Fluevog Blog - Day 4 - Camp John 316 and Hope Center (Flamboyanes)

Today the team headed out to Camp John 3:16 to do the most physically demanding work of the week. This camp project, like many things, is done little by little as funds become available. Last year the team did painting on a finished building, this year we were laying cement for the kitchen… with only some shovels, buckets, no shade and a lot of jokes.

We were treated to a delicious lunch of Salbutes! A fresh pressed and deep-fried tortilla topped with lettuce, tomato, cebollas(pickled onions), shredded chicken, fresh avocado and for the very brave, spicy habanero salsa.

The camp made a huge milestone in hosting their first over night Soccer camp last summer, thanks to the completion of the sports court, bathrooms and showers. The next goal is to build a swimming pool to offer swim lessons and rent out to provide a more solid income to make further progress. From there a longer term goal of offering vocational training and a petting zoo for local schools are in the works. Ambitious dreams that once achieved will make a big impact for the people of the local community.

For the evening we ventured over to the Pueblo of Flamboyanes and spent time at the newly constructed Hope Center. The center provides meals, classes and a safe place for the children of the area whose homes and families are unable to offer these basic needs for them. We had a blast painting faces, fingernails and playing street hockey with the kids. After the fun and games the kids were treated to a meal and horchata.

Both visits were locations still growing but already making a huge impact on the lives of the youth. These projects get very little funding and depend on donations and volunteer work from trips like ours via C-Quest. With what they have accomplished with so little is truly humbling and amazing. Witnessing all the love and hope the people behind these projects have for the future generations is truly inspiring.