Loving Others in a Variety of Ways

Josh finishing up the clear lamina install at the church.

Team work was our speciality on this trip.

Mike explaining to Ramsis the lost art of making a pizza pie.

Bill nailing up a piece of lamina on the out building we made for Maria.  This will give her a place she can make tortillas to sell so she can take care of her family of  6 children 2 boys and 4 girls.

Josh supervising Anna while she sets block.

"There's something crooked over there."

Hammers and shovels are not our only tools in our toolbelts

Just like cleaning teeth...

Filling Maria's home with joy and laughter

Even the dogs play soccer in Guatemala!

We got to meet Hannah, the newest member of the SARF team on the ground

Josh assumes his "sumo stance" in the soccer goal

Bill reflects on God's hand here in Guatemala

Painting faces for the kids at the soccer event

Worshipping in the local church

Aminta helping us build her wall.

Varushka drills into a piece of wood, kinda like drilling a tooth for a cavity.

Day three working in the trenches

Our daily downhill decent to Aminta's home.

Bill and his little helper mixing the mortar

Josh cutting the blocks in half using the SARF 5000 diamond bit cutter.

Laying the starter blocks for Aminta's wall.  

Third course of block and counting

Anna bumped up to mason second class on her first day.

Meanwhile, at Pastor Jorge Cerritos Jr.'s church.

We are covering a large open area that lets rain in.

Patricio wears many hats.  He left the supervision of the wall construction to get the crew started on the church project.  

Katy practicing for her tryouts to be a circus acrobat.

Taking time to appreciate God's blessings.

Barbara holding Liam.

Colleen playing with Katy and Stephanie.

Katy giving Brad a lesson in patty cake.

A Solid Foundation

So it begins!  

We played in the dirt.

Pennsylvania launches PENNDOT training in Guatemala

Kathy giving her secret trade tricks on tying rebar

Tying rebar 101

Met our two team members, Josh and Anna, who flew all the way from California to join us, and boy were their arms tired!

We came together as a team and mixed concrete, by hand, on the ground Guatemalan style

We were hard at work, well most of us were!

But with all the work we didn't forget the most important reason we are here.  To build relationship with the families we serve and with each other!

Mike taking a water break while Patricio supervises.  

Jen spending time with Dylan who is teaching her how to color in Spanish.

Brad supervises while Bill holds up the wall.

We've Arrived

After a slight delay on our departure from BWI we are ready for takeoff.

In the van and on our way to Villa Nueva. Dylan is so happy to see us!

As soon as we unloaded our luggage the guys were off and running. They needed to come up with some creative methods to secure the lamina for one of our projects. On the drive back Brad's bodyweight helped hold the material down. Nothing like roof surfing in Guatemala. (just kidding)!