James and Itylee

The entire team arrived early and worked together this morning to make a large dent in the completion of the house building project. Much progress was made working as a team. We still took our coca and snack break, which is Fernando’s way of reminding us to see the larger picture of what we are doing and why we are doing it, building relationships with each other, working for the glory of God and serving His people.

We have been impressed with the strength that our host ministry displays every day. Fernando and his family invited us to his farm up on the mountain side to show us a part of his ministry which few often see. Fernando and his kids grow corn, sweet potatoes, avocados, and various other vegetables which they do not sell. As our team reached the farm (which was a 30 minute straight up mountain hike) sweaty and out of breath, Fernando’s kids smiled and joked that they do this twice a day to serve their community. Everything they grow they use in the ministry as a means of outreach to others.

Earlier in the day, before we arrived at the construction site, some of Fernando’s kids had made the hike carrying food and supplies needed to serve us a hot meal in appreciation for the work we have been doing these last few days. It continues to amaze us that even though they are without most of the luxuries which we enjoy, they are always thinking of others before themselves. They have shown us our deficit in the way we approach our relationships and in our day-to-day lives. The example of being present and thankful to those who serve around us or support the community we live in is a lesson which we all will carry back in our hearts from our experience here.

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