A bitter-sweet feeling fills me.  God is doing so many things down here; He is helping me and allowing me to develop strong relationships to build on, much work is being accomplished, and I enjoy the many challenges.  I am grateful and blessed for God to have chosen and called me into La Moskitia. This place is pulling on me, easy by no means and somewhat unforgiving.  I have heard it referred to as “raw beauty” and I feel that sums it up perfectly.  So much to do and so few years to do it!  I miss the men and the mission development as I left Puerto Lempira this morning.  But this means that I will be with Lisa in about 24 more hours.  What a great feeling it is knowing I will be with my best friend very soon.  Oh how I’ve missed her, and even though we talk daily there is much to catch up on.  The time I spend down here without Lisa is quite lonely, and nothing or no one can fill the void felt when I’m away from her, no matter how busy or how many kids I have hanging on my shirt tails, nothing is like my Lisa.

On Wednesday the 22nd, I got up and rode to the property to meet the well man at 6:00am – praying he would be there, but he was not.  After several calls to our friend Osiris, the well man arrived at 9:40am!  We spoke briefly with Chuck as my interpreter.  The well man then began to clean out the existing well, that was dug long ago. (This was our plan initially, although the well guy had said it was easier to drill a new well, instead of cleaning out the existing one.)   As they began to clean out the bottom of the (old) well, they discovered it to be muddy and therefore had to remove the mud as solid ground is needed to begin the drilling.  They removed mud until around 4:30 pm. The well man explained to me the reason he doesn’t like to do this kind of work is that “it is difficult and dangerous” as wells have been known to collapse – but he said he is willing to get this done for the boys (and for the money too, I’m sure).

Elsewhere on the property men were laying block in preparation for a level concrete floor to be poured in the bathroom and pila areas, while Winsis and Herman were busy locating the heights of the house columns in order to have the house floor level with the existing bathroom roof.  Still other workers continued to pick up garbage around the property as it is a work zone that had gotten out of control.  As you can see by the pictures it was a beautiful day (early on).

Picture above top left shows the height of a house column to be 14′ then it will have a 12″ concrete beam poured on top of that and a 4″ floor on top of that making the floor height from ground approximately 15′.

At 2pm I called it a day and started to prepare for a BBQ for the crew in gratitude – I told the workers and their families to come have a party at the property as my thanks to them for continuing such good work.  Unfortunately by 4pm the clouds had closed in and the wind was blowing 25 mph with a slight rain.  Humbling.  We had been just talking about how perfect it was for a party and now lets see how I handle this set back with the weather…

I decided to send Chuck to the store to buy a plastic/tarp in order to make a wind break with the trees, and along with some of the form wood we managed to build an impromptu kitchen.  I had planned for 50 people and despite the weather over 75 people came!  We had grilled chicken, Chinese fried rice, chop-suey, ensalada, bread and watermelon.  The neighbors came, Alex and Laura of Instituto Vida Abundante came, Linda from Mama Tara’s came, Cenia and her husband Jose and son Cheldon came, Walter came, Pastor Ludy and his family, and all the workers and their families including the well guys.  Everyone had plenty to eat, the workers had seconds, and I even sent chop-suey home with Alex, Chuck took some Chinese rice home, and I had four left over watermelons!  Notice I planned to feed 50 and we sent people home with food after feeding 75+!! Kinda reminds me of a bible story.  BBQ for Gratitude Video

(1 Thessalonians 5:18) “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God Christ Jesus for you.” 

Between the loneliness, the issues with finding a good water source and then the storm of the trip hitting the hour of the fiesta, I am feeling God plying me.  I only pray to see God glorified, serving His people and doing what it took to get them fed.  Many came and thanked me telling how they enjoyed it.

Proverbs 22:6 tells us “Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Three of the boys we’ve been watching grow up, below left to right: Arnold, Jerbin and Marco

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Please continue praying for preparation of the boys who God will bring to Casa Del Camino and for the well to be completed.  Many thanks and may God bless you.

~Mike