Habitat Global Village/El Salvador Update #2

Working Hard

We have been hard at work on our house and it’s growing every day. Becca Burson has been helping the mason set the block by filling the side seams with cement. Cathryn Breutzmann has been using special tool to smooth the mortar between the block. Ian Plummer (known as Hermano) has been wheelbarrowing 80lb bags of cement mix along with other jobs. Nila Jacobson has been keeping very busy translating and helping everyone with their Spanish and English. The rest of us have been sifting and hauling sand, moving block and doing chispa.

Taking Time to Play

While our teams always work hard while we are here, we get to take in some of the fun attractions in the area around Ahuachapán. Wednesday after work we had a friendly soccer game with the masons, family members and neighbors.  It was great. On Thursday after work we enjoyed a relaxing time and a mud bath at the hot springs. On top of that time for R&R, at dinner Virginia was presented with a letter from the administrative director, Jorge Molina, to thank her and honor her for raising $1,000 by organizing a run for Habitat  for Humanity in El Salvador. The week tends to go by so quickly that is hard to believe how fast that last work day arrives.

Saying Goodbye

With much sadness we said goodbye to our friends in Ahuachapán. Working together with the family, neighbors and masons all week forms really neat relationships. On Friday, the wife of the family whose home we are building, came all the way from San Salvador where she works during the week to meet us and have lunch with us before we left.

Today we are relaxing for a vacation day at the beach resort before we go to the airport tonight. The ocean is beautiful and there are a couple of surfers challenging the waves. I am being spoiled by the beautiful scenery and delicious food but also enjoying the peace and serenity this setting provides to reflect on our week.

I pray for discernment to use the gift of this trip according to what God has placed in my heart,

Jody Simeck