7-1-10

If I fall asleep writing this please forzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzgive me, sorry it’s been a rough day, hard hard work in hot hot weather. Luckily I have a 4 part harmony of snoring in the men’s room behind me to wake me every once zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz and awhile. Where do I start? Today was great but hard!! We again woke early (before the Guatemalan roosters began crowing). Breakfast was pancakes and eggs a good start to the day. Then we again split into work groups. Today there were four groups formed to do work for the “Hope of Life” mission. The first group headed out to the front gate to finish the painting that was started our first day here. The Phelps girls, Natalie Cook, Rita Linton, Renee and Sarah Beth Marilla, headed off for their somewhat “physical” work in the shade, just kidding they worked hard and did a great job making the entrance look beautiful. The second group of Kaylee Bryant, Stephanie Combs, Tamara Mock, Michael Duncan, Rebekah Meredith, Zach Pulliam, Lee Ann and Jessica Wood headed to the school to dig a ditch and continue to work on the retaining wall. Zach Pulliam led the way working so hard that he literally wore off some of the skin on his hands, battle scars to bring home to impress his lady friend (hi Caitlin from Zach). The last group again ALL MEN (again insert grunting here) headed into the village to do more concrete work on a local house. Today was much harder than yesterday, not only was the concrete going to the roof of a 2 story home, but the temperature easily topped 100 today. Jack Phelps, Aubry Wood, Steve Linton, Ed Maddox, Pastor Alley, Govinda, Matt Combs, Seth Parris, Ben Fisher, Chad “Grover” Hamel, Michael Ertel, and Stephen Burrill literally worked their tails off. I want to take a minute to tell all you parents that your kids have been awesome, they have worked so hard and there has been absolutely no complaining (be proud, I am extremely proud). The last group Sam Chapman, Jannah Cooter, and Lauren Good got to spend the morning in the baby rescue center playing with and helping care for the sick little ones. After a lunch of grilled steak and rice we reorganized the groups a little bit and headed back out for more punshiment, I mean work  (you know most people get paid to work this hard, in our case we paid them to work this hard, something is wrong here ). Kaylee Bryant and Stephanie Combs joined the concrete crew and messed up the ALL MEN bond, but quickly learned how to loosen their belts, belch and grunt just like us. PAY ATTENTION HERE MACK DADDY AND TRACY, Kaylee actually did some pretty physical work, she shoveled sand into buckets for 2 hours, would of made you proud, and she only cried about how hard it was twelve times (just kidding she did great). Due to the lack of skin on Zach’s hands we sent Michael Ertel and Caleb Lee to help with the more demanding physical work at the school. Mr. Ertel, Michael is going to need a week off of work when he returns, he is working incredibly hard and the harder the work gets the harder he works. BIG SURPRISE: after lunch the Phelps girls went to the baby house and Samantha Chapman and Jannah Cooter joined the painting crew. 3:30 P.M. was rescue time, that is when we stopped work for the day. The teens went to the orphanage to play with their friends and the rest of the crew hung out at the dorms and rested and cleaned up in preparation for Church in a nearby village. This is a good time to insert the story of the day which involves Sue Cook. First of all to preface the story you have to know that Sue rides up and down the mountain here on a motorized scooter, she calls it her “motor bike” I call it her “hog”. Anyway she decided to give Rita a ride and there was an incident (Sue is adamant not to call it an accident, although . . . ). Anyway Rita burned her leg pretty bad (how bad? There is a baseball size burn protruding from the back of her calf, actually a quarter sized burn but I love to exaggerate) on the hot muffler, but she will be ok. Rebekeh Meridith popped the blister to drain it tonight (sorry if anyone is eating as they read this). Anyway after dinner we went to a local Church where Pastor Alley brought the word from Psalm 23. The Guatemalan people were very welcoming and loving to us all. After Church we stopped a local Sheetz (well, small convenience store) for cold sodas and Helado, ice cream. It is now 10:45 P.M. and I need to sleep so I will talk to you guys tomorrow. In devotions tomorrow we will be studying God being without beginning and without end, His infinity. Pray for us, we miss you all!! As a P.S. I must say that Seth Parris is really enjoying his $1400 date, and says it was worth every penny  - -

Pictures coming later!

Love Matt Combs and Michael Duncan