Beyond the Beaches: Service in Abaco, Bahamas

Today was a “free day” so the decision was to head to the beach. It was overcast but warm and it’s always great to be the only people on the beach for miles. Tonight we were invited out for supper to the Marshall’s home. They have two girls, Makayla and Kelsey who were excited to have us over. Today was also Leif’s 20th birthday so we had birthday cake. Anyway, here are our final reflections. 

Dr. P

Jamie~”This was an overall great experience. ECC was nothing like I imagined. I have never felt so welcome at a school before. It really is a one of a kind! The classroom I worked in was so much fun. The kids were so unique and in so many different ways. Since we only had three and a half days there I never thought I would get that great of connection as I did with the students. This made it really hard to leave. Back home tomorrow!!!”

Leif~” I’ve decided to “lose” my passport so I can stay on the island of Abaco for just a little longer.  The beautiful beaches and wonderful people made this a terrific trip!  Abaco is a place unlike any other that I have experienced, but I would definitely recommend it.  Our time in ECC will never be forgotten neither by us nor the students and staff of the school.  I will miss all of the people that I had the chance to meet, especially the students.  ECC is a fantastic school even though it lacks many of the necessary resources that most schools could never go without.  I am very excited and honored to have been on this team that will jump start a University of Dubuque venture here in the Bahamas.  I would love to speak with all of you about my time here, so please feel free to contact me whenever you want!  Thanks for coming along with us on this amazing journey!”

Lindsey~” This trip sure was an adventure of all sorts. We have experienced so many different and amazing things, we have so many great stories and memories to bring back with us. My favorite days were spent with the kids at ECC counting on all our fingers, spelling out words, and reading. These amazing and wonderful children found their way into my heart in the short three and a half days we spent with them. They found great excitement in the opportunity to learn and to them each class and each day was special in its own way. The kids taught me alot about myself as well as others and I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity.”

Dane~ “The first day that we arrived at ECC Dr. P threw us into the deep-end and told us to swim for it. There were expectations, but no guidelines. The full-timers didn’t talk down to you, but rather asked for your advice. They encouraged us to take the reins and help in any way that we could. This is an experience that you will never get anywhere else but here in Abaco because, well, because, there is no place like ECC anywhere in the world. Although the school is poor, and the students are there for a reason; the atmosphere and pride at the school can be felt as soon as you step on to the grounds. I’m really going to miss the young men and women who make ECC such an important place to grow intellectually and spiritually. Teaching anywhere else will be a breeze if you can pull your own weight at this amazing place that we call ECC.”

Mrs. P ~ “And so this ends our story here in Abaco this time around!!  We are grateful for all of you who have supported us and have come along ‘for the ride’!  The only difference is that you are not sunburned like one person in our party (who will remain nameless…I believe he turned 20 today…)  Take care and God bless!

Here is Mr. Mars’ video compilation about ECC.  They worked really hard on it and are very proud of it!  Please check it out! :)

Today was the last day at ECC. It was hot and sticky for us but it is like that every day for the teachers and students. There were lots of hugs and lots of requests to come back. We met with the principal at the end of the day, and she let us know that even in this short a time we made a difference. So, if you get the chance to donate to ECC or to come down with us, know that you too can make a difference.

Dr. P.

Mrs. P.~ I haven’t written anything all week as I wanted to have the students share their perspective about Marsh Harbour and being involved at ECC.  I have been very impressed with Lindsey, Jamie, Dane and Leif as they immersed themselves in many of the classrooms at ECC and simply ‘loved’ on those students and helped out wherever possible.  Many times I felt as if I was watching in slow motion some poignant moments of care and concern with some of the ECC students who need so much help.  The teachers are all so calm and compassionate, work well together and help each other when needed.  The older students quite often will help the younger students too - truly a family type atmosphere.  I hope that our UD students will not soon forget their time here -  fond memories of how they made a difference at ECC.

