With sweat trickling down my forehead, scorching sun overhead, and music blasting from one tall black speaker we looked around astonishment at our fellow Glimpsers bustling around the school courtyard. Our hard work was finally paying off: we were making great progress on our CAP project!

Today we woke up at an excruciatingly hard time of 6:25 in the morning, but lucky for us we had a delicious breakfast at La Estancia. That without a doubt filled us with enough energy to take on the back-breaking work that would be CAP day two. From there we embarked on our journey, starting with our arrival to the bus and then to the small school deep in the mountains. The winding roads are enough to make anyone nervous, but with our driver, we couldn’t be in safer hands, she manages to fit us through tiny gaps that quite frankly, seem impossible to all of us.

Right after arriving it was straight to work! We began by painting the rest of the tires vibrant colors such as orange, yellow and red; and on the other side of the property, we received a ton of help from the children. Some digging holes at the speed of light, while others were excited to dip their hands into purple paint to place on the tires for decoration. The day was exhausting, but overall the progress we made was truly amazing, and we were able to finish our decorations, animal tires, the seesaw, and begin constructing our tire mountain and soccer field. After a good five hours of work we took a well-deserved break and enjoyed a meal with the community before heading back to shower, rest, and prepare for our English tutoring.

During today’s classes, you could hear the laughter of the kids bouncing off the walls; the kids loved learning about their favorite animals, different fruits, and the many seasons of the year. An hour-long class is not nearly enough time, especially when you’re having that much fun. From English Tutoring we came back to the hotel to perfect and finalize our letters of appreciation; Each and every Glimpser crafting and polishing their letter to the best of their ability. From there, dinner is always a surprise, but this one involved delicious pineapple jello with whipped cream and sprinkles that would leave you drooling at the sight. After that, we concluded our night with our Nightly Meeting. We were all left a bit emotional with the realization that our trip is coming to the end, but also with the awareness that these relationships we formed are not contained to this trip, and will extend to our lives back at home.

Today we learned the value that is hard work, but also the importance of sharing it with others. The CAP project has shown us that together no problem can’t be solved, communication will forever hold the foundation that makes progress possible, and that help from your community will bring memories that are unforgettable. In addition, today has taught us the significance of teaching, and that we are able to connect with students on a level that most cannot, open doors for them into their futures, and give them an incredible experience in a classroom that will only motivate them to pursue any challenge they may face, and achieve their dreams.

Big Love,

Isargy De La Cruz
Central High School

Miles Cigal
Westfield High School