Breakfast was wonderful. Eggs, toast, cereal, and LOTS of fruit. Our cooks, Larissa and Aylinda are spoiling us. After breakfast, we headed out to meet the people for whom we will be drilling the well. The well will be in an area that has about 15 families, and a church. We will be drilling very near the church so many people will benefit from it.
We attended their Sunday morning worship. It was very cool. They literally had everyone participate in the service. The men, women and children all read scripture, sang and prayed. We could only pick up a few words, but their love for God was very apparent. We sang a couple of songs in English for them, and then sang Happy Birthday to Rob. Today was his 50th birthday! It was very touching when the preacher read a special blessing for him from Numbers 6. You know how there is always one certain person that catches your attention first - and seems to keep it? For me that was Dante. Dante has the brightest most sincere smile, warm eyes, and at maybe 8 or 9 years old, posesses a joy in the Lord that is way beyond his years.We said hello to many people, but werent given that chance to get to know them. That will come as the week progresses.
There were several uncomfortable moments as we were leaving. First, Adrian tapped us on the shoulders in the middle of someone's scripture reading and told us it was time to leave. We didn't get to say goodbye or anything. We just got up and left. We all felt very uncomfortable. I felt like we had just been very rude and disrespectful of them as people, and of their worship service. It got even a little worse when Adrian told us that we were waiting for them to get us a chicken for dinner! HOLD IT!!! We are waiting for the people who have nothing to give us a chicken?? Really?? People whose houses consist of various sizes of corrugated tin leaning on each other were going to feed us fat Americans? (Not all of us are literally fat, I use that word figuratively. I was mortified. AND I felt really bad for the chicken. They caught him, tied his legs together, and put him in the van to ride home with us. We really got no explanation as to why we were taking their chicken, so left to our own devices we decided that possibly that was about the community 'contributing' in some way to the well project, and that we would be offended if we didn't take it. So we accepted it - but it still really bothers me!
We came back to the compound and had lunch. We had sautéed chicken over lettuce. They served a side salad of peppers, onions, carrots etc with sweet vinegar dressing. It was different but good.
Then we got out first curve ball. The hygiene team met with the hygiene coordinator. As we started discussing the plans for the week, it quickly became apparent that we had planned for a bunch of things that weren't going to happen, and hadn't planned at all for some things that were going to happen. Since there are several small communities in the area, some of the folks have been coming to the hygiene/bible lessons at the other well sites, and therefore have seen lots of the lessons and done most of the crafts. So, we began to brainstorm as to how we could, with very limited time and resources come up with some new special crafts, especially for the mothers. Now, in the US we would just pull up our Pinterest account, find some cutey pie things, then run to Hobby Lobby. Not so much here. So we started thinking, started realizing what little we had to work with, then started panicking! Our anxiety level soared. It is funny how different people handle situations, and we all seemed to react diferently. It actually became a little easier after Scarlett left, becuase we could brainstorm with each other a little more quickly. We came up with some passable ideas, and began to plan them out. Our super organizers, (Lauren, Kristen and Theresa) got in the craft closet and made quick work of it. It is now a thing of beaty! Once we had some organization and a plan, things seemed to go a little more smoothly, at least mechanically. Emotionally we weren't there. We alternated between encouraging words, words of worry, and words of frustration. We have been preparing for this, some of us for over a year, We want so badly for it to be perfect, and it was eating our lunches! Our very wise friend Deanna suggested that we 4 go in a room and pray about it, We didn't do it, we chatted on and on about our what ifs and how manys, the whys and the wherefores, but we did not pray. Deanna mentioned a few more times before we really heard her. Silly us. He was just waiting for us to come to him and ask for the things that we needed. We finally prayed, Theresa, Deanna, Kristen, Emily, myself, and Lauren. Not just the four hygiene people, but our sisters on the drill team. Deanna knew what we needed to do, and continued to encourage us to do it. What a blessing to have someone keep their wise head while others around her were losing theirs. Now, it may sound trivial that we didn't have some silly crafts planned,but to us, it was a serious blow. My entire work on this mission trip has been based on the fact that I am a Colossians 3:23 girl. 'For whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as if working for the Lord, not for men. I expected these ladies in this village to get my A-game, the best of my best. Having to change it at the last minute with no resources made me feel like I would be giving then second best. But, as Theresa pointed out, we are not in control. God is, There is nothing that is too big for him - certainly not a craft lesson., So we now are remembering that God works for the good of those who love him. And I gotta say, this is a pretty amazing group of God lovers. And if we go in to that village tomorrow, and just smile, wave, shake hands, hug...if we truly go in and LOVE on those people with the love of the Lord - there is no limit to the glory that will be brought to God.
There is way more to tell about our day, but I have fallen asleep twice while writing. There will be more later, but I will leave you with a few pictures.
Below, you will see our group in front of Lake Cosibolca. It was a beautiful area in Downtown Granada, about 20 minutes drive from our compound. And below that, I couldn't resist, is my new best friend Max. They tell us we are not allowed to touch the dogs in the village, so I gotta get my dog lovin' in while I am in the compound.
Thank you all who are reading and supporting us with your prayers. We know that God is hearing your prayers, and has great things planned for us!
May my steps be worship, may my thought be praise, may my words bring honor to Your name.
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