A Post from Jennifer

Hola . . . the trip is going great. It's wonderful to have the youth this year. Their willingness to work hard, interact with the nationals and eat the food is a good lead for all of us.
You know we always have our own agendas, expectations and plans. . . but God's purpose prevails. . . every time! We are working as planned, however we had a delay of one day before going to our sight. As Tres Amigos mentioned the city went on strike and it was uncertain whether or not we could get to our sight, so we played it safe and stayed in the community and worked. There is opportunity everywhere.
We did get to Hato del Yaque today to work. That is where we tied rebar last year . . . you guys we stood in first floor on tile floors looked up to the ceiling where you could see the finished trusses with the rebar insides. (for you who know what I'm talking about, you know I didn't describe it well. we'll have pictures) It was so incredible that I just cried. The thought of hundreds of children being fed there on their color coded plates was almost more than I could take in.
Some of us painted the outside as others dug trenches behind the building (across from the blue house). There will eventually be a full basketball court behind the church, giving them 3 courts to accomodate tons of kids for camps.
Shari and Jennifer (Goodenough) had an impromptu kid's ministry . . . the children taught Shari Caminamos en la luz de Dios. (We Walk in the Light of God). Scott W., you would have loved it.
The mountains still surround the community, the sky was blue and the breeze could have been more constant to cool everyone off. We did not have rain, so we could work more efficiently.
We have had a couple of disapointments: Mary Luz, Bienvo's wife, had Wilson 4 weeks ago by C-section. Without help and two other children she has not healed so returned to the hospital for care. But God is so gracious. . . before she left we all crammed into her home, surrounded her and covered her in prayer as she wept. On the way back to the dorm we got to meet baby Wilson who was with a neighbor. I might have to bring him home, he's so darn cute!
Our bus driver, Paton, is unable to drive us this time. He has been having headaches and one side of his face is affected, fearing palsy, stroke or tumor. It's frustrating because he is poor and in need of attention. Thank God almost 10 yrs. ago He sent Virginia to our home and now she and her husband are practicing medicine in her father's clinic. Today they took him to see a neurologist that he probably would not have ever been able to see, and they are thinking he might have damaged a tendon in his neck. They are doing additional testing and possibly a procedure tomorrow . . . please pray for him and his family. Will and I visited them last night after our nightly meeting at the dorm and it was an honor to place our hands on his head and pray for him.
It's not the same without him, which is a reminder that life happens and changes occur, and somehow it seems to hurt more here because their lives are so difficult by our standards.
Hopefully, tomorrow night Bienvo, Mary Luz, Gwenifer, Wilby and Wilson will come over for dinner and their baby shower.
Our team is one . . . Michael did such a great job in our pre-trip meetings to ready us for this. Brock and Craig lead the worship; Sally's devotions challenge us; we sing our "Give Thanks" before the meals; the music goes out over the community as well as the chatter and laughter of people coming together as one in Christ. Each night we delve a little deeper into who God is and who we are in Him individually and as family. It happens so quickly . . . the beginning of the change, knowing we will never be the same.
Baker's Dozen. . .wish you were here. You are . . . in spirit and conversation and in the rebar at the feeding center in Hata del Yaque.
Hope all is well at home . . . with everyone scattered all over for spring break. Praying safe vacation and travel for all.
<>< Jennifer