Days are passing by, the experiences and the exchange are growing, and we are enriching ourselves… On thursday the first team of volunteers of the summer camp 2016 is already flying back home. Time passes by very fast when you make the most out of it! When the activities and the company fill the moments so that there is nothing beyond the present. Little by little, we have crossed with more people; people who share the same ideals. Together, we are more drops of water in the ocean.
During the week we had the opportunity to share the project in more detail with all the volunteers. Although many already knew about it, we explained the purpose of the Center, the construction techniques, the participatory process with the community… And thus we fostered their involvement: sharing projects, planning events to fundraise… every little helps! Cool initiatives are coming soon in Spain! Stay tuned!
The storms continue and the moisture is growing. A good outdoors sauna is actually very helpful! But the rain is also welcoming a great variety of new inhabitants at home: flying ants, spiders, frogs and even a snake and a scorpion!
Is quite easy to fall in love with the nature (although not always… being honest). The storms are magic here… As if it was an outdoor cinema, saturday night we sat in the garden with chairs to watch the thunderbolts. At least 5 per second, the sky lit up nonstop for at least one hour. We could not hear the thunders, so we knew that the storm had not arrived yet. But when we heard the first thunder, the downpour left us with the word in the mouth, forcing us to protect ourselves from the water. We stayed contemplating the thunderbolts from the porch, like hypnotized.
But despite all, the construction keeps walking… at least for now! We are getting better on the techniques to fasten the plastics so that neither winds nor tides will dare to touch the walls! The wood for the ceiling has already arrived and this week we have covered it with oil that protects it from bugs and humidity. We want to start as soon as possible so that the building is covered soon. We have also begun to connect the isolated lugs with the perimeter lugs, thus delimiting the perimeter of what will be the platform of the porch.
At home, Sunday was a very special day: July 31. Our Xarit Aminata turned 30. Here at Gandiol, we wanted to celebrate it with her, feeling her in each smile of the day. We cook some cakes: a Brazilian recipe (carrot with chocolate) and another from Nerea´s grandmother (yoghurt cake). In the evening, all together, we planted in the garden a flamboyant, an African tree that will give us pretty yellow flowers. We watered it and together we sang songs that our Xarit liked.
In these special moments, we do not need to ask where are the loved ones that have left us. We can’t see them, but we can feel them close. That night, we looked around: the Center, the family we have won, the community of Gandiol, and so many other dreams to come… Everything that happens makes more sense, and we know that here she is, in our hearts. As Mandela said: “what gives meaning to our lives is not just living, but creating change in the lives of others”.
And how many changes has our Xarit provoked! She continues to inspire us every day… And we hope that she will also accompany you!
