Day 5 Bricks & Stumps

This morning`s started with the 7 am morning devotional, which today was a little different from Tuesday`s.  Professor Karen started with what sounded like a talk on friendship and confidence, and took two boys into the center of the circle and had them each in turn, fall backwards as she caught them.  This led in nicely to Donna Claudia magically appearing and quickly getting everyones attention as she introduced a student who, as we learned later, spoke to the kids about his current situation.  Jorge Alberto had been a model student until three months ago, when began brooding and being disruptive in class and at the school in general.  Not surprisingly, this led to a meeting with Claudia, where she learned he had returned from a home visit with his father very upset.  Claudia encouraged him to open about about his fears and concerns with her, and he realized that he was loved at El Hogar and by God.  This led to Jorge realizing he could talk with his family at El Hogar, and led him to want to speak to the group.  Being that our Spanish is weak, we didn`t understand everything, but the younger children listened intently as he explained how they could avoid making the same mistake he had made.  As an outsider, it`s pretty obvious that these children are part of something special, and they appreciate it all very much. Claudia, took our group after the morning devotional, and told us how many of the new children have never been hugged, or even been told that they are loved.  It certainly focused us as a team to what the true meaning of this trip is, and it left a very strong impression on everyone.

According to Raoul, the true meaning of our trip, today, was to get about a thousand bricks up the hill at the Santa Lucia site.  If we thought that shovelling dirt and mud for two days was as base a level of labor as could be had, imagine our joy at today`s activities.  Those of us "working the hill" each started with 3 or 4 bricks, hand carried up the hill.  Padre Thomas immediately grabbed 5, thus setting off a competition among the alpha males.  The limit  was reached at 8, but we quickly realized that 4 per haul was the right amount for SIX HOURS of hauling.  Meanwhile, those "working the house" continued with the cleaning and painting on the second floor, wrapping up their work late afternoon, leaving a beautifully painted house for the girls moving in next semester.  At this point, some of the hill crew and some house crew members got together to remove a stump from the pathway of the ever-extending stone (and brick) wall.  One chainsaw, one axe, one shovel, one pickaxe and three Episcopalians were defeated by the stump, for today.  If it is still there next year, we`ll be back with dynamite.

The day ended with Father Matt inviting us to stay for supper at his home on the grounds of the El Hogar girls school in Santa Lucia.  We were rewarded with a beautiful sunset over the hills of Tegucigalpa, accompanied by grilled burgers and cold, adult, beverages.  A good hard day of work.  Unfortunately, the children were in their dormitories by the time we returned and we are not able to play with them as we usually do after dinner.

Buenos noches from HAYE,
Bill W. and Tom H.