One week down, and a whole lot of progress has been made. The Nahuatl master builders are fantastic, and have impressed Don with their craftsmanship. The walls are just over 60% of the height needed for this stage of the build. Being so far ahead of the game, we’re starting to plan other tasks for the rest of the time we contracted these guys: a retaining wall and drainage system, an outhouse, moving extra adobes off the build site, and burying our cistern.
Don and I had to work hard this week to keep up with the builders’ progress, but we just managed to get the concrete lintels done ahead of when they will be needed. Curing is going a bit slowly, but they should be ready by Monday. We received a dump truck load of sand and gravel this week (along with several other things); the dumping mechanism broke on the road in, so we had to unload by hand – several hours’ grueling work with shovels!
This next week, we anticipate the arrival of two truckloads of wood – which then needs to be sprayed for termite protection, then stacked and stickered. As well, we’ll start making forms for the concrete columns which will join the various wall sections… and see if we can’t get the first four feet of height started in at least some of those gaps!
Daily build photos will (generally!) still go up near midday on our house construction status page. Let’s see what God does this week!
Quick Notes & Things I’ve Been Reading:
- Borrowing is an important part of Nahuatl culture… both others borrowing from you, and you from them! My coworker Katie expands on something I’m just beginning to perceive out here: [Katie’s Blog: Lend Things]
- One of the tools our team uses for Bible translation is called ParaText – I helped transfer some of our translation work into it a couple years back, and it’s fantastic! Read about a new advance in the program: [Christian Post: New Bible Translation Technology…]
- It can be so easy to take satisfaction in the punishment of the worst examples of humanity, but fail to realize the Pharisaical nature of such a response. Romans 2:1-4 rings all too true in such moments. [RZIM: In Stone and Sand]
- Do you need one of our 2018 prayer cards? Would you like to receive email notification of these updates? Please let me know; we will be happy to arrange either of those things!
Thank God with us!
- For amazing progress during the first week of building.
- That Amy and the kids are doing so well in my absence – as well Don’s family in his, and we in all of theirs.
- For the great relationship building opportunities we’ve had so far in Las Moras: whether with builders, laundry washers, church attendees, or the guys we worked with yesterday repairing the road in to town! Also, in a different way, with the awesome missionaries comprising the rest of our church planting team.
Ways you can pray:
- That construction continue rapidly, safely, and with good quality – as it has to this point!
- For Don and I, and our families – during this time of separation from one another.
- That Nahuatl people listen to God speaking through His Word, come to hear more, talk about it with one another, and choose faith in Jesus over animistic fear.
We just want to say thank you Jordan for your emails/blogs – we truly enjoy them. I have so much to say that I must take time to respond to your last few emails, being more lengthy, hopefully this week.
Your journey with God has been incredible – TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!
Praising Him for you and your family doing so well through this exciting time. And all your co-workers. The pictures of the house are super great!
God bless you and keep you – all – in His tender care.
Thanks so much for your encouragement and prayer! Love and miss you guys!
Thanks for the link to Katie’s post about lending things. I well understand the lengthy visit that goes with the request. At times, it is not necessary to visit at length but it often is. There are times when the purpose of the visit is never made known. In one such case, it began to rain…and so when there was a pause in the downpour, the visitor left for home quickly. The woman is hard of hearing, which made the visit even harder. However, since that time, the family is very friendly with me, greeting me on the street frequently. I guess the time was well-spent.
Blessings.
God always knows… it’s a discipline to look for His purpose in all circumstances, one I know I need to continue developing! Whether or not we ever see it, it’s always there! Good reminder; thanks for sharing that story!
How exciting to see the progress in the physical as well as the spiritual realm. So thankful all are doing well. Praise His holy name.
Amen, brother!