It is late on Saturday night and we had a long day. Over to the project in the morning. Lots of volunteers showed up today, but it was slow going because the focus was on getting the wooden base for the viga forms built and raised up onto the supports. And then we hoisted up the re-bars and those were pretty heavy.




And while that was going on Amanda held an impromptu English class, using chalk on the side of the bodega (storage shed). The young boys and girls here really have been warming up to us as the week went on. Having a mission team in their school each day was a new experience for them and it looks like we broke the ice.






At noon we passed the word to pack up everything and stop for the day. I wish I had been quicker with my camera to catch all the volunteers we had. Part of the team had already returned to Mike and Glenda's house to help prepare for a fun afternoon playing with the Rincon youth group. So this photo is of the group that wrapped things up. Lots of tears were shed as we said goodbye. It's amazing how quickly you can form friendships/relationships even with people who don't understand your language, but can understand God's love.

Played lots and lots of soccer with these young folks. Handed out pamphlets called "The History of Jesus", which were made available to us by Betty McKamey of PAUMC church. The pamphlet presents the historical evidence from the gospels. Seemed to get a very good response. These young folk are very open to the gospel especially because of the love that Mike and Glenda have poured into them over the last six years.

Friday

It is amazing how quickly this time is passing. Friday morning we were up at 5:30, after individual morning devotions, had breakfast, got dried laundry folded and distributed. Then we loaded up and headed out for the school. We didn't get as many volunteers as usual, but that was OK, because most of the time was spent installing supports for the balcony viga. This is a blurry picture of it, but the only one I have. There are about 40 supports that look like a Roman cross and it took quite a while to set each one. On top of the 'cross' we will build a wooden form that will house the metal reinforcing bars, into which we will pour much concrete. This team was hoping to get at least some of the viga poured, but that doesn't look like it will happen. The weather got to us as we are now in the 'rainy' season. They call it winter here - May, June, July and August. Yesterday the morning was hot and humid, about 92%, with overcast sky, but then it cleared in the mid-day and the sun was very strong. But around 1:30 pm the sky darkened and then lightning, thunder and very heavy rain for well over and hour. We waited it out in a classroom, told stories, then completed erecting the supports.
Yesterday was a special day - it was Chantell's birthday so we began the day singing to her. At the school we had a pinata for the kids in honor of her birthday and all the kids sang Feliz Cumpleanos to her.

After that we had a very special treat. The classes prepared some childrens' songs that they sang to us, another class presented a little skit about a country peasant who came to town to sell his vegetables. Then all the teachers honored us with a traditional lunch that they had prepared for us. Beef, sausage, cheese, ensalada, tortillas, frijoles. It was EXCELLENT. Directora Santos spoke to us about how grateful they all are for the work, especially because this school was designed for 120 students and now serves 350. (The classrooms are horribly overcrowded). Pastor Giron spoke to them all about the sacrifice that the team (and those who donated) have made. Then I addressed the group and explained that we do not represent the government of the U.S. but rather that we represent the Kingdom of God, and to encourage them in investing their time into the children. We sang some praise songs, closed with a prayer and there were hugs all around.

As I write this it is Saturday morning. We were going to use this as a "play" day and go to the Pacific to a beach there, but have decided to stay here and work this morning and then go up to Escuela de Venezuela this afternoon and play soccer with the kids and join in their bible study time. Tonight we will close with our group devotion, get ourselves packed up and prepare to be at the airport by 9:30 am local time.

THURSDAY
Got to school (Fuerzas Armadas) early, had a prayer with team and the neighborhood volunteers to get the day started. One thing that's been neat is the number of people who have come to help - men, women and and removed the wood forms from the columns that we formed and poured yesterday. Finished forming the inside columns and poured three of four. Had lots and lots of help from the parents of the children, in fact today was mostly the mothers, and wow, did they work hard today; mixing and hauling concrete; recycling the wood forms that we took down. And their was lots of work preparing to pour the 'viga'.
We always take a one hour lunch break at noon, and today, not long after we got back to the school we had a serious thunderstorm and torrential rain. Held us up for over an hour. Then it was back to work, mixing concrete and pouring. Again, the women helping us worked VERY hard and we got a lot accomplished.

