Mexico Day 4 - Vision

Another day covered in dust begins. Again I awake for a morning walk. I notice a horse in a nearby field. The roosters are crowing as always. I notice the “watchers”. People that stay up all night to watch the camp and keep us safe. I don’t speak to them but thank them in my prayers. Again – I spend time listening for God as I hear my footsteps on the gravel/dirt. I am aware of Him…a good start to the day.

Once again the morning routine of waking up the family, breakfast, packing lunches, and filling water bottles. The “youth” sleeping around the campfire is growing – up to about 9 now.

Off to the worksites. I am SO glad we don’t have to mix concrete today! On the way to the sites we pass many dead dogs along side the road. One of the groups starts calling them “piñatas”.

We arrive and the foundation we poured yesterday is almost dry. Today we will be putting up the frame of the house and the roof. WooHoo. We have three walls already done so we start putting together the other 4 or so. It seems to be going quickly – lots of hammering, sawing, nailing. The kids are playing soccer in the street, helping with holding down the tape measure, playing with spare wood blocks, and not complaining.

We start putting up the walls – and suddenly it feels like we are accomplishing something. Maybe it is because I can start to see what the home will look like. Yesterday seemed like a lot of work and little to show for it. Now, with a firm foundation and a couple of walls I can see the vision of what the house will look like when it is finished.

We finish the framing with few problems. Our structure is square and level, the walls almost perfectly horizontal, and we hang a door without too much difficulty. The day is cruising along. Some things I notice along the way – Eric asks me how he can help, can he saw, where should he nail? Eric is going into 7th grade. His perseverance and servant heart humbles me. When he asks me if he can saw a board, my first thought is “it is going to take longer than I want it too!” *sigh* But grace and patience win out – and he makes a fine cut on a two by four – and his smile is well worth the wait. I see my own family members – Kelsey, Kimpa, Alexey, and Drew – working so hard and not complaining. I love my family so much and have found over the years that we are always stronger together than individually. It is a very cool gift that we are here together, serving within this family of faith, in this place, during these days. They have all made sacrifices to be here (from soccer, work, social stuff) – and my prayer is that they are each encountering God in His time and mysterious ways during this trip – and they are moved to becoming more like Him.

We finish putting the plywood on the roof and get some bailing wire around the house. It is about 6:30 and it has been a good day. Back at camp the usual – dinner, showers, worship with sharing of “God sightings”, some conversation around the campfire and off too bed. From foundation to vision – there is something to learn from this day…but I’m a little too tired to put it all together….but God will work it out in my dreams – because He never sleeps.