We are all getting ready for dinner (6:20 pm now) and we had our first real work day outside the posada. the holy cross group was fortunate to go with Eduardo, the Esperanza volunteer coordinator, who oversaw the mixing of rock, sand, and concrete mix in a very old concrete mixer, in order to pour a roof for a house that had its walls and foundations already done. Wow what a job it became - from shoveling rock and sand and carrying buckets to mixing the concrete in the mixer to retrieving buckets -at-a-time out of the cement 'boat' to handing off buckets in an assembly line to dumping the concrete on the roof, to handing the buckets on the assembly line empty and then throwing them off the roof for someone to catch to fill again and start the process. We all were filthy after being there for about 20 min - from head to toe - some more than others. I think Brianna, Rhys, Zach, Jamie, and Becca all may have tied for the most concrete dust from head to toe. Although I think that Steve Homiack and Norm could have won that prize also. All i know (this is carole marti) is that i had conrete throughout my hair and all over my sunglasses and just about everywhere.....and most of it actually washes off.
We met the family we were working for - a younger couple with 4 children. The children took to the kids working on the project right away. When we went to leave, Ryan, Tayla, Frazer, and Jamie really had a hard time saying good bye to the kids who were like their little buddies tied to their legs and arms.
The family cooked lunch for us - chicken (spicy sauce of some kind....very good), refried beans, and mac and cheese, mexican style (made with noodles but definitely good). Some of the hardier souls tried some of the chili peppers (monte, stephen, shaun, logan, jordan, alissa, jamie, norm, probably some others) and they definitely agreed they were super spicy....but the host family loved it!
the kids really got to see life from another perspective with the conditions that this family lives in currently. they invited us into their home and the kids got to see what a family of 6 was living in - 400 square feet (maybe) with 2 hot plates for cooking.......but they actually had a 'floor' (neighbors around them all have dirt floors with rugs to cover the ground to keep their homes from getting too dusty).
Tomorrow we are going to a couple of projects - one is to work on walls at a house that is in progress, and one is to tear down some walls of a house to make way for a new one to be built. More hard work to be sure, but we have not heard one complaint from anyone, even with the few cuts and scrapes that folks have endured..........normal stuff to be sure.
I will upload some pics tonight (takes a bit of time so hopefully they will come through). Most will likely be from our work day today.
Once again, we appreciate all of the blessings and prayers of our home parish family. We are truly making a difference!
Carole & the mission trekker team
Trekkers- you truly are making a difference! We know that the physical work is harder than one can imagine especially with the heat and the sun. The smiles that beam on the faces of these families, as you help them fulfill their dream, will last a lifetime. At home, we are smiling too because you have filled our hearts with pride. We are so grateful that our Holy Cross family provided this wonderful opportunity for God's work to be done. Stay hydrated and try not to get sunburned. Keep smiling! Sending lots of hugs and kisses.
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THANKS FOR THE PHOTOS!
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