Thursday Morning May 20
My apologies for not keeping up, we are busy, with long days and evenings that seem to pass rather quickly. With the help of our two construction bosses Pastor Giron and Mario we are coming along well. In this photo the columns have just been poured and are still in their wooden forms. The man standing up high is Noel, and he poured each one by hand as we used 5 gallon buckets. We will pull the forms off today and move to the inside columns. Lots of helpers still come each day and jump right in and work hard along side of us. Also, they very patiently listen to our fractured 'Spanglish' and help us with understanding each other. The children are beginning to get more used to us and we are making more and more friends with them. The school has had to change its schedule into split sessions on order to accommodate the physical disruption that we are. But all are doing well.

We presented Directora Santos with a team T-shirt and she was quite pleased. Each of us are going to receive a T-shirt with the schools emblem emblazoned on it. That will be special.
We went up to Picachu last night to see the city from the overlook, and afterwards we went to El Patio with Pastor Giron and his wife Maria Julia as our guests, and had a wonderful dinner.


All of the concrete is being mixed by hand and that's quite a process to see. Today we will continue on these front columns and hopefully get into the ones on the inside of the class rooms. On Friday we hope to get the horizontal beams in place. They are called the "vigas". If we can get them done the all will be ready for the welder who will come next week (after we are gone) and he will install the floor joists.

We quit early yesterday (1:30 pm) so that we could go up to Picachu and view the city from high above. There is also a 120 foot tall statue of Jesus that is quite impressive. And we took a team picture there as well.

Monday, May 17

The roof is off, the trusses are out. We discovered that we have to add extra columns for support in addition to the four columns for the overhang portion of the 2nd floor. Al Erickson and I, along with two young men from Michael's youth group, Giovanni and Santiago, worked together all day. In addition to Pastor Giron, we have a brother and veteran team member of Kairos Honduras named Mario that are directing the construction. We also have a wonderful older man named Alejandro helping us. He is retired, and he literally built his own home (and it's visible just 100 yards from the school) and it is a beautiful looking house. He is such a gentle man. Plus there is a young man named Alvin, who is a pastor of a house church and he speaks quite decent English - he has a son in the first grade at this school, he is helping as much as possible. Another man named Luis Sanchez helped on Saturday and today, he is also a pastor and has a son in the 3rd grade at this school. And he spoke real decent English. Along with Marlon and Rosa, and Jessica and many more who work along side of us in the heat, putting up with our fractured Spanish. This evening we are having a beautiful gentle rain. Had barbecued chicken, rice and green beans for supper - we are NOT losing any weight at all. Looking forward to our evening devotion and a restful night of sleep. We are awakened by numerous birds singing to us at 4:30 to 5 in the morning. Their songs are as sweet as angels' songs.

Day 1

Hola amigas y amigos. Today was the first day at the school. We started bright and early which allowed us to accomplish a lot of work. When we arrived at the school we began the demolition of the roof of the roof. Al was powering through the cieling tiles while the local men and mike were working ontop of the roof. Much of the morning was spent hauling wood, cieling tiles, and other debri such as pigion nests away. Everyone was excited to put in their hand where needed. We had an opportunity to tour the school and meet some of the children. They were very excited to see us. Upon looking into a first grade classroom the warmly welcomed us with "Buenos diaz Americanos..." It was amazing to see their excitement for us. After a quick 4 hours we all were astonished over what had been accomplished the roof off and demolition of the old concrete started. We took a quick break for lunch to get relenished and headed back to work. When we arrived back at the school the temperature had increased greatly. However, we manged to knock down most rest of the old concrete and had a ton of help from the muchachos (children) hauling the debri away. They were so excited to help they would not let us hold a shovel or broom and even hauled rocks in sack bags. The day ended with us cleaning up the end of the demolition while the woman twisted wire. It was amazing to see everyone pull together and have a wonderful first day with many accomplishments. Praise be to God

We're Here!!

We arrived this afternoon with no problem. Good flights, no lost luggage, passports or team members! We're enjoying relaxing here at the Miller's home. Tomorrow, we will go up and see the completed first building, and then begin doing rebar and concrete at the second building.

Love to all of you guys, keep us in your prayers.

posted by Gayle O