Dane~ “It was very bittersweet leaving the school today. I hope that the students learned as much from me as I learned from them. Mr. Mars’ classroom had some of the most respectful, caring, and hardworking students in it that I’ve had the chance to work with. I’m going to wait until our final blog tomorrow to discuss what I’ve all learned about the school and about myself. In the meantime, I know that I am going to have one heck of a fun day at the beach tomorrow!”

Lindsey~”Today was very hot and sticky, but by far one of my busiest and most active days at ECC. I began the morning like usual in Miss. Margaret’s class. We moved on to farming outside and began to fill up many water buckets to water the gardens. This was an interesting task to handle with multiple children and two supervising adults. In the process one child spotted a sticky frog and many of the kids went running for the hills. A young boy from Miss. Margaret’s class, Keano, took to the task of catching the frog and carrying him to the front area of the school. After what seemed like getting more water on ourselves than the plants, we returned to the class for exams. We had a quick lunch before heading to Mr. Mars’ class for a presentation of a video the older students made which explains how they feel about ECC. It was an amazing production and very touching. I spent the afternoon with Leif, Dane, and Mr. Gary helping with PE class and watching the kids excel with their exercises and a high energy game of baseball. I don’t know how these kids handle the heat and keep on trucking along but they sure give you the inspiration to do the same. After PE we said our goodbyes, and shared many many hugs. It was sad to leave the kids, but the stories and experiences I have had this past week are once in a lifetime chances. I won’t forget these awesome kids, or anything they have taught me.”

Jamie~”Today was a lot of fun. I was in the same classroom that I have been in the whole time. It was interesting today though because when I walked into the classroom it was only half full. When I asked one of the students where everyone was, her answer was that they are at work. I could not imagine missing a half day of school every week to work but I guess this is the normal. I am very happy with my experience at ECC and I can’t wait to get back on the beach tomorrow.”

Leif~ “Today was a bittersweet day.  It was our last day at ECC and I was very sad to say goodbye to everyone.  Good thing we had the whole day to make a few more memories before we left.  I spent the morning with Ms. Ellens’ class again and we continued with more exams.  I worked individually with a few students again.  Everyone seemed to bring the craziest lunches to school today!  I saw and smelled half a dozen types of seafood, a few different types of bread, and some interesting types of fruit that I have never seen before.  After lunch the group was able to join Mr. Mars’ class for a video presentation.  The video introduced the school to viewers and tells a bit about each class.  It also “stomps” some stereotypes that people may have about ECC.  The students are extremely proud of their video and they truly should be.  It is very humbling.  If you get a chance, you should check out the video on their website.  After the presentation, Lindsey, Dane and I played an intense game of baseball with Ms. Ellens’ class.  The bases consist of a board, a rock, and a couple other objects.  We used a broken tennis raquet as a bat.  The kids love P.E., even in the heat of the day with 100% humidity!  After our game I went to classrooms to say my goodbyes.  This was probably the hardest part of the trip!  I have grown extremely attached to many of the ECC students in our week in the school.  I got a hugs and kisses from every student I passed, some even gave me more than one!  We took pictures and exchanged emails as we said final goodbyes.  Ms. Margaret’s class asked “Are you coming back tomorrow Mr. Leif?” It was tough to tell them I would not be back, but hoped to see them again.  Looking back and after today, I truly believe that we made an impact within ECC.  This is definitely a place that deserves to be served by the UD Community.  I am so excited to see how UD can make an impact here.”

Today the group went back to the school and spent the day with the students. In the evening we went to a local restaurant for supper - Jamie’s Place - then Dane made us all troop to the dock to get sunset pictures. He probably took 100 pics — but the sunset was worth it. Tomorrow we go back to the school for another day of interacting with the students.

