footings and fútbol

I got a little behind this weekend on e-mails  so here is the latest from Phil & Davis from Saturday!!

McCarn Mission 

Blog Post #3

29 June 2013

El Progresso, Honduras

Yesterday (day 3) we followed the same schedule as the day before. Breakfast at 7:30, then off to the village to continue work on the house that we started. The footings that we dug the day before were now ready for concrete. By the way, there are no cement mixing trucks. It was truly amazing to watch the cement mixing process that has been passed down from generation to generation…at least the ones fortunate enough to have the means to build homes. We started by shoveling dirt into two wheelbarrows and dumping them on the ground in a pile. They then poured out bags of cement on the dirt and repeated this. We then shoveled that pile into another pile in the shape of a mountain. We then dug out the center of the mountain to form a large crater in the middle of the pile. We then took buckets of water from the river and poured them into the center of the crater. We then would slowly start from the outside “walls” of the crater and shovel dirt into the center until the walls collapsed into the middle and we then mixed the cement with our shovels. We then formed two lines. Two or three men would shovel the wet cement into buckets and we would pass the buckets down the line to someone standing in the footings of the house. They would dump in the cement and send the empty buckets back down the other line. It took about 20 or 30 minutes to get all of the cement we had just mixed into the trenches for the footings. You can only imagine how many times this must be repeated to the all the footings poured for one house. The metals columns that Davis helped tie together the day before were set in to the corners and cemented in so that they would be secure for when the blocks were laid. The work ethic of these people still amazes me. I put in one of the hardest days of manual labor of my life. It’s amazing how God gives energy when serving others and the outcome of your work  means so much to others. 

Davis and the local village kids did find some time to play a game of pick up soccer. He and his new friend Caleb (traveling with us on the team) began kicking a ball around with two or three of the boys after lunch. It’s amazing how they completed organized a game of two-on-two soccer, made makeshift goals with rocks and sticks and kept score, called out of bounds, etc. It was as if they spoke the same language.  They did have a translator come over to help them exchange pleasantries and the awesome hugs and handshakes after a hard fought, hour-long game were second nature to everyone who played. 

We also did our first VBS classes at both the village and the orphanage. It was awesome watching these kids who have nothing worship Jesus. They sang to the king in Spanish and heard a great story about prayer and how they can remember certain attributes of Jesus by remembering what certain colors stand for. 

The night ended with something that I did not expect. Sheldon, our leader and guide here in Honduras, invited all who wanted to go to play basketball of all things in a gym owned by the city of El Progresso. He was a former high school and collegiate basketball and football player and loves to shoot hoops. We played in a gym that had a roof but no door. The floor was concrete but the goals were good quality with glass backboards, etc. We played half court four-on-four and, needless to say, I am quite sore this morning. If I’m not careful between the hard work and play here, I am going to end up getting in shape in Honduras. It’s nice to work hard and play hard. 

Davis and I finished the night by sharing leftover pizza with the group in the hotel lobby and then we showered and went off to bed. Today we work for a half day and then take the kids at the orphanage swimming. Davis is loving it. He did asked last night about home and may be getting the first inklings of some home sickness. He misses his mom, his brothers and sister. But he is having a complete ball here. His work ethic has been buyoued by the people here. He was the hardest worker on his team building the reinforcement columns yesterday. He finished his lunch early and wanted to get right back to work. 

He and his buddy, little Wilbur, were always looking for each other yesterday. Wilbur’s mom found us before the buses left the village so that Wilbur could have one more hug. Mario is now the newest friend. He is closer to Davis’ age and was part of the soccer game. 

Much love to give here today. Blessed to be here.