Bret
Aug 01, 2008
Dear Bay Ridge,
It has been a very busy few days. I have been working on the construction team the entire time, so I will only update you about that part of our work. Others will fill you in on the children’s ministry.
The entire construction crew has been working very hard. I dare say you could not find a volunteer group from a church who would work any harder. It is incredibly hot down here, and that definitely takes a toll. The entire crew comes back at the end of each day filthy, hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. At lunch the first day Clare came with the food, and said that one look told it all – we were exhausted. But it is a good exhaustion. We are enjoying being with each other and working together. There is a lot of laughter and fellowship. And we are getting a lot done – especially when you consider the primitive manner in which some of the work has to be done. (Not to mention the amateur status of most of the team – consider the fact that I am doing construction work!) We are learning new skills, and things are progressing nicely.
I will give one quick example of our work. Yesterday we had to make large concrete columns that are about 10 feet tall. To do this, we had the concrete delivered by a truck, which dumped it in a huge pile on the ground. Team members then put 2-3 gallons into a bucket, and passed it down a line, until it was handed up to Jon Hicks, who standing on top of a 55 gallon drum that was on top of scaffolding. He would then pour it down the form we had made for the concrete. This took the better part of 2 or 3 hours. We did 1.5 meters of concrete this way. At the end of this, we were all covered with grime and bits of cement and quite tired! Yet, everyone worked together well, did the work much more quickly than we thought possible, and kept a great attitude. I was very proud of the team.
Please keep praying for us. As I have said, it is very hot (including at night since there is no AC or even ice…) and everyone – both construction team and the children’s ministry team are laboring to serve Lee and Carol and the people of Mexico. Please pray for us to be filled with the Spirit, protected from the power and influence of the enemy, and that our labor would not be in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
I miss all of you and look forward to seeing you in 10 days or so.
In Christ,
Bret
It has been a very busy few days. I have been working on the construction team the entire time, so I will only update you about that part of our work. Others will fill you in on the children’s ministry.
The entire construction crew has been working very hard. I dare say you could not find a volunteer group from a church who would work any harder. It is incredibly hot down here, and that definitely takes a toll. The entire crew comes back at the end of each day filthy, hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. At lunch the first day Clare came with the food, and said that one look told it all – we were exhausted. But it is a good exhaustion. We are enjoying being with each other and working together. There is a lot of laughter and fellowship. And we are getting a lot done – especially when you consider the primitive manner in which some of the work has to be done. (Not to mention the amateur status of most of the team – consider the fact that I am doing construction work!) We are learning new skills, and things are progressing nicely.
I will give one quick example of our work. Yesterday we had to make large concrete columns that are about 10 feet tall. To do this, we had the concrete delivered by a truck, which dumped it in a huge pile on the ground. Team members then put 2-3 gallons into a bucket, and passed it down a line, until it was handed up to Jon Hicks, who standing on top of a 55 gallon drum that was on top of scaffolding. He would then pour it down the form we had made for the concrete. This took the better part of 2 or 3 hours. We did 1.5 meters of concrete this way. At the end of this, we were all covered with grime and bits of cement and quite tired! Yet, everyone worked together well, did the work much more quickly than we thought possible, and kept a great attitude. I was very proud of the team.
Please keep praying for us. As I have said, it is very hot (including at night since there is no AC or even ice…) and everyone – both construction team and the children’s ministry team are laboring to serve Lee and Carol and the people of Mexico. Please pray for us to be filled with the Spirit, protected from the power and influence of the enemy, and that our labor would not be in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
I miss all of you and look forward to seeing you in 10 days or so.
In Christ,
Bret