5:00 AM couldn’t get here early enough… Just kidding. It came pretty early. As we ate our pancakes outside on the patio, it was so dark out with the stars shining, we weren’t sure if the day was starting or just ending. But we were eating pancakes. Pancakes makes everything better. Especially the amazing ones our house helpers made for us.
Today was work day in Zoranje! Bob started the day off right with the words of Elliot Ness, “It’s time to do some good!”
Every day here we put on three layers. Sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 1000. DEET, the ultimate bug spray. And then finally sweat. The mixture of all three layers has become an inevitable stench that follows us around… like the dirt cloud around Linus from the peanuts!
While waiting on our chariot to arrive, Pastor Andy prayed. For our day to be safe, efficient and joyful. But he specifically prayed for our loved ones back home. We know that everyone back home may be worried, so hopefully our blogs have helped relieve some of that stress.
We set off on our 13-mile journey to Zoranje. Donned in painters masks to protect us from the dirt surrounding our cattle car as we drove on the unpaved roads, the sun began to peek behind the mountains. Okay so we decided it was actually the start of the day. We sang every cliché song related to sunshine and the morning time. Despite being 5:30 AM, we were a happy bunch.
Thankfully that energy carried over to the job site, where we would start to lay the slab. It was going to be a concrete floor that will eventually receive the footsteps of adults and children alike who come seeking refuge and rest. It will be the foundation of a sanctuary dedicated to transforming the lives for the Kingdom of God in this mountain village!
Amazed at the amount of Haitian volunteers alongside us, our determination escalated. We truly were bringing hope to this village, and they were so appreciative of it, they wanted to be a part of it.
After grabbing the supplies out of the church supply closet, we took our places. There were no specific assignments, but each of us found the job that suited our best abilities. Assembly lines for passing along buckets of gravel intertwined the Haitian workers laying down the wooden posts, which would contain the concrete.
We celebrated small victories. Like catching empty gravel buckets with one hand. And even taught the Haitian workers how to fist bump… and explode it of course! We are not sure if they knew what it meant, but they smiled and laughed. After all that is what matters.
Before our lunch break around 12:30 we had most of the day’s work done. We were glad to sit down and relax. And eat!! Our third grade style lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, potato chips and cookies could not have been more perfect for the appetite that we had worked hard to grow.
It was so rewarding to sit back and look at the progress of what we had done that morning. We were building this church building for this village. All of the village people who were walking by the property would stop to watch outside of the fence. They are the ones we were trying to shine the light on. This church is not only for those who are attending the “tarp” church now, but for those who don’t yet know the Lord. We came down to Haiti in the name of God’s love. For all in this village. So that they can become to know God’s love just like we do.
Winding up the workday, we came together to compare battle wounds. Besides a few cuts and bruises, no one got seriously hurt.
Oh wait. Just kidding. Our fearless leader, Pastor Andy became the victim of his own decision to not wear work boots. He rolled his ankle not only once. But twice. Twice!! Poor Pastor Andy had to lay down inside the “tarp” church, ice on his ankle, wallowing in pain for most of the day.
All in all, it was a great day! We are looking forward to our second workday of the week. Tomorrow we will be laying the rest of the concrete slab. And then we will be building the exterior walls. Please continue to pray for us. And specifically pray for Pastor Andy’s ankle to heal.
OPERATION HOPE - Haiti 