Work Day 4

Construction - Jeff Spencer: Today we made a lot of progress on the house and also completed a couple of other small jobs. We helped complete the installation of the metal roof first thing in the morning and then set about to mix concrete (manually on the ground with shovels) to lay cement block around the perimeter of the house. Ultimately, this will be filled and a concrete "sidewalk" will go around the entire house. As we worked this task, the local workers did finish work on the windows, door frames and completed application of the stucco on the outside and inside of the house. As has happened every day this week except for Monday, it started raining in the early afternoon and eventually caused an early end to the day. Our two side projects were 1) Jacob Colson doing a duct tape repair to the Batey 106 basketball backboard/rim and 2) I installed a new blade on the workers' circular saw. Over the last couple of days I'd watched them try to cut 2x4 and 2x6 boards with a blade that was almost useless. The circuit breaker on the generator kept tripping as the saw would get bound up in the wood. The blade was so dull what little sawdust generated was like powder. I've become buddies with a little boy - maybe 4 - that loves to be flipped upside-down and tickled. It's nice to see him as well as the other folks we've been fortunate enough to spend time with in Batey 106 this week.

Jacob and Lisette Helping Nico Mix Mortar

Chuck Digging Trench for Another Row of Blocks

Chuck, Jeremy and Jacob Bringing Concrete 

Jeff Helping Wilson Lay Block

Jeremy Assuming Common Post-Lunch Position for Construction Team

VBS - Tammy Owens: Day 4 of our Mission Trip and my assignment was VBS. We found ourselves in a barrio about an hour from our home base in La Romana. While our medical clinic was held in the sanctuary of a beautiful Seventh Day Adventist Church, VBS was held in the balcony section of the sanctuary. As you can imagine, our biggest challenge was keeping the children from going to the railing where they wanted to hang over and wave at family members below! Our biggest joy was seeing the children respond to the story of “Jesus Washing the Disciples’ Feet.” They listened attentively and eagerly raised their hands to answer questions about the story. They were also excited to do a craft that involved coloring a cut-out Jesus and attaching a miniature towel over His arm. The children happily held their creations out for my approval, to which I replied, “Tres Bien!” I later learned I was speaking French, not Spanish, which is the language they speak! I should have said, “Muy Bien!” Oh well, the kids smiled politely when I praised them in the wrong language! And, I think God blessed my mistake.

Ashley R. Painting Finger Nails

Tammy and Estella Reading Bible Story

Tammy, Chris and Sarah Preparing Drinks

Clinic - Corrie Cooley: I was assigned to help with medical today. We worked in a barrio today in a beautiful church (with indoor plumbing.) A barrio is a Haitian community not involved in the sugar cane fields. Apparently some politician was involved in getting us there because there were pictures and movies and interviews involving our team. I helped fill prescriptions and was only mildly aware of the publicity chaos until we finished. I kept my head low taking one patient sheet after another filing multiple prescriptions for each one noticing there were lots of sick kids. We were exhausted and hungry. We filled the last prescription at a little after 2 and had lunch. Later we took some group pictures of the folks who worked in the clinic and the entire group working in the barrio. They interviewed Glenn and Teresa and we loaded the bus. It was exhausting but it was a good day knowing we helped a total of 140 sick people, which we believe is the most our clinic has ever seen in a single day. To God be the glory!

Clinic

Andrew and Daniel Taking Blood Pressure

Ashley and Katie Filling Prescriptions from the Side of the Baptistry

 Daniel, Julie, Teresa, Susan, Ashley R., Corrie

Ashley K

Daniel Talking the New Electronic Blood Pressure Cuffs with Emelio

Big Clinic/VBS Group Picture

Water - Keith Woodard: Due to some unforeseen issues, only 1 filter/bucket was distributed today.

Other - Jeff Spencer: I wanted to add two pictures to the blog tonight. The first is our devotion taken earlier in the week. After dinner each day here at Casa Pastoral we gather together for a time of devotion. Members of our team volunteer to speak to the rest of the group about what is on their hearts. In the mornings, others volunteer to read scripture and do our prayer. We don't spend much time talking about this in the blog but they are every bit as much a part of our mission trip as what we do in the field.

The second was a photo taken by our team in one of the poor bateys - I call it "Ingenuity". The adults in the bateys really have very little. The kids in these bateys have almost nothing in terms of toys so they make their own - they are so smart and creative! God Bless them all!

Pizza Night!: It's a tradition for the Trinity Team to have pizza on Thursday nights and this trip is no exception. We tried a new place tonight and it was AMAZING.