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Let Them Be Kids Worldwide Initiative - Mexico
The Let Them Be Kids Initiative is a first of its kind. This worldwide program helps communities build capacity and community involvement amongst citizens, while also building playgrounds in areas of need and laying a strong foundation for a brighter tomorrow for all.
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Mexico LTBK Projects
The experience in Mexico was an eye opener and a challenging one, but definitely worth the time and effort. A group of teenagers and young adults from Calvary Community Church, Edmonton AB, met the challenge with leaders Drew Johnson and Omar Reyes. Partnering with CDC Recreation and the Emmanuel Foundation, with the help of Matt Bold, we flew to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to build a playground at the School of Champions. The School of Champions is located outside the city in the garbage dump, where families have set up their homes, searching the site for food, clothing and ways of living.
As the team arrived and geared up for two weeks of building the playground at the school, they were met with a challenge. The playground was not yet released from customes. Through a lot of work, phone calls, and extended flights, the playground was finally released a day and a half before the team had to fly back to Canada.
What normally takes a full week to build, the team, with the help of the community, built in a day and a half. Working throughout a rainy night, the team left the next day after accomplishing their goal. The smiles and laughter of the children, the parents and the neighbours made this small trial worth working through.
- commentary by Drew Johnson
Puerto Vallarta
Children of the Dump
Calvary Community Church - Youth Group
Drew Johnson and Omar Reyes, three leaders and fourteen youth built the first recreation amenity for children living at the dump, the school and the surrounding area. Local authorities did not release the playground in advance of the team arriving on site. Fortunately, a substantial amount of site work needed to be done to prepare for the playground. The team received the playground one day before the team had to leave. To get the project completed the team worked through the night.
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a program of...
Bringing Hope and Play to the Children of the World
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