Day 8

La última día. I had a really great day today. I got to tour a coffee plantation and sample some great coffee. We traveled to the top of this hill overlooking Antigua with a large cross on it. We had some fun exploring the shops. We had dinner in an amazing restaurant. I laughed harder at dinner than I have in a seriously long time. It's good to be with people who can do that to you. I'm so thankful for this trip. God has been so good to me I feel stupid for all the times that I complained to Him, but he always listened and He always cared. Someone turned the router off so ill have to post this on Saturday from America. Thanks for the prayers. Until next time.

Day 7

Well, the well is well. We finished it today. Then we had an extremely long dedication ceremony and of coarse the dreaded goodbyes. Most of the relationships I built were with the staff so I don't have to say goodbye to them just yet. I've made a mistake in the past with things like these. I have too often focused on the pain of a lost connection instead of focusing on what I got from that connection in the first place. I'm really blessed to have met these people and they have deepened my understanding of God. I'm also blessed to have a great team to share all of this with, and caring people at home for a fresh perspective on it all. I can't let myself forget the power to change that God can have.

Day 6

Big day today. We were developing the well which at one point meant lowering 200 feet of hose down the well that was connected to an air compressor. That forced a ton of water out of the well but it helped to clean the pipes and helped us gauge how many gallons per minute the well could supply.(600 gal/min! By the way.)  While we were doing this the hose became blocked in some way. We weren't sure if there was a kink in the hose somewhere down in the well or what so we began to pull the hose out. As we pulled the hose it got harder and harder to pull until eventually we couldn't pull it at all. We tried everything we could think of to free the hose but nothing worked. Manolo, one of the Living Water International in country staff, made the wise suggestion that we pray over the well, so our muddy exhausted drill team huddled around this hole in the ground and prayed for Gods help. We then tried a few more things with no luck. Manuel, another LWI staff member, was standing over the well after we had all given up hope and began to pull on the hose. We watched as he pulled expecting the hose to eventually become too much for him to pull up, since it was stuck and all we were doing was stretching the hose, but it kept coming. The hose was free! Caleb had actually just finished praying for the well just as Manuel started pulling. God showed us once again that we absolutely need Him if we ever plan on accomplishing anything worth while. Our visit to the school ended with a widow in the community asking for our prayers. We of course prayed for her, but please pray for her as well. We are asking God if there's anything else He would have us do for her. The well is just about finished. 45 minutes of work in the morning and then a ceremony to dedicate the well. Then back to Antigua where I will have the Internet back so I can actually post these. Until next time. 

Day 5

Well they said today would be the worst day and it really was. Well, it was the most exhausting and the muddiest by far but it was also really fun. Most of the work is actually done. We finished drilling and we put the casing in. We pumped bleach water into the pipes to clean them out. By the end of the day we were pumping out clean water. They said tomorrow we would be developing the well, whatever that means. The team was really positive at dinner tonight. Everyone is working hard and having fun. Tomorrow will be more about relationship building than menial labor which for me is a welcome change. Here's a quote my mentor showed me that has changed the way I think about a lot of things. “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” -C. S. Lewis 

Day 4

Monday! Woke up bright and early this morning at 4:30 for breakfast before heading out to the school where we're drilling the well. When we arrived at the school their courtyard was full of kids. There are about 200 kids at this school and they've been waiting for this well for 5 years. We did so much work today. We drilled a small hole 180 feet to explore the ground and find an aquifer that was suitable. We have to drill 5 feet at a time and then add another length of pipe. That's 36 lengths of heavy pipe. Once we got 180 feet we had to pull all the pipe back out. One at a time. We worked until about 5:30. The drill team was completely covered in mud. I hosed off all my clothes and left them outside to dry but it just started raining so they won't be dry anytime soon. We've all had an amazingly long day. We're told tomorrow is the hardest/dirtiest day. Should be fun. Here are some pictures from the roof of the house we stayed at in Antigua.   

Day 2

Well we made it. I was in Houston Texas this morning and now I'm soaking wet in the rainforest that is Antigua Guatemala. We were shown around the local shops and stores today. We were packed into a van laughing about whatever when I saw this lady. She was probably 70 years old sitting against a wall with a cup in her hand. She was begging for change. My reaction was to look away. I couldn't even look at her. And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." Matthew 25:40. I saw Jesus today begging for change and I couldn't even look at Him. 

