We started the day with a hearty breakfast before we started the first day of our service project. When we arrived, we were welcomed with a wonderful celebration of teachers, school staff, and students from grades 1 to 5. The Head Teacher spoke of the process and the needs of the school in order to make it safer and more welcoming to the students. We were greeted by the children and marked on our foreheads by them. Afterwards, we also took part in a blessing ceremony to make our work and toil to be enduring and to ensure all tasks were within our reach. Then the work began – students switched jobs throughout the day (with a couple of tea breaks of course as this is Sri Lanka)! The morning jobs were digging holes and trenches to help construct a safety fence near the front of the school as well as constructing a system of piping from the well to the school and lots of painting, both indoors and outdoors. The students got right into the work – played music and lots of talking and laughing. A little bit of people painting went on too! After lunch, a bunch of our TIS young men played with the students in games of chase and tag. The Tamil students loved it and so did our TIS young adults. Then the work began again – still lots of painting but a new job of making cement to build the fence and to cover the piping. TIS students took breaks by playing with local students – smiles were abundant and by the end of the day, many of the local students found it hard to say goodbye. Of particular note, Anthony, Kade and Owen were much loved; as a teacher, I was so proud of all of the students for their work ethic and their willingness to relax and join in with the local students. We took so many photos and cannot wait to share them all when we get home!

by Shannon Abercrombie