Day Six Recap

Today was a productive water filtration day, with 17 installed in homes in LaJoya. With each installation, a member of our team trains the home owner in how to keep the filter clean, through back flushing it three times once a day. Pastor Marvin drove the team (8 people in the bed) down the dusty rut-filled dirt roads of the village, through puddles in his rickety 40-year-old small Toyota truck. One of the homes had 8 children living with mom and dad in a structure that had a thatch roof and black plastic walls.  The family was very gracious and appreciative of us delivering the water filter because they have no source of water at their home, but hauls it in 20-gallon jugs from the neighbor house.

Three skylights were installed today. It was challenging to install them because of the roof construction where the cross beams were not so strong.

The women gathered in the morning again, approx 15 of them.  They studied Jesus Washing Feet with Pastor Joel and then learned about safe food preparation, nutrition, dental hygiene and parasites.

The children also heard the foot washing story from the Bible, and acted it out. When we had one little boy play Jesus and wash Peter's feet, the children all giggled and were incredulous; "Jesus" did such a great job with the washing and was so gentle --- truly he has a humble spirit. Both the adults and children heard about this story of service, and were encouraged to emulate Jesus.

John led evening devotions with the thought of humility from "7 keys to hearing Gods voice."  His text was from Phil 2:1-2 -- being like-minded and one spirit, in humility consider others better than self. Look to others interest over your own. It takes a humble heart to hear God. Ask, seek, knock and God will reveal himself to those who humbly seek Him.  Pastor Marvin is a humble man, caring for his flock spread across two separate villages at the base of a volcano.  June and Sandy were praying for our team, and so we lifted them in prayer at the end of the day.

We stopped at a lumber yard and bought 8 concrete blocks ($5) so that we can build some rough bookshelves for the Spanish children's books (donated by Judy Rinkus), Bible/catechisms (purchased by the St. John's confirmation class offerings), Dios Te Ama picture books (purchased by the team) which we brought with us.

Ricardo our translator, lost his leg from the knee down in Feb. after a motorcycle accident.  He was our translator last year, so we have known him since October. He is a strong Christian believer, and has never asked "why" of God about loosing his leg. He is on crutches and wants a prosthetic and is signed up for one. Pray for him.