I think everyone slept well last night. Everyone seemed refreshed and renewed. This morning, breakfast was a little different. Instead of rice and beans, we had pancakes, scrambled eggs with bacon, along with fruit—papaya, cantaloupe, and the sweetest bananas.
We arrived back in Guapinol with great energy and willingness to work. We began with moving more rocks, which we can now do quite efficiently! We placed the gray water pipe, set up the rest of our rock wall and filled in the space with dirt to finish shoring up the foundation. Then we began to make stucco. We toted buckets of sand and 100lb bags of concrete, mixed them together, added water. Then, we were shown how to put the stucco on the walls. Frog, Mark, Jamie, Jacob, and the preacher took turns trying. I guess they decided to give the job to Mark and Jamie after they seemed to pick up the skill quickly. We are certainly realizing all of the conveniences of home that we don’t pay much attention to.
A lady in the community was using a machete to chop down a (relatively) small tree. She made it look like there was nothing to it, so I decided to take a turn. Needless to say, the entire team and the community had a good laugh, but I did master the machete enough to chop a limb off that tree.
The work began to slow down while Jamie and Mark and some of the men we are working with continued to put stucco on the wash house. The rest of us were anxious to have more work to do, so they told us to dig a ditch to connect the water supply line to the new wash building. After we did that, we were looking for another task, but began thinking, “Maybe God is waning us to stop and just be in his presence; spending time with him is an important part of this trip. We rush through our days wanting one more thing to do, one more place to go, one more person to see.” I felt like he was just saying, “Stop!”
We take so much for granted; things all around us. While visiting with our new friends in Guapinol, we have seen how thankful to God they are. They thank God for everything–even the air they breathe! I decided I need to thank him more and not go around thinking that all I have is because of what I have done.
Jose and Rosibel prepared a wonderful lunch for us– chicken with vegetables, rice, and corn tortillas. And then… coconut pudding! After lunch, we sifted more sand, mixed more stucco, and unloaded the laundry sinks from the truck. It took about 5 men to carry them. The excitement of the ladies when they got to touch the sinks was powerful. In their excitement, they even pretended to do laundry as we took photos!
We left work a little early to go visit the project that was built with the money that our Tweens Class raised last year. Lia, Shelby, and Jacob were so excited (and I was too). I am becoming more emotional just writing this. This was one of the most touching experiences I have ever had. The road to the site was very rugged, but there were several men from the community who met us when we finally got there. They were on the board for the water project, and the greeted us and expressed their gratitude for partnering with the to accomplish such a vital project. The project has provided water to 45 families and 250 people!
We had to walk a little ways to the actual site, but after we arrived it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. The men were proud of it and were pleased to share it with us. We were able to look into the well that they told us was dug by hand. The kids were able to see their reflection in the water of the well! It has a gas operated pump to move the water from the well into an elevated tank that was connected to the galvanized lines that supply water to the homes. Right now, they have to walk to the well twice a day to run the pump and fill the tank. They have an electric pump that they were able to purchase with the money that we raised. They want to connect it soon so that they won’t have to keep walking down to fill the tank, but they have not yet been able to get electricity run to the pump. As we left, our translator Marcos pointed out three outhouses at the school that were a part of the same project. We are so often unaware at the need for water, a vital part of our existence that we so often take for granted.
Today, for me, was a day spent with God. He has been showing that his greatest power is revealed when we listen to him and follow his desires for our hearts. He has an agenda greater than we could ever have for ourselves. We are able to help each other and love each other. He is everywhere, not just in one state or one country, but everywhere!