April was a little slower month as  far as construction goes, with only one American volunteer team coming down. However, that doesn’t mean we didn’t get work done! With the help of Pablo and Randy, a Clemson professor and student were able to get our section of wall to the next phase. They assembled all the forms for the beam or “viga” that runs along the top of the wall and ties into the columns. They then mounted the forms and began filling them in with concrete. With a construction crew of only four this meant a lot of hard work, and even I chipped in for a couple days during the pour. Everyone worked hard and we were able to pour about 120 feet of footer in just two days!

Formed and Poured Passing the mud

 

Because this team size was so small, on a couple days Pablo offered to have us eat lunch at his home. The team members got more of a sense of what a typical Dominican household is like, and spent almost the entire lunchtime (when they weren’t scarfing down the amazing food) chasing Pablo’s children around the yard. They played tag, gave them shoulder rides, and tried to ask them through broken Spanish what all the different fruit trees were. They got to know Pablo’s wife, the names of all his children, and that his son LOVES bubble gum. For me, times like these are more important than the actual “work” the teams come down to do. Sure, building things is important. But building relationships is even more so. Jesus’ ministry, although he was a skilled carpenter, was to people. Jesus shared meals with people. He spent time with sick people. He had conversations with the lost, poor, and unwanted people. The two members of this group saw our construction needs, but they also saw the people who they were working alongside. They really got to know Randy, Pablo, and Pablo’s family throughout the week, and while I think they will remember that they poured a lot of concrete and built things while they were here, I KNOW they will never forget those conversations and times they shared with God’s people.