Cementing Friendships

Hi Friends, Another team has come to help here at the children´s home. I´m helping out with communication between the the Honduran mason and the team as we have been building a concrete courtyard in front of the school. I´m learning a lot about the process, from leveling out the site, tamping it down, laying rebar, mixing and finishing cement. Maybe I´ll try putting in a little patio when I get home. We´re all learning, the team includes a surgeon and a lawyer and their kids among others. Even those who´ve done this kind of work are finding out how it´s done Honduran style. Working with Hondurans this way does a lot to help cement friendships too. What if we built relationships with as much care as we do houses?

Thanks to all who have been praying for us. Both Jane and I have been sick lately. We have a fresh appreciation of the value of our community here and at home.

I´m preparing a talks for the kids on self-esteem. Jane loaned me a great book- Respect-A Girl´s Guide to Getting Respect and Dealing When Your Line is Crossed-Macavinta and Pluym. I wish I´d had something like this when I was growing up. I hope we can get these boys and girls off to a better start.

I´m reading in John 16:20-21 about the hard times that Jesus was anticipating and how he was trying to prepare us. He describes it using the picture of a woman having a baby. How does a woman prepare for childbirth? Maybe there are some ideas there for all of us as we face spiritual and emotional hard times.

I´ll say goodbye for now. Thanks for reading. Gil.