Dr. P

Jamie~”Today was a fun day! I am still in the same classroom but today instead of sewing, we practiced our sign language skills. It was also really fun to interact with some of the student on a personal level. I’m really starting to make relationships with the students and it’s really sad that tomorrow is the last day in the school” 

Lindsey~” This morning I went back to the classroom I have been with the most, the 8-10 year olds. They are a very interesting bunch. They all want my help when they begin their tests, but I can only run so many laps efficiently around the small classroom. Today my biggest smile came when the boy I worked with yesterday writing his name, Cedland, spoke my name out loud. He hasn’t been much of a talker, but today he was very excited! It really made me happy. I also got the chance to work with a few boys in the classroom who are well on their way to becoming wonderful mathematicians. They all like to be reassured they have the correct method and answer, therefore we spent about an hour counting on all our fingers and doing addition and subtraction problems. By lunch time they were all begging to do ‘just one more!’ Today sped by, and I’m sure tomorrow will be a blur. I will miss the kids so much as the all find a special little place in your heart. “

Leif~” Well I started the morning off in Ms. Ellen’s class again today.  It seems that we came during exam week because most of the class spent the morning working on reading exams.  I worked with the younger kids, Ebros and Ashton on their reading and math skills, while the others completed their exams.  We did some sequencing problems and they flew through them with ease.  Ms. Ellen explained that Ebros and Ashton couldn’t even complete one of the problems three months ago.  I was very impressed after I heard this and it hit me that ECC truly made a huge difference in a lot of kid’s lives.  After lunch, I shifted back to Ms. Margaretts’ class to visit and work with her class.  I am sort of a vagabond during the day, just because I like experiencing different classrooms and meeting different students.  It was nice to see them again, and I got a lot more hugs and “high fives”.  I am definitely going to miss ECC and all of the students that I have made connections with.  I plan to make the most of tomorrow, which is our last day in the school.  We did some shopping after we left.  I didn’t buy anything because I’m holding out for the sea glass jewelry.  Dinner at Jamie’s Place and a gorgeous sunset was a perfect ending to the day.” 

Dane~ “Well, one more short day left at the ECC tomorrow. Even though we weren’t here for a very long time, it feels like I’ve gotten to know these children quite well. It’s amazing how fast the day goes when your totally immersed in the middle of these crazy-cool kids all day. “Patches” (Leif) wasn’t lying about the sunset today. Perfect ending to a busy and rewarding day.”

Today was a full day at ECC. Lots of different experiences, not the least of which was functioning at 85 degrees and 90 percent humidity with no a/c at the school.

Dr. P

Dane~ “I was able to help out in a lot of different areas at ECC today, but I had the most fun with a young boy named Saivon. I haven’t laughed so much in a long time! When he wasn’t doing school work we shared jokes, talked about pretty girls, and discussed playoff basketball and hockey. I can’t wait to go back tomorrow and see my new bud again!” 

Jamie~”I helped out again in the work study classroom. It was a lot of fun helping the kids with some of their skills. I also read a couple of stories to some of the kids individually and then asked them questions to see how there comprehension skills are coming along. Today was a rewarding day and tomorrow should be the same.”

Lindsey~” This morning I worked in a class with 8-10 year olds and helped them work on their standardized testing. I mainly got to work with a little boy named Cedlan. We spent a good amount of time working on writing his name and when he began to get tired and fall asleep I went to rub his back and ended up tickling him awake. We had a good time working together and I’m excited to see the kids again tomorrow. I spent the afternoon in the preschool room and worked with 5 special little boys. They were all so different and so friendly in their own ways. They sure expended alot of my energy, but I really enjoyed the day. “

Leif~” I started off in Mr. Mars’ high school class.  They are taking Bahama Junior Certificate Exams, which are similar to our standardized tests.  While the class was working on those I worked one on one with RJ on reading and math skills.  I visited Ms. Margarets’ class and they were all quite excited to see me again.  I got a big hug from Spencer, Emily, and Kwanya.  I helped with reading skills for a bit and headed over to Ms. Ellens’ class to go shopping.   Can you imagine twenty 7 to 10 year olds running around a grocery store?  It wasn’t as bad as you might imagine, they were actually quite well behaved.  Ms. Hellen even got everyone ice cream afterwards.  We drained some energy afterwards out on the track, which is actually an old building foundation and parking lot.  I was challenged to a race and came in second!  Those kids are future olympic track stars for sure!  It was a long day, but definitely a great one!  I am looking forward to seeing the kids again tomorrow!”