Brand New Adventure

A year and a half ago I got an internship at Brea Olinda Friends Church. In two days, myself and nine others from the church are flying to Guatemala. We're working with an organization called Living Water International to drill a water well in a small village on the west coast of Guatemala. The trip will take only one week. Ill do my best to post each days happenings as they happen. Keep us in your prayers and thanks for the support. Here's a quote like the good old days "Never look for right in the other man, but never cease to be right yourself." Oswald Chambers

Day 12

This morning I woke up. I went to the ocean's bottom. We went to a little island off of the coast of Las Croabas. After an afternoon of great snorkeling, it was great because I saw and followed a sting ray, I accepted my own challenge. Last time I was on this little island I vowed to swim 40 feet to the bottom of the ocean. Unfortunately my mother got sick in the tossing ocean so I didn't want her to be on a boat any longer than she had to. So today was the day to step up to the challenge I placed in front of myself not 8 months ago. So Mingo drove the boat out to what seemed like the middle of the ocean and stopped. I can't tell you how nervous I was. With all eyes watching and expectations high I exited the small boat into the open ocean. One quick glance down only helped to encourage my fear. The ocean seemed to have no end. I felt like I could swim forever and get nowhere. 40 feet is the average height of a four story building. Long story short, I did it. It seemed like an eternity to the surface. Mingo was very impressed and said that it was definitely deeper than 40 feet. Anyway I had a good day full of distractions. "We had mighty fine weather as a general thing, and nothing ever happened to us at all." -Mark Twain

Day 11

Last day of VBS. I had to say goodbye to everyone again.

Day 10

First of all Juan is asleep and he didn't cry when I put him to bed! I'm very excited. Today was so much fun. I worked with Carlos in the morning collecting parts for the lawn mowers and when we returned all the kids outside were playing in the hose on a fire truck. They came to do a demonstration for the school and everyone loved it. At the end they started spraying everyone with water. Which is where Carlos and I entered. I was drenched about the second I stepped out of the car. Even more exciting than that the whole group went to the beach after lunch time! It took us 5 cars to get everyone there in one trip. We had so much fun. We found at least 3 starfish an we had a few people see squids. The most I saw was a cloud of ink. Right now the 14 and a few of the dorm kids are finishing a movie before bed time. I love it here.

Day 9

I'm getting the hang of this dorm thing. Today went a little smoother. Juan still cried when he had to go to sleep but maybe that's his thing. I'll work on it. Today an entirely new group of people showed up after lunch. I don't know if any of our people expected them. I guess the fantastic 14 made it happen. They were all from Florida and had a whole skit planned out. It was good. Then, after that, there were games, with prizes! all the kids had a great time. They were a good group. It was too bad they had to leave after only a few hours. They're kind of a traveling show. Saúl got his face painted like spider man! It was really cool. He loves getting his face painted! He ran around shooting imaginary webs from his wrists and swinging from a rope that was tied to the top of a palm tree; very fun. Then tonight Dave, the leader of the 14, and I led a giant group of people to the beach! Dave was not too hot on beaching in the dark so when the sun was gone so was he. My car hung around a little longer. The best way to end your day is with a warm beach then a nice cold shower. Then hours of trying to get someone else's child ready for bed and off to sleep. I'm learning so many things!

Day 8

I fell asleep last night with plans to wake up at 4:30am today. That doesn't happen when you set your alarm for 4:30PM. So that happened. Great way to start my super early day. Betsy and I drove out to Orocovis to pick up the family we know there. All went well and according to plan. When we got back to the school VBS was well in progress and I got to see all the kids again. Well Mizael wasn't there but he is coming tomorrow. As you might have heard we are a dorm for the week. I am in charge of Juan Jose! He is the happiest little kid but let me tell you he is quite a challenge. I just got him to sleep after a half hour struggle and I feel like I've just climbed a mountain. It's only day one.

Day 7 Dia de los Padres

1/2 way)-: That might be the first and last emoticon you see me use in a blog. Enough said. Today is father's day so before I start; This. Dad, in this country there are a million and one inadequate fathers. I sat in church today as the pastor gave a disclaimer in the name of all fathers and how there's no way any of them could be perfect, well mine is. I'm so thankful that I had the start in life that I did. I like to take credit but I don't know where I would be if you didn't read all those 'how to be a good father books' that are all over the house and love us so much. Thanks Dad. I hope you know that you did good and we love you.
So, my day. I woke to the sound of thunder, at 3am. Then at 4, then 5, and then, well you get the idea. The last time I woke up(maybe ever, the way I live) there wasn't lightning. I just laid there, waiting. If you ignore it long enough it goes away. I'll let that be a lesson to me. Tomorrow we are off to Orocovis, I'm pretty excited. I haven't been very many times and it was fun the times that I did go. After the thunder this morning I put on jeans; worst thing that happened to me all week. It's too hot for long pants. I went to church and received a very warm welcome. Kevin came also and I got to interpret some for him while Betsy was at the piano. After church we of course went to the beach where of course I hurt Kevin. He started it but I'm an adult so I shouldn't have sat on his head. Either way he's living in the dorm for the next week so his revenge is close at hand I'm sure. You all(all 5 of you) should know I sit in front of this screen for 15min just trying to remember what I did today. I'm pretty sure I'm getting Alzheimer's so if I forget your name. Anyway good night, the 26th letter calls.

