Lost and Found

At the end of any camp, there´s always that period where the odds and ends leftover from the weekend are held up to be claimed. As this was our final day here, the same was happening as we were sorting through three weeks of memories, trials and triumphs. The odd sock, the water bottles, the woggles, everything that had been lost over the course of the trip, was finally being returned, finally found again. But this goes much further than just the simple camping equipment and wayward socks.

Yesterday when we arrived at the site, we had the greatest surprise of the trip. While we were away at Ciudad del Este, so much work had taken place. The roof was on, the first coat of paint had been applied, the corridor was finished. We had a school. All that was left was a bit more work on the washrooms, more painting and some cleaning up. By 5pm, we had succeeded in a project that had first been imagined two years ago. It´s almost unbelievable now to think that we actually made it, that we finished the school, that it´s all over.

Last night, we had our first celebration in the form of a Canada Night. In the spirit of Scouting and cultural exchange, we put together a night for members of Scouting in Paraguay to learn a little bit more about who we were and where we came from. There were pancakes and maple syrup, Canadian music, decorations, games and lots of fun. The atmosphere was greater than anyone could have imagined because of the knowledge that our project was a resounding success. Not only had we finished the school on schedule, we had made an impact locally and nationally, prompting action right up to the Ministry of Education.

Today was our dedication ceremony. From between the tears of joy and sadness for leaving, there were a number of speeches, presentations, a bit of cultural dancing and then a private toast in the new classroom. To great friends, great adventures, and the two of them coming together as often as possible. Who could ask for anything more? The remainder of today was filled with goodbyes, hugs, more tears and a lot of beef. There was a barbecue tonight at the Scout House in our honour. It proved that the hardest part is not in the planning and implementing a project like this, but in leaving it behind. Saying goodbyes is something for which you just can´t Be Prepared.

As we collect our things, get packed up and head on our way, we realize just what we found along the way. We found great friends, an amazing culture and welcoming people. We found the need for community involvement at a new level than we could have thought before. We found the most prosperous highs and most desperate lows of society living right next to eachother. We found lessons in everything we did, about society, about development, about Scouting and about ourselves. Most importantly, we found a community which had once been lost in the shuffle.

As we may move in our seperate directions now, we fan out from this project and continue to spread what we have learned and experienced here. It won´t possibly be forgotten, as it will likely contribute to everything we do in some small way. What we´ve found here is not an end to a project, but just a beginning.

Good Scouting