The spring here has kept us really busy! We want to note a special thank you to North Woolwich Methodist Church. They were moved to take a special offering for assisting families affected by the earthquake last January. This last week we were able to appropriate those funds to help two families. The first was a mom and her daughter that needed some funds to get necessary paperwork to remain in country and get assistance.The other family, Odir and Magali, we were able to help fund the beginnings of an outdoor bathroom, an improved electrical system in the house and shutters for the window openings. They are a precious family of five and their new house, 10'x30', is almost complete. They moved in a month ago and have been sharing a toilet and a shower with 3 other families that live nearby. They are so excited to see their own bathroom taking shape. It also is outside and will be shared with others nearby.
While I was building with the men, B took the ladies and children down to the river where they all collected a special rock. Each one then had to tell the group why their rock was special and then we related that uniqueness to how God has made each one of us special and unique! They all seemed able to understand the message and when they got back to the house it was retold to those working on the construction.
Magali, his wife, tends house with their three children and is beginning to integrate into the new community. Odir was the youth leader in the church in the mountains before the quake. His hardest adaptation is living and working 6000' lower on the other side of the mountain, with temperatures 15-20 degrees warmer and very high humidity.As you can see form the picture the dining room consists of a very long log in the front yard!