Day 6

This morning the group of 14 that are visiting decided to go to the bakery. They walked to the one just down the street. All 14 of them. So Betsy being the thinker that she is gave me her car keys and sent me to a different bakery to get breakfast, score! The fantastic 14 returned with stories of the never ending line and how long it took for them all to get sandwiches. Don't worry I was punished later for my lack of misfortune. The VBS plan requires plants. The 14 asked me to collect jungle plants for them. An so the story of my punishment begins. Betsy and I dug up a few small banana trees without too much trouble. A lady from the 14 asked me to get some "bamboo or something". She really should have wondered why my left eye twitched when she asked that because the only bamboo near by is past the barbed wire and into the jungle. Never the less I sharpened my machete and set off.  I'm sure they expected me to be gone for ten minutes and come back with a load of bamboo no problem. It is so hot in the rainforest and I was out there for and hour and a half. Hacking down a stock of bamboo with an old machete wasn't even the hardest part. The bamboo is across this creek that hasn't had fresh water added to it for a month so it is full of mosquitoes and cow pies. So I jumped across it to get out there but I couldn't jump back with bamboo stocks in my hand so the first stock I cut down had to be cut into pieces and used as a bridge. At this point I am dripping with sweat my shirt is off and tucked in my belt and I am covered in dirt. After I got a stock cut I began the trip back. Of coarse as I was crossing my makeshift bridge I lost my balance and had to step into the creek were I went up to my knee in thick, foot sucking mud. After the long battle to retrieve my flip flop from the deep mud I continued on. Eventually I did get all the bamboo I needed out of there. So an hour and a half after they asked me to get bamboo I show up. Dripping with sweat and covered in dirt I approached the school, mud from the knees down, Shirt hanging from one hip machete from the other, three long stocks of freshly cut bamboo on my shoulders, the lady who asked me to get bamboo now realized what it would take for me to get "bamboo or something". You know what though? It was kind of awesome. Later in the afternoon I was installing a dead bolt and I heard a familiar sound that reminded me all at once why I love this place so much, it was the chest pounding crack of thunder I had been without these six months. Quickly followed by the smooth sound of rain starting. The kind of rain you hear coming; starts in the distance and just as you realize what it is, you're in it. I love it! I stood in it until I was drenched. The power was out before long and the familiar beep beep beep of the computer's power supply complaining brought a smile to my face. This is the Puerto Rico I remember. As fast as it began it was over and I was at the beach watching the sun set through the distant storm clouds. I used to call this home.

Day 5

I worked on lawnmowers this morning! I do enjoy mechanics as long as its easy stuff. This was all easy stuff! Air filters, spark plugs, pull cords nothing tricky. Then Betsy and I went to Pep Boys to pick up a few things and then to pick up the van from the shop. From there we drove to the airport in two separate vans to pick up the team. Everything went very smoothly and I led a group trip to the beach already for the sun set. The van was packed! Chachi's was closed so we were not able to get ice cream afterwards. Everyone seemed to have fun anyway though. 
"We are not built for ourselves, but for God. Not for service for God, but for God." -Oswald Chambers

Day 4

Maybe the only day I'll get to sleep in. I enjoyed it! I went to the beach, I went to the rainforest and I ate at all of my favorite restaurants all in the same day! It wasn't easy but I pulled it off. Tomorrow I am waking up and driving to the airport with Betsy in separate cars to pick up a gigantic group of people from Pennsylvania. Next week this group will be leading VBS for the kids. The rainforest is the most relaxing place in the whole world, I'm sure of it. You drive up the mountain a ways to this place with paths that wind around a creek. Betsy and I went today. Spent some time reading then discussing things then we sat in the river until Betsy got bored and went back up to read. I stayed and enjoyed my favorite creek hobby. Which is rock stacking. It's very slow and meticulous and its very relaxing. Also people walking by stop to watch you. There was a little girl who was so fascinated she stood and watched me for maybe a half hour. Here are some pictures. The last picture in that album is how we park to go to the pincho stand, on the sidewalk.

