Day 29

 Hello everyone! We have been here about a month and things are going great! Tomorrow we will be finishing our 5th house and I can't wait for the family to move in! However, outside of the house building, we have also been doing outreach in a little community called Las Aves. We go out every Monday evening and gather at tiny little house with as many of the locals who are interested. We start out with a time of worship and then go into a time of bible study. The adults (almost entirely women) go inside and are taught by either Neri (welcome home staff) or Richard (orphanage staff) while the kids stay outside for crafts and teaching by Brigi (Welcome home daycare director). After that, its time for playing and passing out of muffins and hot chocolate or lemonade!

Time for worship at the outreach in Las Aves

In Las Aves, it is fairly common to see a house looking like this. This happens to be the family that will receive the house that we have been building with the extra money brought down by a church from Portland. This pic shows the beginning steps of prepping for the foundation.

Another home out in Las Aves

Some of the kids out herding turkeys

We were blessed this past weekend by the fairly random visit from some of my wonderful family! Jen and Gabe caught a ride down to Ensenada with my aunt Carolyn and grandma, and then hitched a ride down here to VG last Friday with Jackie. We put them right to work and the spent the first part of Saturday digging for the foundation at a brand new site and then laying block at a house in progress. We were able to hit up the beach in the afternoon and then had an evening full of games and laughter to complete the experience. My aunt, uncle, and grandma came down on Sunday and we gave them the tour and they were able to experience the orientation for a new group that had just arrived. And then just like that, they had to leave again :( It was such a wonderful treat and I am so thankful for the effort they put in to make it happen!

Jen and Gabe laying block under the direction of Steve

Ash with Jennifer. One of the amazing kids that always come and help out at the two work sites in Las Aves

Our first trip down to the beach since we've been down here. Though it is only 3 miles away, it's not exactly easy to get to... Anyways, Gabe and I had a wonderful time playing in the waves :)

Parking lot for the beach. Along with the awesome van that Ash and I get to use when we need to get around :)

And I just had to show this video of our drive out to the beach... Good times with Jen and Gabe in Mexico. We miss you SO much!