Today was Sunday. What this means in Marsh Harbour is that a large part of the community goes to church. So did we. We experienced one of the services at an area church after which we were invited out to have lunch with Jack and Gaye at Curly Tails, a local  restaurant. Jack has lent us his pickup for the time we are here so not only does this give us free transportation but every other driver thinks we are locals. There is a different license plate for rentals - see below.

Regular license plate

Rental license plate

In the afternoon we visited a reef- Mermaid Reef - that is close in and then went out to supper at a friend’s house. Tomorrow we spend the day at the school - Every Child Counts or as it is called here ECC.

Dr. P

Leif~” There’s nothing like island hospitality.  Church today was great, full of socializing and worship.  Dr. P’s sermon lived up to and went beyond my expectations and hopefully also the church communities’.  It was very interesting talking to Jack at lunch about his earlier days on the island and about his experience as a private pilot.  He was the first Abaconian to earn his private pilot license so he’s quite a legend.  Snorkeling at Mermaid Reef was amazing, bustling with underwater life and a colorful coral reef. 

We even saw a poisonous lion fish- which has become a unwanted nuisance on the island due to their over population.  I wore a t-shirt to the beach and in the water today thanks to my blotchy burn that I received yesterday for which I am now lovingly called “Patches”.  You can all ask Jamie how that incident occurred.  We were invited to dinner at Colin’s house for a meal of grilled tuna and all the fixings!  It was delicious.  The company was also great and I learned a lot more about the island and its history.  On our way home Dane “That Guy” Cordes called in a few wild boars with his famous boar call.  Ask him to demonstrate next time you see him.

Dane~ “I can feel the trip beginning to speed up now. The people begin to grow on you here, not because we have a lot in common, but rather because they are courteous and empathetic. I’m going to soak up as much island culture as I can these last four short days and return home, changed somehow.”

Jamie~”Today was a great day on Abaco. We attended the church service at which Dr. Pitman spoke at. His message seemed to touch a lot of people. We were then invited out to lunch with Jack and his wife Gaye. I thought this was really neat because we were able to learn a lot about the island and some of it’s history. We then made out way to Mermaid Reef to snorkel. We saw some really neat fish. I am really excited to be in the school tomorrow.”

Lindsey~”Well seems that ‘Patches’ and ‘That guy’ have taken over half of our group, guess the girls are next in line for nicknames, eh? We spent this morning at Sunday service at the Marsh Harbor Gospel Chapel. We were greeted with smiling faces and lots of desserts. After a song filled service we were invited to lunch at Curly Tails with Jack and his wife Gaye. We had a lengthy and very filling lunch, full of good food as well as historical and cultural knowledge among the island. They also both had an amazing sense of humor. After lunch we took a quick trip to Mermaid Reef, followed by another dinner filled with friendly faces and plenty of laughs and knowledge. I am ready for the exciting and adventurous week ahead with the kids at ECC.

Around the lunch table

The famous conch fritters—specialty on the island

Group with Jack and Gaye at Curly Tails

Mermaid Reef- Snorkeling destination

Dane holding the fishing spear

The group at Colin’s for dinner

Today we took the ferry across to Elbow Cay to visit Hope Town and its famous working lighthouse.  The fact that there were beaches was completely incidental to our cultural experience :). 

Leif~ “I love to explore, so venturing out to Elbow Cay was an exciting experience!  The quaint little town featured a large harbor lined with colorfully painted houses and shops and a very tall red and white painted lighthouse.  We climbed up the spiral staircase to the top and enjoyed an awesome view!  We even coaxed Lindsey to come along despite her fear of heights!  We browsed a few shops after our lighthouse visit and then went to lunch at a restaurant by the beach.  I ordered a conch burger, which was recommended by the Pitmans.  I’m glad I took their advice because it was great! After our search for an ice cream shop we found a place called “Munchies” where I got a rum raisin ice cream cone! We enjoyed another afternoon at the beach and then bid farewell to Hope Town and Elbow Cay.  Tomorrow will feature an epic sermon by Dr. P at an Abaconian Church!  Stay tuned!”

