Thursday 21st
This was only the second day on Kindi but the volunteer team had settled into the rhythm with remarkable ease. The day got off to the usual start with the kids loving Lego and circle time, where they roll a ball to each other, say their name and where they are from in English. A full repertoire of songs, was then unleashed onto the kids, wheels on the bus, a little teapot and head, shoulders, knees and toes complete with actions! After break time and some serious teeth brushing it was time for arts and crafts. Numbers and colours were next with wee Ronnie the star pupil for the day. Story time finished us off for the day with 3 little pigs. The kids loving the goodbye song more and more everyday ( “Sa suka tu na vuli” ). A big day for the kindi projects!
Sarah and Jade started the day off preparing for their English lesson as the kids had Fijian lessons in the morning. They then had great fun with them outside on the Mats doing their lessons, the kids holding on to every word they said. In class 7&8 Nick was helping the kids get done to some serious study for their science exam in the afternoon; Rachael C was ever the star in class 1&2. She was working with class 1 most of the day really pushing them to learn more letters and numbers, as they got the hang of it some sums were put it to spice things up.
The team really are putting everything into the building projects, Alex, Lottie and Foggy kept up with the noggins, while Matt D and Sam worked with our Fijian builder, Jimmy, doing the uprights at the front of the building and Rachael N worked with the Fijian boys to keep up with the ceiling. The Kindi volunteer team were hitting it hard completing the plastering on the back wall, which is an extremely hard job on the arms. The guns were looking good! With tomorrow being the bank holiday weekend we would have 14 of the team on the build all day, so it is going to be a very busy day.
Friday 22nd
As it was a bank holiday, school was off, so we had loads of help from the school kids in Kindi. The volunteer team did very well to incorporate them into the Kindi group. Song time was fantastic as we had so many more to sing along the noise could be heard all over the village. Game time was organised chaos with the volume of people but lots of laughing made up for it. With the kids screaming out the numbers like madmen, our volunteers introduced ‘what’s the time Mr Wolf’ to calm the kids down. It worked a treat and will be used in the future for sure.
Jimbo our Fijian carpenter was looking for a big push from our volunteers on the building project today. The team did fantastic, each pod working well together. Nick and Tom M doing the uprights at the back of the church. Matt working keeping up his great work at the front with his Fijian Brother Dan. Jade, Adi Alys and Struan doing a fine job painting the inside of the church with undercoat. Foggy, Lottie and Alex made real progress with the noggins. While Rachael N continued with the ceiling. Without a doubt the best effort put on the building project yet.
Saturday 23rd
Saturday started off with a beautiful sunny morning the sea as still as a pond, so 15 of the team Jimbo and Tim took the guys out to do some spear and line fishing. The water was unbelievably clear. 2 hours later 20 fish caught, 4 sharks, 1 sea snake and 1 turtle spotted it was time for home and some lunch.
The inter-village Netball started at 2.30 Yavu vs. Mau. The girls put up a great fight had the lead in the first half, but Fijian ladies form Yavu pushed on to win 8-5. The lads were pumped for the rugby Sam, Tom M, Foggy, Matt D, Struan and Nick all played. A big crowd gathered for what turned out to be a tight game. It was in the dying seconds that Tom M picked up a loose ball and scored between the posts. Half time 7-0. In the second half Yavu started to tire, the lads made the most of it and won 15-5. Lots of sore bodies, but big smiles for their first ever Fijian rugby game.
That night was the school fundraiser, the whole village and the team were out in force popcorn and sweets being sold. We started off with a couple of games of higher and lower, the raffle for a selection of things from wales and kids rugby tops from Kukri. Then finally the auction for 3 off the boys to help around the village for the day. The total for the whole night was a record $222.55 dollars. It was a great Saturday for the team.
Sunday 24th
Sunday was a very relaxed affair. A huge thunder storm pasted though the night to give us a boiling hot day. Some of the team walked to the private beach, others sleeping and reading. As it was Easter the village put on a huge lunch with desert being cold jelly and bananas. The night ended with a movie and the team prepping for the week ahead.
Monday 25th
There was a lot to get done on the build today, so a big push was needed. Ellie, Adi, Jade, Rachael and Struan pushed on with the painting inside the church. While Foggy, Alys and Lottie fitted the noggins and the ceiling panels. The other main job was finishing off the uprights. Matt D, Nick and Tom pushed on threw the day to leave little left to do. This week is only going to get tougher on the guys; they proved today they are more than up for it.
