What a difference 24 HOURS makes!

Yesterday was THE BIG DAY! Mexican and American work crews scrambled all week hammering boards and tying rebar for the roof of Phase I of the Manos de Cristo medical clinic, We were trying to be ready for THE BIG POUR - the day to pour all 37 tons of cement in one fell swoop as required by the architects and engineers. By lunchtime yesterday, the certainty of being able to pour cement was not clear. Elders, deacons and church members from churches around the Maya Synod were getting discouraged and many returned to their homes - convinced that we weren't going to be able to pour. Oh what patience it took to let them go! But we weren't certain either, and we didn't want unhappy volunteers! But at 7PM last night, we cranked up 4 cement mixers and lots of portable lighting, and The Big Pour began in earnest.

Our regular clinic construction team of about 8 was joined by 32 Americans and about 30 extra Mexican construction workers. Extra help was needed in the kitchen, and fires were built at the worksite and in the open-fire kitchen to boiled huge pots of beef caldo (broth w/ meat and vegetables), rice, beans and coffee to feed this huge crew. By 8:30 PM, we knew we needed more help, so Pablo brought in another 30 or so Mexican workers who are affectionately called "goats." (Read more about the goats in a separate blog entry) Some Americans were fading by 11PM, several were pulled away to help with an injury, some of us made it until about 2:30, and there were a few brave American souls who made it until the end of the pour at 4AM. We served caldo, rice and tortillas at 7PM, 1AM and 4AM, and the main Mexican work crew finally headed for bed about 5AM. Together we poured 27 tons of cement and finished about 70% of the roof of Phase I, which was enough to satisfy the architect and the engineer.

We ask your special prayers for Randy Duvall from Virginia Beach who suffered a broken arm with a fall from one of the non-OSHA-approved ramps on the worksite as he headed home in the dark last night. Fortunately, he had a positive middle-of-the-night visit to a local public clinic and will be able to see his own doctor in Virginia within 72 hours. Since Mexican doctors typically do surgery to set broken bones, I was thrilled to hear that the doctor here seemed to see no reason to do anything more than apply a standard plaster cast to give the 2 hairline fractures time to heal. That was great news! Can you imagine his face had the doctor tried to explain that he needed surgery?! It amazes me that we haven't had worksite injuries galore over the years, but in fact, this was the first injury that I've seen that required off-site medical attention. Gratefully we had a good team of nurses, good meds on hand, and were received by an excellent physician who is well-known and respected by members of our Mexican team. In fact, I'd say that Randy (a white American with good translators and certain ability to pay for his services) was cared for in the same way we anticipate caring for all patients at Manos de Cristo in the future - with expediency, professionalism, compassion, friendliness and respect. God graciously provided all we needed in the midst of an unfortunate injury - which should come as no surprise.

We hope the be able to finish the remaining 30% of the Phase I roof with a more typical full-day of pouring (a mere 10 tons of cement!) during the upcoming week. So finally, after weeks of impasse over roof design, construction is back in full-swing, and it is a blessing to behold.

Pictures to follow with this blog entry later today, but for those who are waiting for a report on the big pour, thought I'd go ahead and post. For now though, I've got to run prep bathrooms and beds for the group from Maumee, OH who will arrive from Tuxtla tonight!