Youth Group Closing Session

As I noted before, the goodbyes have already begun. Last week, the practicantes* finished their work and headed back to Lima to defend their theses. Since Karla, the practicante who has helped with the youth group all year, was leaving we held the official end of the year session for the youth group.

Karla and I procured hot chocolate and panetón to create a Christmas atmosphere. All 5 of the core students showed up. We did our usual check-in and then did our closing activity. Each person wrote their name on the top of a piece of paper, and then we wrote messages on everyone else's paper. It's the kind of thing you save for a day when you're feeling sad and lonely, to be reminded that you are wonderful and loved.

Afterwards, we stepped outside to the image of the Virgen Imaculada** and took our official group photo. Everyone wanted a picture with Profe Karla, and then we returned to the office to pray.

I told the students that they are still welcome for the next two Fridays before the school year ends, but that we'll just hang out and play some games. This work has been my favorite of all the work I've done the last two years, and it is the work of which I am most proud. Next year the youth group will continue under the leadership of Mafer, another one of the practicantes who was hired by FyA 44 for the upcoming school year, and supported by Ghipsel, the new JV. It is good to know that the work goes on, even after we, who began it, leave.

*The 6 student teachers from Lima

**The statue was donated by the Colegio de la Imaculada, the Jesuit school in Lima where JVs sometimes stay.