Tonight marks the third night in a row of sleeping outside. It is after midnight now and the temperature is down to 88 degrees Fahrenheit. Our group stopped counting mosquito bites two days ago and I’ve discovered that when you spend the day profusely sweating, you can drink over a gallon of water and only urinate once during a 12-hour day.
Even so, my Coleman brand cot is reasonable comfortable and I’m sleeping well, with no sheet or blanket, wrapped only with a mosquito net, mummy-style, head to toe. I woke up yesterday morning with three mosquitos circling directly over my face… and that was good news… they couldn’t get through the net.
Today we cleared out a storm-damaged lot, piling debris and brush into a burn mound. I purchased a new shovel and machete from the hardware store down the road. Pastor Hugo sharpened the machete for me (on both sides) and then I soon stuck the tip of it into the back of my leg. It’s only about an inch long, but reasonably deep. An alcohol bath and and butterfly bandage later and it’s all good. Now I am keely aware of two things: the machete is longer than the one I have at home, and it is also much sharper. Thanks Pastor, it sure can cut.
In the meantime, we chased an ice-cream truck, played with some amazing kids, and ate what tasted like the world’s best fried chicken… Pollo Granjedo, or something like that. Pastor Julio and his wife, Daisy have been absolutely amazing partners, hosts, and friends.
We had a pretty amazing church service tonight though, with testimonies from Dalton, Cameron, and Vince, and then a live action rendering of I Samuel’s Daniel in the Lion’s Den by Logan, Jacob, and Adam, translated by Antony. Each Emmaus Team member then introduced him or herself and I told a story about crashing my Mammaw Ruth on a bicycle, talked about Abraham some, and expressed how sometimes we just have to let go and trust that God has already provided our salvation. No one threw rocks, so it must not have been too awful.
The 6 guys of the crew played soccer tonight at local field that was equipped with lights and turf. We were told it was, “Four blocks away,” but it was certainly much farther than that. I think that “blocks” must have been in metric or something? Once we were there, I sat with all the women because: (1) I was the OLDEST person there [well, this is a new feeling], and I didn’t want to break myself six hours away from medical help, and (2) I’m aware that I’m the only van driver, so an injury to me would ground the team. Of course… these two logical choices didn’t stop the Guatemalan men from having a fun time at my expense as I sat with the women.
Tomorrow we leave Fronteras (Rio Dulce, Guatemala area), and drive on a road that we know has been recently damaged by the same storms that ripped up the lot we fixed. We’re not sure how long the normal 5 hour drive will take. Some estimates have it at 7 hours. We hope to find our next temporary home, El Retiro Lodge, where we’ll set up the hammocks and cots again for two nights in a thatch walled, shack with a roof. We’re all praying for rain so that the nights can cool down to a more comfortable level.
I just shut out the lights and saluted a goodnight to Julio, and nine souls are resting soundly as we all dream of our anticipated next leg tomorrow morning.
Even so, my Coleman brand cot is reasonable comfortable and I’m sleeping well, with no sheet or blanket, wrapped only with a mosquito net, mummy-style, head to toe. I woke up yesterday morning with three mosquitos circling directly over my face… and that was good news… they couldn’t get through the net.
Today we cleared out a storm-damaged lot, piling debris and brush into a burn mound. I purchased a new shovel and machete from the hardware store down the road. Pastor Hugo sharpened the machete for me (on both sides) and then I soon stuck the tip of it into the back of my leg. It’s only about an inch long, but reasonably deep. An alcohol bath and and butterfly bandage later and it’s all good. Now I am keely aware of two things: the machete is longer than the one I have at home, and it is also much sharper. Thanks Pastor, it sure can cut.
In the meantime, we chased an ice-cream truck, played with some amazing kids, and ate what tasted like the world’s best fried chicken… Pollo Granjedo, or something like that. Pastor Julio and his wife, Daisy have been absolutely amazing partners, hosts, and friends.
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| Project Start |
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| Project Finish Temperature today: 111 degrees Fahrenheit |
We had a pretty amazing church service tonight though, with testimonies from Dalton, Cameron, and Vince, and then a live action rendering of I Samuel’s Daniel in the Lion’s Den by Logan, Jacob, and Adam, translated by Antony. Each Emmaus Team member then introduced him or herself and I told a story about crashing my Mammaw Ruth on a bicycle, talked about Abraham some, and expressed how sometimes we just have to let go and trust that God has already provided our salvation. No one threw rocks, so it must not have been too awful.
The 6 guys of the crew played soccer tonight at local field that was equipped with lights and turf. We were told it was, “Four blocks away,” but it was certainly much farther than that. I think that “blocks” must have been in metric or something? Once we were there, I sat with all the women because: (1) I was the OLDEST person there [well, this is a new feeling], and I didn’t want to break myself six hours away from medical help, and (2) I’m aware that I’m the only van driver, so an injury to me would ground the team. Of course… these two logical choices didn’t stop the Guatemalan men from having a fun time at my expense as I sat with the women.
Tomorrow we leave Fronteras (Rio Dulce, Guatemala area), and drive on a road that we know has been recently damaged by the same storms that ripped up the lot we fixed. We’re not sure how long the normal 5 hour drive will take. Some estimates have it at 7 hours. We hope to find our next temporary home, El Retiro Lodge, where we’ll set up the hammocks and cots again for two nights in a thatch walled, shack with a roof. We’re all praying for rain so that the nights can cool down to a more comfortable level.
I just shut out the lights and saluted a goodnight to Julio, and nine souls are resting soundly as we all dream of our anticipated next leg tomorrow morning.
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