My back may be the best one to explain the happenings of today; however, I think it is too sore to talk! Today was a work day! We arrived at the village to the normal welcoming of the niños, and the ladies jumped into the programming, while the men jumped into work projects. The first project was to build a cement step/platform, for the bottom of the stairs leading to the school, from the road. Seemed easy enough, until I realized that all the frames would need to be made by hand, and the bags of cement would need to be completely mixed manually. The framing was a bit technical for us Gringos, so we let the locals focus on most of that work. We began to haul sand and gravel around to prepare for the mixing of cement. As the frames were built the locals then showed us how to properly mix cement, making it look simple enough. Not only was the process pretty involved, they didn't warn us about how hard the labor would be! It didn't take but one load of mixing cement for the heat and humidity to catch up, making the task even more tiring. We shoveled and shoveled, mixing cement and sand with water, then hauled the buckets of cement down the stairs to be poured. I can't imagine how many times this process took place. The work ethic of the Hondurans is unmatched. They continued to work, and usually came up to help us with smiling faces when we were falling behind. Off the top of my head, I don't think I have ever sweat that much or worked that hard!
There was a pride that was growing among the community in there school. The Honduran men seemed to work harder knowing that the community would be uplifted. It was more than just a cement slab, it was a symbol of pride in their home. We didn't talk much with the men working, partly because of the language barrier, and partly because there was a job to do. However, throughout the day a bond was developing. Maybe even more so as they looked at us and laughed as we made mistakes, and moved at a slower pace. I think it was about what they expected from a bunch of gringos. Hours went by and we eventually mixed the last bit of cement, and hauled the final bucket to be poured. It was a good, but incredibly sore, feeling!
In the evening we had the opportunity to tour a coffee mill where the coffee of the farmer's we had been working with, is processed and prepped for export. It is an incredible process to witness. From the "cupping" (an elaborate tasting process to ensure quality), to sorting the beans, to roasting, to packaging, and shipping. You could tell they took pride in their work. We had the opportunity to try the "cupping" process, which Lindsey and I were extremely excited about. By far, it was the best and freshest coffee I have had in my life!
After the tour we returned to the Hotel to enjoy a dinner with the youth group from Ebenzer church, who have been assiting us with the VBS. One the menu, local pizza. However, the pizza was a bit confusing. It was Chicago-style pizza, in Honduras, made by a Cantonese man. And it was as delicious as it was confusing! It is one of the most popular eateries in Siguatepeque, at least among the group from Ebenzer church. I am often blown away by the diversity of God creation. His creativity in food, people, cultures, is something to be marveled.
Just a short post for today, back is crying out for me to take a few more ibuprofen and close the eyes. Thanks again for the support in reading and praying.