Work Day #5

Not a cloud in the sky this morning and a strong breeze out of the North made for pleasant work conditions. We stopped with nine and one half courses done at lunch time. We then had lunch at the house before returning to the church for the dedication service with the workers. The dedication service was different this year because of the split project and the people we had working with us, but was just as beautiful. It was a special time as they shared their love and appreciation for us, and we to them. Many tears were shed. The children were in the service as well because they had been an intimate part of the projects. One little boy, Fransisco, about 12, was sitting next to me. As the members of our group began to share their feelings, I looked down and saw tears rolling down Fransisco's face. He looked up at me and we cried together in love with our arms around each other.

We also made sure they knew about Bob and the special role he has played in our ministry in Honduras. We promised that if God allows Bob to be with us next year, we will make sure he gets to meet the members of Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva.

Finally we made sure they understood that we were the lucky ones who got to come down and work with them, which we could not have done without the full, loving support of our families, our Church, and our friends. While they may never meet you and you may never meet them we rejoiced in the fact that someday we will all sit before the throne of our Father God together worshipping together for eternity.

We (and I include all of you at home) have done a great work here which Team Two will complete next week. We have taken on the equivalent of three full projects with two teams and Steve Stephens (the onsite coordinator) is pleased and I believe surprised with how far along we got this week. Today as we were eating lunch in the stunning shady spot at the house, the breeze blowing through our hair, Gerardo stated that he knew that Carlitos and Jeremy were envisioning working half days and playing soccer the rest of the day, "but we shall see about that." We told him he was way off base because he had left out Jeremy's visions of siestas in the hammock.

We had a relaxed, fun afternoon in the market in Choluteca. We bought four machetes, two daggers, and two hammocks. Joel commented that the people of Choluteca were probably alerting the authorities that the strange gringos that have been hurling tennis balls at their children all week are now buying weapons. We then took a last trip to the Maxi Bodega. From there we proceeded to the city plaza where we stood in the doorway for a few minutes at the lovely cathedral and listened to the priest giving the homily at the Saturday evening mass, walked over to the city skate park with a collection of murals depicting - I kid you not - the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus, the Mona Lisa, Mother Teresa, Mickey Mouse, Spiderman, Tweety Bird, Winnie the Pooh and Scoobie Doo, and then returned to the house and walked to the bridge to view the end of today's sunset. We had our last Rosa dinner, supplemented by freshly chopped salsa prepared by Kristen and freshly made guacamole prepared by Joel.

We just had a logistical meeting for tomorrow which will be a full day. We will prepare our own hot breakfast, go to Sunday School at Vida Nueva, stop by the church at Alto de Santa Martha, come back to Choluteca, eat lunch, proceed to the beach, stop at the church in Monjares on the way back, be back in time for worship at Vida Nueva at 6:00, and then go to dinner at El Torito; while the rest of the world watches hours of Super Bowl pregame, programming, the game and the commercials. You can make up your own mind regarding who gets the better deal; but none of us want to trade places.

That's all for tonight.

In His name,
Team One