Wednesday July 2nd

Our third day of work here in Mexico was very eventful. We started out by splitting into our different work groups doing several things such as laying blocks, pouring floors, and digging a foundation. The process of laying block involves laying down large cinder blocks and using the cement for mortar. It is imperative that the blocks are straight and all the same height. Pouring a floor is very similar to pouring a roof. First you mix the cement, pass the cement along in buckets, and then pour the cement on the flooring. Digging the foundation proved to be very difficult as the ground is extremely rocky and tough to dig. After lunch, we had a short church service with the Mexican families we are building houses with. We sang songs together in Spanish and enjoyed spending time worshipping together. Then we were all surprised with a trip to the Rio Blanca, a river close to where we are staying, to swim and have a relaxing afternoon. We swam all the way down the river, over slimy rocks and mud, only to get kicked off of a private Mexican farm playground. On the way back down the river, many boys and Sarah Starbuck climbed up trees and jumped into the river. Playing in the river was a refreshing way to end our afternoon. Driving to and from the river, Woo, the driver’s ed. teacher who taught many of us to drive, was pulled over by the Mexican police twice. However after explaining that we were here doing mission work they let him off the hook. After our trip to the river, we held VBS for the Mexican children. We sang songs, played duck duck goose, and tie dyed t-shirts with the kids. It was fun for everyone as we all formed special relationships with the ninos. We ended the day with a delicious American meal of hamburgers and hotdogs. At night, Casey talked about changing the way we view the world and how we treat others around us here and at home. We are all exhausted and can’t wait to get a good night’s sleep so we can work hard again tomorrow.

Liz Sims, Becky Spitzer, and Katie Kelly