Two hands to build, Two arms to hold, One Life to Live

What a week it has been!  I am sorry I wasn't able to post sooner but I am experiencing computer and internet difficulties.. Just wonderful since I was not gifted in the area of technology to begin with!  I spent the week in San Ramon building!  I was put half, well mostly in charge of a house with Hermano Jesus, the pastor but he doesn't speak English so well so I played leader and yet co-leader!  The team is made up of 26 people, the norm is 30. Lots of young kids and an elderly couple who was not able to help us build.  This meant our numbers were going to be done already. 

 

My house family was Mario, Rosinda, 5 year old Jade, 3 year old Diego, and a baby 6 months along.  But also God gifted us with Mario's 2 cousins Fosto and Elvia.  They were visiting Rosinda for the first time and had never been that far out to visit ever!  Elvia was 21 and Fosto was 19!  They were excited to be able to help do the detail work on the second day!  One unique detail is Mario works at a school 8 hours away and will not be home until November.  And with mom being 6 months pregnant this house was so so much more to them then just a house.  It was a mircle!  I loved getting to know our mom and the cousins but the youngsters were pretty timid!

 

My team was a dad, Jeff, his 5th grade son, Mason, a 17 year old boy, Austin, and an 8th grade girl, Tanya... And me!  It had its moments of trying times but we made it thru!  I didn't tell them I am actually a trained hairdresser until over halfway thru the day!  They could hardly believe it!  Thank you dad for teaching me awesome carpentry skills! Thank goodness with this team we built fairly close to base and not far up the mountain.  One of our cement board pieces was cracked so we had to carry one from base to our house without cracking it but Jeff and I did it!  It was a long first day but we made it before the rain started... Yes rain in the dry season and lots of it!  We were forced to sit under the patio with little room and gather close for devos in order to hear Dan.  It was crazy because you never get rain but even crazier is the next night it rained even more!

 

Day 2 started out nice and muggy!  What a great thing Iowa has humidity so I had no problem adjusting or feeling anywhere but home working in it!  Stucco went on with extra to spare and I managed to stay a little cleaner than last time!  Not that I don't like getting dirty but scrubbing stucco off for over 15 minutes in a cold shower is a little to refreshing for me!  We were slowed down and sat and watched mud dry for a while... Which is ironic because with the last team I was out with I was teasing a group for watching mud dry when now here I sat doing the same!  Gotta love God's sense of humor!  I helped get the detail work done after dinner but told my team I had complete faith in them, make it special, and form a relationship with the family!  The cousins loved decorating and that was a huge bonding point as well!  We were able to get all our staff jobs done and finished up during the afternoon which was perfect because down came the rain and washed the spider out!  ... Not quite but its a good visual picture!  We were once again under the patio but this time we had so many more kids with us for devos, including my twin boys from the previous house I built!  The snuggle one under each arm and I was loving every minute of it!  Made me miss my little ones even more!  And also on day 2 Milton returned to family but Layla who is 40 days old joined our Open Doors family!  So now there is 8 kids!  We went from majority older kids to 3 under age 1!  And today I was told there is a posiblity of 3 more little ones! Wow I need more arms for sure!!  But we rotate kids around so everyone gets a turn with a crying child :)

 

Okay now back to San Ramon!  Day 3 Dedication day.. my favorite day!  But of course we had to wait for the mud to dry up in order to make it to our houses up the steep hills.  And also we would be dedicating a house from last week because the family was not present.  So not only did we get a later start we also had double overtime for dedications! (meaning 6 houses if you aren't into sports)  My house was in line for the second quarter!  The first house went fairly quick and the whole family accepted Jesus!  Alright great start!  Our house was awesome!  I pulled the cousins into the house too because the Lord had laid Elvia on my heart before I fell asleep the night before.  They came in but seemed a little hesitant.  I was praying my heart out that they would understand that the gospel we were presenting was a relationship not just head knowledge of the gospel. When the time came for the question they all accepted!  I was on my knees praying over them afterwords!  My heart was overflowing with joy knowing I had 2 more siblings in Christ!  I gave Fosto a big hug after and told him I am your sister in Christ!  He smiled huge and gave me a hug!  What an uplifter and encourager for the next 4 houses to come!

 

The third house everyone anticipated going well simply because of how much knowledge the father had all week about the bible but what he didn't have was the relationship.  Everyone had their guard down just enough to let distracions happen but once we refocused after Dan came out to tell us to pray harder, once again they immediately acceptted and more hearts were won for Christ!  The 4th house went well also!  We were nearing lunch time so once The house was finished we broke for lunch and encouraged the team to stay focused because we still had 2 houses to go!  And so far the harvest was fantastic!

 

The 5 house it was getting hot!  I stand in the back of the house by the window so I can see what is going on inside the house and know how to tell the team how to specifically pray for the people inside.  It was so hot inside the house I could feel it radiating out of the window like crazy!  I knew they were warm so I sent the message around to pray for air... No longer than 1 minute passed when a breeze came from both sides of the house and instantly cool air flowed out of th window; afterward the team thanked us for praying because they needed it!  We also prayed against distractions inside the house with 4 young children it was a challenge to keep the focus.  I also passed around a notecard with a verse that read, "Keep your focus on Jesus Christ" because I was sensing the restlessness and tiredness of house number 5.  Unless you have went into a Spiritual battle you will never understand how exhausting it is for you in every way.  I also knew we had a special gift of house number 6 coming up next!  For the first time in all of PBM history we were dedicating and presenting the gospel to a family whose house was built the week before but who were not present when the dedication was to take place.  It had a special place in my heart because I had gotten to know last weeks team so well and I didn't want to give half of what I have to fight for their eternal salvation.  But once again I serve an incredible God and the harvest was incredible.  All 6 houses, every single person accepted Jesus into their hearts!  We knew God had incredible things planned for this team!!

 

I was blessed and able to stay home from both the medical clinics but I love hearing about how lives were changed amongst team members and how Christ was accepted with open hearts in the villages!  I was able to get some awesome quility time with the new little ones and spoil my favorites once again!   We made popcorn, played play dough, chased each other on the playground, and drew sidewalk chalk- well I drew the kids thought it was great to draw on their hands and rub each others faces but in the end the smiles and giggles were so worth it!  I also was lucky enough to have my little baby Rosa sleep in her crib for one night in my room.  She was still awake when I was going to bed so I asked if we could pull a crib in my room and have a sleepover.  :)  I am not attached one bit am I?!  She was awesome and only woke up once at 1:49 for a bottle!  It was fun and might be happening again because yesterday as we were about ready to leave for Antigua with the team the ambulance pulled up.. I had been told of possible new babies coming but I just never know how soon it might actually happen.  Out stepped not one nurse holding a baby but two!  Now our kid count doubled in a week and also all of a sudden we had more in diapers than in panties!  YIKES!!  I do not have enough arms to hold them all!  Juan Carlos was just 10 days old and Josue Alejandro was 23 days old. It was a neat experience for the team to witness these precious new gifts coming to us here!  I was lucky enough to be the first one to recieve a baby boy from the nurses!  What sweet little children for sure!  It also helps that they are all very content babies and cry a minimal amount well accept for Layla but she is the only little girl so how else is she suppose to get attention right?!

 

I am so blessed to help raise up God's precious gifts and I am excited to see what God has planned for each special child I get to love and hold.  I know he has everything worked out for their good but as much as my heart breaks for when a child leaves, I have comfort knowing that at least for a season I was God's hands and feet in their life.  Please pray for all of our staff, new babies, and myself.  It is a beautiful thing to see each woman bouncing a bundle around!!