Day 3

So today was long but really fun. First some of us used stencils to draw on canvases while others worked in the garden tearing up grass. I worked in the garden and it was really hot outside and at times work was hard, but that made seeing all of our work even more rewarding.

After all of our work the guys played football with some of the kids from the school. Then we all had lunch and played team building games. The first time, we had to make it across a “sea” by only walking on paper towels…we weren't very good at this game, we ended up tearing a paper towel to one of our shoes and hopping across the “sea”. I didn't get a paper towel so my team had to carry me across on their backs.

The second game was “bird on a perch,” and we partnered up and we had to jump on our partner’s backs when the music stopped or we would be out. Both games were really fun and really brought us together even more.

From there we went to an after school program, called the Overtown Youth Center, to help the kids with their homework. The building was really nice; it had a gym, a dance studio, computer room, and flat screen TVs. The kids were all really cute and excited to see us. What I found very interesting was that the program keeps track of their students until they are 25. They help them pick a college and go on college visits with them as well. Even cooler than that, this whole program is free! When I left the after school program I was in such a good mood because I kept picturing the girl's face I helped when she finally understood what I was trying to explain the difference between a native and a narrator and I tried everything I can think of. She finally got it and we were both so excited.

This program is so good for the kids because not all of the parents can help their kids with their homework like they have at this program and the kids are encouraged to continue their education to college where if they didn't come to this program, they wouldn't go to college, or even finish high school. The kids at this program were friendly and funny, one of them asked me if I had a sinus problem and that is why I sound like I do.

From there, we went to dinner (and had Indian food), reflected on or day and listened to a Rabbi’s sermon. His sermon really tied the day together and showed us how what we are doing during the day is really a holy Jewish thing. How the goal of Judaism is to touch lives, and that is what we are trying to do.