Day 8

San Antonio primary school, Lechecuagos. I write this just as we finish our group reflection, and the short hour or so we spent at San Antonio came up repeatedly as a reaffirmation of why we do this work. We connected to San Antonio last year through a friendship with a teacher there, donated a door for the school building, and have stayed in touch--pulled back by the passion of the educators and the infectious energy of the kids that we always seem to feel here. Three students greeted us with colorful welcome signs. In each of the classrooms, a student delivered a welcome message. An older student read aloud a letter signed by several of his peers that reminded us of what a difference the door made, that we had already "made one small dream come true." Such depth and sincerity in that young voice, which found itself with the help of a good teacher. Schools hold the potential to create the lifeforce in these smiles. They deserve more. Our next goal for San Antonio: $250 for new desks.

Part of the letter the San Antonio school students read to us.

Cerro Negro volcano. Visiting this imposing black peak has become a well established tradition on our trips. We hike up one of the rocky faces to the top, walk alongside the massive crater, just a few hundred feet from the discolored white and yellow rocks at the bottom smoldering sulfur, and then descend according to your mood: Either walk, run or surf on a wooden board down another face made of finer powdery rock. At about 200 years old, the Cerro is one of the youngest volcanos in the Western Hemisphere. I can't help but come to this fiery beautiful crack in the Earth as a symbol of the difficult transformations that define us every moment of our lives.