Hello. My name is Manual. Manual Labor. Or at least I feel like it is. This month has been dedicated to construction and we all feel it! Here is a summary of the things we’ve been doing:
Palacaguina: We were fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to help build a missionary house for 516 Now. This house will be located behind Jaime’s current home (a 516 Now pastor) and will be a blessing to the folks that come do ministry work here in Palacaguina! Several girls spent time working with rebar and some of us were fortunate enough to work in what we called the “poop hole.” Yep, its true. We helped dig and shovel out rocks in this 12-foot hole! …. Ok, it was about this deep when we got there… we are rockstars but that’s insane!
** Digging away with our friends 🙂
** Quick break for a photo in my new favorite shirt
** Jade and Erica in the “poop hole”
** Erica and I. Sledge hammer – like a boss
Yep, that’s pretty intense 🙂 On Wednesday, March 5th, we were able to drive about an hour outside of Palacaguina up a mountain to help break ground for a church. What an glorious view! And guess what we did… we dug holes!
** Hillary and I digging the start of Hole 3
** Get it Erica and Jade!
** Jessica and April getting after it!
** The view from the church
** So happy to have completed the digging of Hole 3
** Team Hole 3 rocking out in the hole we dug! Yeah, it was pretty rocky!
So, even though I had never used a pickaxe, a sledgehammer, and rarely had used a shovel… I’m getting the hang of it!
Leon: Little did we know that our work in Palacaguina would be a little warm up to what awaited us in Leon. Now here we are with our Korean contact, Pablo, working on a future site of a ministry retreat! We are, again, digging in!! Our days start at 7 with breakfast at our hostel, El Albergue and then we head out around 8 to the construction site. We break up in teams, some on dirt, some on rock harvesting, some on thumping. We are working to make the ground even in the room that will be the chapel. Did I mention we look good doing it?
** Yeah, I know, we really do look good! Bandanas are clutch too since the wind picks up dirt
** Zachary and I with our shovels and wheelbarrow
** I found Virginia Tech shorts here 🙂
** Jess, Julie and Isaiah working hard in that heat
** I love the pickaxe… most days
** Some call this shade… its all we got, so we appreciate it!
** So much progress, we are rockstars!
Here we are, working from 8-5 in 95+ degree weather, limited shade, and really hot water but its amazing. We have such an great opportunity to work on a place that will help fill pastors up, help spread the word, and help educate the local community!
We are ready to dig in, dig in, dig in!!
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.”
~ Colossians 3:23,24