Things started off slow in Kindi, with only the birthday boy Ronnie who is 5 today present. Although true to Kindi, within 20 minutes there were the usual 14 mental kids making some great Lego guns. Song and prayer time was usual chaos but Sam, Megan, Sophie and Ellie worked on A, B, C’s outside in the sun. They then went onto numbers was difficult to say the least but a great idea from Sophie to work in what’s the time Mr Wolf, it worked a treat. The end of the day saw pass the parcel goes down a storm. Pin the tail on the donkey was just as much fun of the team and Fijian women as it was for the kids. Story Time and goodbye song ended the day.
That night was without a doubt, the best birthday party we have seen on Batiki! Rachael Neller celebrated her big day in style with a party, which lasted long into the night in the Fiji Islands!
Tuesday 26th
The church hall building project was becoming a real test for our team. It truly is a huge project to do in 3 weeks. Jade, Lottie and Adi had the music on outside with the tunes flowing they smashed painting the north side of the wall in cream. Sam and Matt D were working with Jimbo building up more scaffolds for the ceiling, while Nick, Foggy and Tom M started work on the Fresca boards. Rachael C took charge inside to do a great job painting the inside sky blue with the Kindi team helping in the afternoon.
Kindi started with the team wanting to make sure to give the kids a week to remember. The day started off with the usual circle time along with prayer. Hello song and ring-a-roses being the choice for the day, but the kids wanted more songs, so due to public demand, Old McDonald and little Speckled Frogs followed. Duck Duck Goose and what the time Mr Wolf was game time. Alex and Sarah took the kids to brush their teeth after snack time. The kids made masked for arts and crafts which went down so well they wore them all day!!
In the morning the school kids were like they had been on red bull all morning, Rachael controlled well in 1&2 with story time followed by a drawing session, the kids were putting the story into pictures which worked well and calmed the group down. Class 5&6 had become like home turf for Megan and Sophie and they were welcomed like returning heroes. The girls got straight into it with English lesson. Struan had class 7&8 who were still doing exams and he did an expert job helping them study and go through any tough questions during the maths exam.
Wednesday 27th
Adi, Alys, Alex and Ellie found a great flow in Kindi. Lego time settled the kids while they all arrived. After it was circle time, rolling the ball to each other, saying in English your name age and what village you’re from. Song time was great with Adi taking a leading roll with “row row row your boat “and old McDonald. The group were brought together for numbers which work really well the older kids helping the younger. Arts and crafts went down a treat with names being written with glue then sand poured over it; messy but fun times.
With the rain pouring down the team teachers didn’t have the joy of taking the kids outside for lessons which has worked so well. Megan and Sophie in class 5&6 keep pushing the boundaries with the kids who can’t get enough of them. Struan finished off exams and they sang songs for 30 minutes which could beat any choir at home. Rachael N in 1&2 loved the new books, so story time went for a long time today. The kids are really starting to respond to her with maths which is always hard with 1&2.
The day started off with Jimbo asking for another huge push on the build, and the team didn’t disappoint. Sarah and Jade got up on the scaffolding to finish the plastering along the ledge, while on the other side of the wall, Matt D and Sam finished the indoor scaffolding. The uprights were all but complete by Foggy, Tom M, Nick and Rachael N. Lottie helped fit the noggins and ceiling. Rachael C worked with Naomi to patch up the painting inside and filling in the gaps on the windowsills.
Thursday 28th
The build started with the great energy that has been going through the whole project. Megan and Sarah did a great job on finishing off the plastering on the front wall shelf. Sam and Matt D did their thing working on the scaffold inside for Jimbo. Lottie and Alys worked up high with Jimbo working on the ceiling. Nick and Struan got started painting the uprights with undercoat. The church really is starting to take shape and the concrete finished and painted, the uprights finished and getting painted, inside painted a big push over the next few day and we will be on the finishing straight.
Alys, Adi, Alex and Ellie made the long walk to Kindi (the kids walk so slowly!!) on the last full day of Kindi. The day was changed up a bit from the norm as the team introduced weather and emotions throughout the day. Songs and games were interspersed with learning, with the odd bit cleverly disguised as games. Story time was acted out by the team which was great fun to watch for the kids. The day ended with the awards for the kids, going from best behaved to who attended the most. Everyone got a prize!!
Jade stepped into class 7&8 with an air of trepidation, but that didn’t last long, within minutes she was teaching an English lesson without any help from the teacher. Class 5&6 had Foggy and Tom M as their teachers. They had been very nervous before hand trying to remember their school days. They nailed their English lesson with the kids really responding. They all had their hands up even if they didn’t know the answers. Rachael returned to class 1&2 with a bang. The kids flocked around her, their minds like sponges absorbing all information she fed them. A very successful day in school and time is flying by so quickly on the projects.