Dane~ “I was able to venture a long ways down an empty beach and find a couple of pieces of sea glass this afternoon! A gift shop was selling sea glass jewellery for 50 bucks a piece.! Also, did you know that if you sprinkle a couple of dots of hot sauce around your plate, it will keep the flies away? My lips don’t lie.”

Jamie~”Today was a fun day. We got to explore Hopetown, this was neat because we were able to go into a few shops. We also learned not to listen to signs because we were looking for this place called the “Sugar Shack”(a place to get ice cream and candy). The sign said just ahead but we were never able to find it. It turned out it was on the other side of the island and about a 30 minute walk.”

Lindsey~”Today we took a ferry to Hopetown and the lighthouse. I cautiously made my way to the top of the lighthouse for the once in a life time opportunity. It was amazing and the view of the water was breathtaking. We spent the afternoon in Hopetown and on the beach, where once again we were bombarded by “stinger doctors” (horseflies or yellow flies). We had fun walking along the island and after deciding not to wait to find the sugar shack, we grabbed some ice cream at a shop called Munchies. It was a fun filled day that as left us all fairly exhausted.”

I thought you would be interested in the following segment from the Police Crime Report section of the Abaconian - the local paper—- just as written.

“Shop Breaking” - A Dundas Town man had his storage shed broken into around noon on April 16. Stolen were shoes, a jacket, ice cream and a ham. A man was later arrested.”

What we want to know is, did he eat the ham? 

Dr P

Today was our introductory morning at ECC working in classrooms.  Since the grocery store runs out of many food items by monday we went grocery shopping.  During the night some of us had the island experience of the electricity going out for hours.  In the afternoon we explored two communities- Cherokee Sound and Casurina Point. 

Jamie~”Today I helped out in a classroom that’s main focus was helping the children with work and life skills. It was really interesting to see how a classroom like this works. First they were working on their sewing skills and then they did workshop, which is where they put together packets of silverware. After workng in the classroom, we headed out to a different beach than yesterday. It was a lot of fun because we were there during low tide and we were able to see all the different sea life.”

Lindsey~” We spent the first half of the day working in the school. I worked in a class room of 8 and 9 year olds with quite a variance or learning disabilites. I worked with Leif, as well as two of the teachers. The children began the day with introductions and went on to work on skills, and then math before lunch. The kids were so excited to work with us, to do their multiplication tables, and especially to share what little they had with others. That was my favorite part, watching their willingness to give.”

Leif~ ” Lindsey and I spent the morning in Ms. Margarett’s class with 8 to 10 year old students.  I was paired up with Spencer for gardening at the begining of class.  He definitely had lots of energy and kept me busy, but we had a great time and I learned alot from him in the 40 minutes I was able to spend with him.  After gardening we did some math excercises and sang some songs.  I can tell that working with these children is a great challenge, but is also tremendously rewarding.  Ms. Margarett has been working at ECC for five years and even through the hardships says she will be there for a long time.  It takes a lot of patience and compassion to work with these children and I can definitely see that every one of the teachers and volunteers at ECC posess those skills and many more.  The kids didn’t want us to leave this afternoon but after we promised we’d be back Monday they finally let us go!  Our excursion after school was great!  We got to visit a couple awesome beaches and also got to go to a community on the island.  As you can see above we found a large colony of giant starfish (saved a few during low tide).  Also, no more farmers tan for me!”

Dane~ “Today I worked with Mr. Gary who is in charge of Physical Education at ECC. Gary and I played in an intense baseball game with the younger students (6 on 6), which my team (The Walrus) won 5-1. Something that only I seemed to notice was that home plate was a 4 foot long 2x4, first and second base were rocks, and third base was a stump. I taught the older students some of the basic rules of football before we picked teams. The game became extremely competitive and it was great to see some of the students throwing some big-time blocks to help their comrades score! You can tell by the pics that we had a great time at the beaches too.”