash, and thorns. There were even a few surprises stuck to the wall that we were working on. Despite these challenges, we are proud that our group could persevere and focus on the common goal. Early on in the project, our team wasn´t as cohesive as we hoped it would be. Fortunately, we were able to come together and accomplish more than what we set out to do. We decided to work towards something bigger than us.

Our hard work took inspiration from a man named Alvaro. He is an associate of the Fundacion, who helps maintain the building and take care of the kids. While working on the project today, he came out to guide and teach us how to properly handle the cleaning and painting equipment. In addition, he got super involved in the manual labor of the project. Seeing his efforts and dedication to bettering the Fundacion, we as a group gained motivation to finish and work as hard as him.

Being leader of the day was especially challenging today, as we set out to accomplish a huge project that required a lot of coordination and motivation. Today was one of the hottest days on the trip, which required us to make sure everybody reapplied sunscreen, stayed hydrated, and had fun. It was also meticulous to make sure we stayed on schedule, because we only have three days to finish the mural.  During dinner, we were also responsible for coordinating the birthdays of one of our Glimpsers (Caitia) and GGL´s (Airon).