Tuesday, 19 July 2016

After a breakfast of quesadillas, avocado, and refried beans accompanied by fruit, juice, and coffee, we assembled for our journey to the church. The the rain began with a really heavy downpour. Fortunately, it had stopped by the time we had reached the church a short distance away. After checking that yesterday's hard work hadn't been ruined by last night's rainfall, we went into the church to find much of the floor covered in water due to a leak in the sacristy.

Our opening worship service included two hymns accompanied on the guitar by our construction leader, Carlos. During the service, Father Marcos revealed how he nearly gave up on seminary because of the hardship of the hour-long walk there and then the same journey on his return home. However, his wife persuaded him it was worthwhile, which left him reading a bible passage inspiring him not to give up.

Returning to the worksite, we leaned that Carlos had prevented damage to the ovens by covering the newly poured cement with plastic. Thus, work was able to continue with bricklaying the surround of of the oven.

Fortunately the skies remained clear until 12:30 when it was time to break for lunch. Lunch was delicious, consisting of fried fish, rice and beans, and plantain, accompanied by a very spicy salsa. The drink served was hibiscus juice, and this was followed by slices of water melon.

After lunch, Carlos again played the guitar and sang popular songs enjoyed by the children and adults as well. Yes, each day we are joined by several little boys from the Episcopal school who are on vacation right now. They are quite helpful, carrying buckets of sand for the cement, but their great enjoyment is coming from Marci's iPad and Abigail's guitar.

Work continued with the finishing of the stove and the welding of the roof supports. We stopped for  break mid-afternoon and were fed delicious savory pastelitos. Light rain started soon after, but that didn't stop Father Marcos from continuing with the welding. The last cement mix was made just before the pouring rain began. This load was to go behind a door at the back of the church where it was believed the rain was entering. The rain put a stop to any more work but, as it was past 4 p.m., it was not much of an interruption. Our trip back to the Green Frog included a stop at the grocery store for more water, fruit, and other liquid refreshment.

After a quick shower, we were on the road again to Restaurante Linda Marfe for another delicious Honduran dinner. This meal was different as we were all served a salad before we ordered our entree...something that had never happened before and a welcome change to have some lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber. Following our meal, it was home and off to bed to rest our weary bodies in time for our next day of laying the floor of the stove area (pouring the concrete slab). Carlos will not be here on Wednesday, so we are not starting the second stove until Thursday.

<<Marilyn>>