Friday November 8

This was another great day but before I describe it I would like to print a retraction to a previous writing. I told you that the aquatic/perma culture was owned by 65 families who would be moving in. I asked Candace where their children would go to school and she told me that only one other family would be moving in and that was the cottage we visited. The rest live in the city and come out to work the land. They hope to set it up as a park where people can come and enjoy similar to an arboretum.

Today our scripture was taken from Mathew 5: 1-12. It was the sermon on the mount but it was almost unrecognizable in the translation that Ted has been using. It is very contemporary and some of you might find it troubling. But he speaks about when you find your self at the end of your rope you are blessed. With less of you there is more of God. You are blessed when you feel you have lost what is most dear to you. These phrases are more penetrating that the poor in spirit or the meek or those who morn. The don't have the comfort of familiarity but familiarity often brings lack of thought or insight. I had a friend who lives part of the year in England. His wife was asked to read the scripture in their local Methodist church. Afterward, a number of people asked her what translation of the bible she was using because they had never understood the scripture before in those words and they had been given new insight. They were taken back when she dad it was the same pew bible they had always read from.

The day was long and the work was hard. Fortunately we had cloud cover most of the day but no rain. We transported buckets of sand and rock to mix concrete and sand to mix mortar. At other times we were carrying rock to lay the foundation. We were always cautioned to drink plenty of water and not to over exert ourselves. As I look back I am amazed at how much we accomplished in five days of work. When I found myself overwhelmed with the work I would look at the neatly piled stacks of rocks that the people of San Gregorio were providing ans watched the men and boys carrying those rocks great distances and then negotiating the steep hillside. They are contributing much in the way of sweat and materials to their future school. Candace said that the entire foundation should be completed in another two weeks.

Merebellla brought our final field lunch out to us. It was grilled chicken with a wonderful flavor. We also had salsa, rice cooked with carrots and some cauliflower and other vegetables.

Afrer work we adjourned to the salon for the celebration. There were banners and music from a rented PA system. The community presented each of us with a shoulder bag made in Guatemala. We exchanged thank yous for our work and their hospitality. We gave each of the masons a poncho (we had seen them too often being soaked in those early rain storms). We gave the two rock cutters protective glasses (they had been cutting stones with mallets and chisels without eye protection) Afterword we were served a soft drink and a donuts. We then bid them adios (go with God) mounted the truck-bed and headed home to the hotel. The sun was setting behind us with a beautiful sunset framed between the mountains and volcanoes. I saw in it a sign that God was with us in our adios.