Our dedicated Build Crew leaves the hotel early once again to set up the tools and equipment at the 3rd playground site. We're all very excited that production at the sites had gone extremely well so far. A small Finishing Crew returned to San Agustin to complete the construction ther,e and the rest of the volunteers traveled to Parque Santa Amalia in Arroyo Naranjo.

Parque Santa Amalia was the favorite park for many volunteers because of its large, shady trees. The trees certainly helped to keep the volunteers cooler than at the recent sites. The equipment selected to be installed at each site were all very similar, so by now, the volunteers were very familiar with the tools and the equipment they were asked to assemble.

Construction went well until just after lunch (once again provided by the neighborhood), when low, dark clouds started to roll in. For four days up until today, we had been extremely lucky with the weather, especially considering the frequent hurricanes and storms that had plagued this area of the Caribbean just before our recent arrival. When the rains came, the volunteers welcomed the drop in temperature and happily continued on with their work. It wasn't very long though before the rain became too heavy to work in. Rivers of water flooded the nearby streets and even crossing the street to the local warehouse needed to be done cautiously. Unmoved by this weather every volunteer pitched in to carry equipment back to the warehouse across a flooded street. No one shoes were dry at the end of that day.

Hoping to wait out the rain, we continued to huddle under the canopy and the trees, some of us wearing the bright yellow ponchos, some of us wearing garbage bags. Unfortunately, it didn't seem likely that the rain was going to subside anytime soon so the tools were packed up into the bus and the volunteers, who were wet and muddy, returned to the hotel.

That evening, arrangements had been made for the volunteers to vista "La Casa de Amistad" for drinks and presentation by Amistur and ICAP (It's Just The Kids, Inc travel provider and friendship organization in Cuba). After the presentation, the volunteers were invited to stay and enjoy some music performed by a local band.