Building Walls and Bridges

“Amazing”, “contrasts”, “blessings”, “fulfilling”, “rewarding” and “tired” were some of the adjectives that described our first full day with Frank and Karren.  We started our day about 5:30 in the morning. By 7:30 all 13 of us were out the door and on our way to the seminary where we were greeted by the students.  They completed their final English exam by giving us a tour of the campus…then we had to grade them on their performance.       Then we were on our way to the construction site where we all hauled sand in buckets to make mortar.  We moved concrete blocks, dug red clay dirt and started building the walls of the new dorm.  Although it took a while to get us all organized, everyone was enthusiastic and gave all they had…even in the heat and humidity. It was amazing to watch the walls go up. By noon the skies darkened and the rains came down!!  Time to stop and get lunch, clean up and take a short break. 

Later that afternoon was time to build bridges. A few of us had the privilege of presenting a wheelchair to a local family that has a boy with cerebral palsy.  We had taken the wheelchair with us from America, and had been wondering what it would be like to finally meet this family and make a connection – building that bridge to their world.  We were greated with tears of joy as we brought the bright red wheel chair into this home.  Faiz was carefully fit into the wheel chair as Ina, holding her one year old looked on with pure amazement and delight.  “I can now go out of the house with both of my children and get food for my family,” she exclaimed.  Ina’s husband will be gone for two years in May and she will be on her own trying to care for her family.  This wheelchair will make sure a difference in their lives.  She had no words to describe her gratefulness, but it was our joy to share that this gift was from God because He loves her and her family. 

Our construction has been going well, and we have now completed our second day of work.  When we arrived, the foundations had already been prepared for us, so we began our work with the construction of the walls – concrete blocks filled with mortar.  We also moved a great deal of sand and dirt, mostly with a bucket brigade.   Before we started, we were told we’d be working just half-days, in the morning.  We found out soon two reasons why – the heat and humity sap your strength quickly, and it rains nearly every afternoon!  Every has been working hard, getting dirty, sweaty, sore and tired.  But at the end of the day, there is much progress to see as our reward.

This afternoon, we prayer walked through the village, asking for God to remove the darkness from this all-Muslim neighborhood, to open hearts to the Good News, to let the Muslim people here have dreams and visions of the true God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.  We were invited into a group kitchen by one of the neighbors, where they had gathered as part of a ritual at the death of the grandmother of the family.  Even as we gathered and ate together with them, enjoying their hospitality, we prayed for these people and for God’s Word to reach them.

Everyone is doing well and we’re all healthy.  So far, we have only a few blisters, nicks and mosquito bites as badges of courage.  We know that this is because of your faithful prayers and support and we are so thankful for all of you!