The team got right to work. Painting, installing the drop ceiling, and working on the concrete/block building were our 3 staple projects, but we added a few more projects to today's repertoire. For instance, the guys were given the job of removing nails from all of the boards used as forms for the concrete - we are talking about a lot of boards, but they did it with joy, and did a great job. We also added some digging, leveling of the dirt, and preparing an area for concrete. The girls did a lot of this - and they did a great job as well.
We had the opportunity to help with the gym class, and of course we ended up playing soccer with the kids. Mark, Matt, Colton and I stood in the goal and told the kids that we were going to all be goalies - to which they promptly told us that we were only allowed to have one. We argued with them a little, and they were hilarious!
Later in the afternoon, a few of the teen guys and I were asked to play soccer against a group of Guatemalan teens. Our kids were so excited when we came out on top 5-2. The score really doesn't matter, as relationships are the real issue, but it was nice for our guys to at least win one game.
We capped off the day at Verbana by playing 2 different forms of soccer with the maintenance guys. First was a 5 on 5 game on the basketball court (it also has soccer goals - go figure). We did that for about 1/2 hour, then we moved it to the full soccer field, and played Guatemalan's against the US team. No surprise there - we lost. However, if you ask Colton how we did, he will cheerfully tell you that he scored the final and winning goal. What he will fail to mention is that he was our goalie, and the goal he dropped the ball into was our own! We had a wonderful time of exercise and competition. We took group pictures and headed for home. (Although right before we boarded the van, Mark took a ride on one of the guys' motorcycles. He didn't get far, the engine kept stalling. Matt said it was because the bike didn't like Gringos!)
At Thelma's we cleaned up, ate dinner and shared our highlights of the day. Then we moved to the couches and watched the 500+ pictures from today. These guys know how to laugh together - laughing at themselves and each other. It really was a great day!
Tomorrow? More of the same! They are loving what they are doing, and I know the kids, the teachers and the workers are being blessed by them. It really has been a great week so far.
Thought for the day: It has been neat watching the team relate to the workers - especially the maintenance crew. They started the week as strangers, but by today, they are friends. These guys are more than just co-workers to the team, they are people with families, personalities, strengths, abilities... They are people much like we are.
The thought - what is it that brings people together so quickly when they know so little about each other to begin with? Is it just the fact that they are working together? I don't think so. I believe that both sides recognize the work of the other group is part of their own work. Without the maintenance guys, we couldn't do any of the things we are doing, and without us coming to work alongside them, they would take longer and they would miss out on the hilarious activity of the group.
That, by itself, is still not enough though. I think the final piece of the puzzle is that what both groups are doing is for an eternal purpose. Yeah, we are building buildings, painting walls, installing ceilings... But we are sharing life with people that we will spend eternity with. And all of that is because of Jesus Christ - to God be the glory!
Thank you, Father, for allowing us to taste a bit of heaven as we minister with parts of the body that we would never get to apart from a trip like this. Thank you for giving us oneness and purpose because of Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment