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Another morning! Get ready for the final day at the construction site.
We know the drill by now. Get up, get ready. Have breakfast. Load up the construction gear. Everyone have their tool belts? Head out!
Once we get to the site it’s stucco and drywall time. Are you in or are you out?
I choose in. I’ve done some drywall for my own house so at least I’m familiar with this task. It doesn’t hurt that our missionary has a very awesome device for the task. It looks like a drill but it’s rigged to insert drywall screws faster than it takes to blink your eye. Seriously.
Geoana chooses out. Later in the day she tells me she enjoys troweling stucco and likely will do it again next year.
As with the previous two days, the family for whom we are building the house supply lunch. Handmade tortillas with the bean or papas filling.
Then we’re treated to lunch, version 2.
Our family’s church pastor and his wife arrived with empandadas filled with a luscious meat and potato concoction. Our leaders knew this couple as they constructed their casa a couple of years ago.
Even south of the border it’s a small world. And all of us on the team are happily stuffed. Good thing too, as we didn’t realize at that time just how far we were from our goal.
It’s mid-afternoon and I notice we (as a group) still have some work to accomplish. The plan was to complete the construction and then have the house dedication.
We get closer to evening and it’s obvious we won’t have the dedication today.
Yet all of us solider on and we finally get the construction done shortly before the sun goes below the horizon.
All told it was about a 12-hour work day.
It wasn’t all nose-to-the-grindstone. Between our teenagers interacting with the local children and the meals served we had plenty of pleasurable moments.
As we were there well longer than expected the family had yet another surprise. Early evening they brought out the largest cauldron I’ve ever seen. Containing one of the best concoctions I’ve ever seen. And tasted.
My Spanish is sufficient enough that I talked with one of the women about the ingredients. Carne de res, carne de puerco, salchicha, frijoles, cebolla, cilantro, and some other spices.
Chowing down on this (again, with made-from-scratch flour tortillas) I was in culinary paradise. It had a bit of a bite but wasn’t overly spicy.
Plenty of fuel for the final stretch. Darkness falls and the interior wiring is ready. One of the family’s relatives (nice guy by the name of Manuel) connects the copper and let there be light!!
Soon we’re picking up the last of our mess and packing the vehicles one final time. Manuel’s moved to the house roof and is shining a large florescent light, illuminating the area better than our small flashlights ever could. Us gringos are exhuasted and the family is ecstatic.
Not only did we build them a house but thanks to the generous support of our church we had funds left over which some of our gals used to make a trip to Soriana. We gave the family a futon, a bicycle for their 13-year-old son, and quite a few other housewarming regalos.
A fine end to a hard-but-worth-it day.
Then it’s back to the church where we’re lodging. But before that, one final stop at Oxxo. Nothing says wisdom like the youth pastor allowing teenagers to load up on soda and junk food when it’s approaching 10 at night. I take a pass.
Needless to say I barely could keep my eyes open when it came time for evening devotions. I decided if I accidentally dropped off I could excuse my actions away by being “very deep in prayer.”
I also feared a repeat of last night. Yet the young folks clearly were as worn out as I and there was no need for a countdown from Kellie. Sleep comes easy and I look forward to tomorrow. House dedication and it’s back to Los Estados Unidos.
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