Hola!
Today was fantastic! I was able to see the hands of feet of Jesus through our team as we worked and interacted with the kids and adults at the school today! Everyone on the team, including myself worked with all our heart as working for the Lord, like it says in Colossians 3:23. The atmosphere while on the work site is great, and the whole trip here so far (only been 2 days) has been..... there aren't any words to describe it. It's just been that amazing.
We started today breakfast as usual and I was grateful that there wasn't any beans or rice on the table. I had my favourite meal! Pancakes! Delicious! The food here has been amazing. It tastes a bit better than what I have at home (Don't tell my Mom that...yikes).
We started the work day early, being at the school around 9:00. I was shocked right away when we drove into the school yard. Hundreds of kids everywhere and some of them swarmed the van, and even some started to climb the van before it even stopped. I stuck my hand out and gave them high fives. It was pretty funny watching their faces as they did that, and was joyful to see all the kids jumping and playing around. It's a good sight to see bright and early in the morning.
Everyone on the team loved to see all the kids there. We tried our best ot talk to them too, but the language barrier was a bit of a problem. Thankfully we have a translator to communicate with them. We learned a lot of spanish phrases such as, “You have a beautiful smile”, “How are you?”, “Good morning/evening”, “What time is it?” and “You're beautiful” (This one I used for the ladies). It was very cool to be able to talk to them, even if it was just small talk.
Work was hard, hot, and long... and yet I enjoyed every bit of it! What made it so great was our willingness to serve others. Like I said before, we tried and suceeded to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Jesus came to this earth not to be served but to serve others (Matthew 20:28). We try to follow His example. This day we mananged to clear the playground area, and we started digging out the foundation of the roof we are trying to build. We also managed to finish cleaning all the oil of the steel, and there was a lot of steel! Overall, today was a productive day for work. Thanks be to God!
The highlight for me today was when we took a tour of the school after lunch. The principal first showed us the computer lab and the library, but then she brought us to a classroom filled with about 20-30 high school students. We then talked to them; we introduced ourselves and they told us their names. We also talked to them about Canada. But near the end one girl asked us, “Why are you here?” Henry Lunshof answered that, saying that we recognize the need for developing better schools here and so we fundraised and paid our way to be here and supply materials for the construction so we can be the hands and feet of Jesus in this foreign country. Now at that moment I realized the importance of actully going to the areas that help so you can serve and create relationships, rather than just giving money to the organization. It totally creates that much more of a change.
I'd like to thank you for all your prayers and please keep us in your prayers. God has kept us safe and the work has been going great. So far no one is even sick yet, so that's also something to be thankful for. Please pray for the people here and that the school will develop and people's lives will be changed here and that they can discover the good news of Jesus Christ. Hopefully they can see the love of God through us as well.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?
And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
And how are they to preach unless they are sent?
As it is written,
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
- Romans 10:14-15
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