Las Minas

Today we traveled about 2 hours away to a community called Las Minas. The Elementary School we visited is on a high mountaintop, and is located in a very impoverished area.  Some of the children have to walk an hour and a half each way to get to school.  There were very few cars, and most people traveled on horseback.  On our way there, I felt as if I was on a safari ride at Busch Gardens! The roads were all made of dirt and rocks, were very bumpy, and animals were found on the side of the road, such as loose horses, pigs, and chickens.  The roads wound around the mountains, and it was kind of scary driving up steep hills with enormous cliffs on each side! At one point, our bus even began to roll down the mountain road backwards! We taught the children the same activities we used at the other schools.  There were only about 40 children at the school though, and they only had two classrooms.  The school kitchen, where the children’s lunches were prepared, was a hut made from palm frons.  The school even had their own chicken coop, and I'm sure you can assume what that is used for. The restroom was a cement toilet with a hole in the bottom that drained through the ground, and I’m guessing down the mountain.  It is so sad to see the way some of these people are accustomed to living here! We received donations of shoes from back home that we brought with us to Las Minas.  Each child received a new pair of shoes, since most of the ones on their feet were worn to death.  They were all so grateful to receive them! We also handed out toothbrushes and toothpaste to all the kiddos! Overall, it was awesome to see all the smiles on each of the kid’s faces, which made the trek up to the school totally worth it!

On another note, the countdown has officially begun until I come home! Five days and counting!! I’m so excited to see everyone, but it’s definitely bittersweet, and I will definitely miss Panama.  My experience here has been very rewarding, and the benefits definitely outweigh all of the struggles I have overcome.  I even began putting some things in my suitcase tonight, ahhhh the excitement! :))

Here are some pictures from Las Minas:

He was so excited about his new light-up tennis shoes!

XOXO, Jenny