July 16

Hey Everyone,

We are back in San Ignacio for the night before we head to St. Louis tomorrow. We visited the elderly at Octavia Waight this afternoon. It was Carmella's 102nd birthday today. We got to sing to her and to sing for the residents after chatting a bit. It was a bright point of the day for them.

We have had a wonderful week. Yesterday we woke up to a heavy gray sky and it did not look wonderful. At breakfast, it started pouring buckets...and kept on pouring buckets...and more buckets. It was the wettest that the team had been...ever. I (erin) was wondering if God had forgotten us and had forgotten that it was the day of His favorite story - Christ's death and resurrection, which forgives our sins and gives us new life. He hadn't. As we drove toward the village, the rain lightened...and lightened...and was gone. He had a beautiful blue sky complete with sun for us in the village. It was cloudy in all the surrounding areas, but not in Seine Bight. :) God is faithful to His people - there is no forgetting with Him. The VBS team had a hard time saying good bye to their new friends in the village. Lots of hugs and see you laters!

The physical therapy team completed all their visits that they had planned to make. They had a wheelchair outfitted with a new seat for a little boy with cerebral palsy; he won't have to ride in a wheelbarrow any more. They gave out new exercises and made some speech cards for a man who had a stroke. He can now point to exactly what he wants so his wife doesn't have to guess.

The dental team saw a record number of patients during the week. Lots of teeth pulled and pain reduced and life improved. Even Dr. Joe and Michael got in on the action. :D

The construction team finished the walls and sides and floor of the house for Rock, our connection in the village. The materials for the tin roof are there and their new friend Thomas aka Turkey will be putting the roof for him. Hopefully he will be able to get it on soon...it was raining again when we left this morning. Rock will send us pictures of the finished product.

Lauren is better! She made it into the village on Wednesday and Thursday for the preschool lessons and was so happy to be present and serving. Thanks for praying for her!

Continue to pray as we return to the US tomorrow. We will have lots of stories to share and pictures to look at. We have been blessed by the experience. It was awesome to be God's hands and feet this past week. Pray for us as we process all that we have seen and been part of.

blessings,
erin