Thank you to all of you who supported our team's trip this year. It was one of our best weeks ever and we accomplished so much more than we had anticipated we would. Much of that was due to our amazing team. All of them were such hard workers and they focused on getting the job done. Our task this year, as you can see from the pictures to the left, was to paint the exterior of every building on the property. That was 4 houses, the school and the bodaga. It was a lot to paint! We also finally took care of the porch roof on the back of Jorge & Olga's house that was still the original, very old clay tile roof. We tore off that old roof and put down tin, which will last forever. There were also some plumbing issues we were made aware of and were able to fix the leak in Armando & Rosemary's house but called a plumber for the repair work on Walter & Lillian's house. We just simply ran out of time and didn't have all the necessary tools for that project.
Each day we would arrive in the morning around 7:30 - 8:00 am and then work until the children were out of school. After the kids got out of school there would be many games of soccer, swinging, playing catch, etc. The impact this team has on these kids, and the impact these kids have on our team is truly something from God. I will share one specific story with you that we all loved seeing. One of the children, Erlin, had never really ever connected with any of our team members in years past like many of the other children had. He's a bit reserved and shy. He always plays and participates in activities, but never had ever quite come out of his shell. That is until this year. One of our team members, Jonathan Crews, was brought there by God. Jonathan immediately connected with Erlin and they became fast an furious friends. We all enjoyed watching the relationship of big brother/little brother develop and deepen every day. On our last day after all the goodbye's were said and everyone was loaded up in the trucks and we began to pull away, Erlin came running for the back of the truck that was carrying Jonathan. He jumped up on the bumper to give Jonathan one last hug after telling him "you are my best friend". God spoke to us each and everyday in new and amazing ways. The connections made between our team members and the children of PLN is always something very spiritual to watch.
Each night we would close with a time of singing and sharing about where we saw God that day. One evening we had a special visitor come to our gathering time and share her story. Her name is Olga and her husband is a preacher there in Catacamas. A few weeks before we arrived in Catacamas, one of her twin daughters (17 years old) was ripped away from her as they were walking home from church by two men with masks on and guns. They covered her daughter's eyes with tape as well as her mouth and then began shooting their guns. She thought that her mother had been killed. They took her in their vehicle and abused her all night long. By the grace of God, they let her go in the early hours of the morning and she wandered the streets, not knowing where she was, for two hours. She finally came upon a house and an older man had a phone he offered her to use. She called her family and they picked her up. She shared her faith in God, her thankfulness for the life of her daughter and asked us to pray with and for her and her family. Which we did. They are amazing servants of our God there in Catacamas. She didn't share the following, but her friend, Jeannell Johnson who was interpreting for her did. Due to some mix up in their support from the states, they had also not received any money for the past 3 months. This team of Harding students immediately began reaching into their pockets and wallets and asked if it would be offensive if they gave her money. I don't know how much money was given to Olga that evening because I was being handed dollars and limperia (their currency) by the handfuls and didn't have time to count it. I can only say that it was humbling and inspiring to watch this group of 19-20 something year olds dig in their pockets and pour out all they had, without even a thought, on this sweet sister in need. God's people are so good!
Needless to say, it was a fantastic week of work, fellowship, encouragement and growth. Thank you for your sacrificial giving that made this trip possible. None of the amazing things of this week would have happened without your support. Thank you! You were there with us and as much a part of the good works as we were. May God continue to bless you as you serve him and bless his name through your life. Until next year...
Dirk & Wendy