Help the school earn Labels for Education so we can buy a new van!
 Follow this link and fill it in and glue 5 box tops to earn us 200 points! It's this weird but awesome promo they have going. Lets take advantage of it!

http://www.labelsforeducationbonusoffer.com/LD678_summer_collection_sheet.cfm

Day 3

I got to see all of the kids today! I was so excited to see them. We had a great day at the zoo playing with animals and having fun. It was a 12 hour day. On the ride home we were all asleep. I can't wait till Monday when I get to see them all again! My back is still very sunburned and throughout the day children would forget and jump up on my back, or tap me to get my attention. Or slap my back to get my attention. That part wasn't so awesome. I'm very glad to be back though. I'm enjoying every minute.

Day 2

Woke up today at 5:30 to watch the sun rise. I was not disappointed. After the sunrise I had a famous Puerto Rican Breakfast sandwich and it was so good! Then in the afternoon Betsy and I went for a snorkel. I made a new friend. I was swimming around when I noticed a very small, maybe inch and a half long fish that was following me around. I don't mean it was swimming behind me either. It was swimming right in front of my face! He stayed as close as he could to me the entire day of snorkeling. I even stood up for a while by the shore in about a foot of water and when I went back in he was still there. As we were about to exit the ocean we came across a school of fish hanging out in the shallows. They were getting pretty close to us so I grabbed one of them. I held it up to show Betsy then I let it go. Shortly after this I got the idea to catch and eat one of these guys. So I went to work trying to find the biggest one I could find to catch. As I was swimming threw the two feet of water I noticed something out of the corner of my I. I turned my head to see the biggest barracuda I had ever seen. Betsy saw it later and confirmed that it was definitely longer than my leg. We put our guess at a little over three feet. He swam right past me and looked me in the eyes. I was definitely worried about loosing appendages so I hurried my hunt. About 15min later I caught a good size fish, a little under a foot long, with just my hands I'll add. I took him home, cleaned him and eat him for lunch. He wasn't half bad. I noticed during lunch though that my back was sunburned pretty bad. I only realized later how bad. I definitely under estimated the Puerto Rican sun. I'll be paying for that the next few days. So not a bad day though in total. I've caught fish with my bare hands before but I've never ended up eating them 20min. later. That's about as fresh as it gets! Tomorrow we go to the zoo and I see all the kids!!!

I'M BACK!!! Day 1

I'm back in Puerto Rico and all is well with the world. I'd forgotten all of the things that I loved about this place. I love every single thing! The humidity that make the bottom of your feet wet when you walk in sandals, everyone driving ten miles an hour under the speed limit, the food! Everything about this place is amazing! I love it all. I had some delayed flights last night so I arrived later than I had originally planned but I still got here. I was greeted by a beast of a dog. The first thing we did was go to the beach. I don't fit in like I used to but it was still an amazing thing. I took some time to walk around the school and the memories came rushing back to me. Almost too much to take all at once. This school is special. God dwells here in a tangible way. If you don't know how long I'm staying for this trip I'll let it surprise you when it happens. No matter how much I prepared I could never be ready to leave, so I won't get ready. I won't prepare myself. One day I will be in paradise and the next I won't. After the beach we went to the brass cactus. I had an amazing burger; this place knows how to make food!

Until tomorrow.    

Thanks

I’m so thankful to those who have taken time out of there days to pray for me and the Evangelical School for the Deaf in Puerto Rico these past five months. I am also thankful for everyone who contributed to this trip financially. It is people like you that make the Lord’s work possible. It is such a blessing to have people in my life that love the Lord the way that you do. What an inspiration that is, thank you.

 I’ve had so many great experiences these past five months in Puerto Rico. There is such a huge need at this school for Christian men. So many of the kids don’t have fathers in their lives and the need is great for a positive male role model who loves and follows the Lord. During my time at the Evangelical School for the Deaf I did just about everything. Fixing lawn mowers, cutting grass, chain sawing trees, servicing cars, substitute teaching, power washing, planting trees, leading chapel, building tire swings and rope courses, leading a boy’s devotional every day. It really felt great to be needed. God is doing amazing things at this school and for a short time I got to be a part of it. Believe me when I say that there is no greater blessing than to be daily used by God.

Thank you so much for making this trip possible and for your prayers. God has showed me so many things on this trip and I have really been given a heart for the deaf community. Only 4% of hearing parent with deaf children in America ever learn Sign Language. Imagine growing up without ever talking to your parents, and knowing that it’s because they don’t care enough to learn your language. This is a reality for so many deaf children growing up all around the world. I feel that God is calling me to be more involved in the deaf world, and I hope that you will continue to pray for me as I am shown what that might look like.