Gringos go to work! Yay!

We woke up at 6:25 and ate breakfast at 7. Everyone put their work clothes on and met downstairs for our morning devotion. Larkin did it and did a great job! We were split into three different groups of 7 and set off to work. Two groups went to build stoves and latrines, and the other group went to work on the house.

The two groups that were building stoves and latrines went to the same place and were working close together. We all realized how fortunate we are for what we have, and how differently the people here live. Their house has dirt floors and is in open air, and the bathroom that they had before we came was pretty gross (we all went in the corn field). We also realized that the people here are so happy with what they have, and so generous and grateful for our help.

We spent two hours mixing mud and carrying bricks for the stove, cutting up wood for the latrines, and splitting bricks with machetes. After that we had a snack, and food has never tasted so good. We played some soccer with the kids and then got back to work. We worked again and finished a lot of our projects until lunch. The food was really good. We ate chicken, rice, broccoli, and tortillas with a really good sauce. While we were eating three our four generations of men and boys played music for us. They brought out this huge instrument called a marimba and played really fun music. They were all so grateful for our help and took the time to play these amazing songs for us. We all were jamming to the music as we ate and some of us got up and were dancing. It was a fiesta! After lunch we finished the stoves and latrines and had a ceremony. We handed off the final parts of the stove to the family and they told us how grateful and blessed they were for our help, but on the bus ride home we were saying we felt like we got more out of this then they did. We were all extremely dirty and showering felt amazing.

The other group went to the house, which was about an hour drive from the hotel. We walked through piles of bricks and materials and up these big concrete stairs. Most people worked on the top floor, except for the people who were chopping blocks. The people upstairs were busy tying rebar, and cutting wire. We did this for a while, and got the opportunity to talk with Hilda, who was the person we were building the house for, and her son, who was also very eager to help us! Then, we had lunch and had the same thing as the other groups. Our group laughed for a while because most of us dared to try the hot sauce, and most our mouths were on fire! One thing that was really cool about Hilda's house was that she had a ton of succulents on her wall in little cubbies, and it looked really cool. After we were done working, we went and looked around and looked at where things were going to go. To get across the trench, we had to cross a little plank of wood, which was tricky for a couple people! It was cool how everyone here praises God and thanks him before we began to work, and how important prayer before everything is here. It was really cool to see Hilda and her sons watching us work, and basically watching their own house go up little by little. We didn't really get too dirty today, but it was still lots of work and a really good time!

After work we had a little down time and then walked to dinner at a really good restaurant. During dinner fireworks started going off and we all had a heart attack, but they were really cool. Walter, Josie, and Lauryn split a meal that came with like twenty pieces of meat. We all found out that we think our rooms are haunted. Ahhh! It's ok tho! It was pouring, but we all like wearing our rain jackets so it's all good. We walked home, had a good reflection, and now are writing this, we are all delirious. We are excited for the cultural day tomorrow and more work days to come!

- Claire and Maggie

Dad and Ben I heard you guys are missing me so that's cool, Ben I told you you would! I miss you guys and I am having a really good time!!!
Love Clark 

Hi mom, I just wanted you to know I miss you and I am still wearing my retainer every night. Addy- if you are wearing my clothes you will be in hugeeeee trouble when I get home, so I advise you don't. Tommy- miss you tons dude and got you something sick!
Love, Mags