What a difference a week makes!

Over and over again we've seen it...the incredible differences between a worksite from the beginning of a week to the end. Just as "when 2 or more are gathered together in my name," when you gather together groups of people united around a common goal, amazing things happen!

When Hot Metal Bridge Group (PA) worked on the medical clinic, they helped dig out a horrible mud trench that went around the perimeter of one end of the clinic, filled it with gravel and helped prepare for the installation of retaining walls for the foundation of Phase II of the clinic.

The next week, a small group of Alpha Sigma Phi's (NC) multi-tasked in areas of engineering consulting, clinic construction and prison ministry. This group of special long-time friends also offered great personal support for our family as we geared up for a very full summer.

Salem Medical I and II (NC) provided primary medical care, dental care and optometric care for nearly 3500 who came for services over 10 days! Nearly everyone needed some prescription, tooth extraction or glasses, and we were able to respond to many of their needs. Wow!

Even the small group led by Nancy Samples (OR) tiled bathrooms and installed...drum roll please....a hot water heater for 3 showers at the bible school. That's right! There are now 3 hot water showers at the bible school in Ocosingo! Charles, Mel and Nancy, countless numbers of American short-termers and Mexican students, deacons, elders and pastors will be grateful to you for years to come!

In the 3 weeks since Hot Metal left, the Mexican work crews had been able to finish the retaining wall and were ready for help getting it filled it. Enter Salem Construction I (NC)! Because the area inside the retaining wall was so deep and the slope so deep, it was necessary to have manual help getting the retaining wall area filled in so that the backhoe could get inside to finish the job. This was back-breaking, pure grunt work, but as usual, Salem folks pitched in to get the job done. In fact, I think they saw it as a huge challenge and they were NOT to be beaten by the task!

When we went with the Salem Construction Group II (NC) to Tzajala, damage to a sanctuary floor was repaired, a sidewalk was poured around the church building, and the community kitchen floor was poured so that the ladies didn't have to cook in a kitchen with a dirt floor.

Now...make no mistake...all of the above-referenced weeks' progress was amazing. But let me tell you folks. Words do not exist to describe what happened in the one week between the time Salem Construction I left Ocosingo and the time that we returned from working with Salem Construction II. The impasse about the roof design had finally been overcome, and the wood form installation for pouring the concrete roof began. In just 7 days, Mexican work crews had received massive amounts of lumber and began constructing the forms. The progress was amazing, and the level of excitement about clinic construction was at an all-time high for us!

You can double-click on any of the pictures above to enlarge, but make sure to enlarge the last one. You'll be amazed!

In about 2 weeks, the forms should be completed. The "big pour" is scheduled for Friday, July 20th. A multi-state group of 27 (NC, VA, OH, FL) will join together with about 80 Mexicans to pour the entire roof for Phase I in a 24-hour period. It should be quite a day! Stay tuned for more info about that incredible day.

We spend a lot of time talking with groups about keeping the "project" in perspective. We do believe that the cross-cultural relationships that are formed here are the most important parts of the mission trip experience. Period. That said, it is amazing to see what like-minded people can do together, and we know that cleaner kitchens, finished sanctuaries, Sunday School classrooms, water cisterns and of course medical care (in temporary or permanent facilities) make huge differences in people's lives here. We are grateful to all the mission teams who come and who work hard, sweat hard, use their creative, intelligent minds and give their "all" to make a difference here. What a difference a week makes!!