AMAZING Work

We were greeted with French toast for breakfast, and as always, fresh fruit. “Sweet Caroline” was today’s wake-up song. That can get anyone going.

I believe everyone slept a little better last night. Perhaps they are already getting used to “memory” foam mattresses (which means the memory of your shape will be ready for you the next night), overstuffed pillows, roosters who can’t tell time, and dogs that love to have conversations all night.

Once again missioners loaded the military truck with all the wood needed and headed up the mountainside. Most of the group walked uphill. I am definitely out of shape. The hill on 7^th St. SE did not prepare me for today’s climb!

Everyone quickly went to work. There were several children at the site waiting for our students. Sometimes our students have a difficult time getting their work done because children are hanging on them, climbing on them, chatting with them, but we also like that our students are playing with the Honduran children. Just imagine what wonderful memories those children will have because our kids treated them like they are special, and they are!

I’m not sure what kind of workers your children are when they’re home, but believe me, they are nothing short of amazing here. I love to watch them tackling a huge rock that needs to be moved from the yard so a pila and latrine can be built. They would even be climbing ladders to the top and cutting wood with the power saws if we’d let them. We have discussed the possibility of having students practicing their nailing technique before future trips, though. But, they don’t give up, even if that nail takes quite some time to be pounded in totally.

We had tuna and noodle casserole for lunch, and we are having pupusas for supper. You can google it if you don’t know what that is. Although Hondurans don’t observe the No meat on Friday rule during Lent, most of all because many of them might not eat anything, we Americans are following it.

The team had a 40 minute siesta; some went outside to play with the students. Now they are back at the work site, where they will probably complete the walls for all the homes today. Tomorrow we’ll begin painting the homes. I stayed behind so I can get today’s blog up in time for you to read it tonight. I know that many of you watch for it to go up.

Padre Travis will celebrate mass tonight. We have invited the Populorum boys to join us. Those young men live here at the school and attend the university. They are all from various poor villages and on scholarship through ACOES, which is run by Fr. Patricio and Fr. Alvaro.

Fr. Alvaro asked us if his students that are studying English can do a presentation about what they do, speaking in English. We will have our students explain our projects in Spanish. They don’t know that yet. It’s a surprise that I’ll spring on them during tonight’s junta. J

I hope you’re enjoying the blog. Tomorrow you’ll see lots of painting and bed building. Continue to pray for our team to carry out our mission to the fullest extent.