Bells put painting skills to the test!

After a sufficient viewing of the tall giraffes, playful elephants, feasting lions, hippos, zebras, cheetahs, and a few more animals, we headed home from the very cold Aquila Reserve, back to Cape Town. Today, we had the opportunity to engage in service with the Amy Biehl Foundation again, and headed to a school with the hope we could all harness our inner painting skills, and help touch up one of their schools. First, we stopped to pick up supplies, including paint, brushes, rollers, drop cloths, scrubbers and a few other odds and ends. Before heading directly to the school, due to testing in the morning, we stopped in to local craft market to peruse the goods and to get to know the people selling these items. It was very interesting to speak with the vendors about their particular crafts and where they were made or how they were made. Also, we talked to them about where they were from and why they travelled to South Africa if they were not originally from here. Then, after lunch, we headed over to the school to get to work. First, we scrubbed loose paint chips and dirt or mold off the walls, ensuring our new paint would stick. Then, each person stepped up and assumed a different task during the painting process. Our main goal was to paint three walls, the top half beige, the bottom half teal and we succeeded after a few coats of fresh new paint were skillfully applied by the group. The Bells scrubbed walls, painted in tight spots, cut in around window bars, balanced on ladders, tables and chairs to reach the high points and, maybe spilled a drop here and there, but all in all, it was a great success. They represented the spirit of the Bells today and had a great time in doing so. We came back to the hotel to clean up and then off to dinner. A special guest joined us tonight: fellow Bell alum, Lucas Parelius, who is tutoring here for over a month. He talked to the boys about his experiences at in high school and his first year at USD and how they have guided his life choices. We wrapped up the night with a very reflective evening, as the boys discussed their fears, motivations, setbacks, hardships and opened up about how this trip has helped them think differently about the future and their goals and priorities. As we are winding down the trip, this was a very appropriate way to end our evening. Tomorrow, we will again be working at a school, helping out after school programs, after visiting the District 6 Museum. We look forward to seeing you all in only a few days! GO BELLS!!