The day time stood still

We started the day off with sunshine. We got started with a bang and we made good progress through lunchtime. We all decided to eat a shorter lunch. We got the baptistry front and back finished and grouted by lunch, which was our goal.

We still had a lot to do (three inner walls) and weren't sure we could finish. Then the challenges/miracles happened.

First, the electricity went out. It goes out when it rains in the valley. Without electricity, we couldn't cut any block nor could we put the rest off the roof on. That would have ended our day. We worked as much as we could, but that ended pretty quickly. After a while, we all gathered inside to have prayer that if it was Gods will for us to finish, that the electricity would come back on. The rain was still falling, but about 15 minutes later, the electricity was back on-truly a miracle.

Then the rains started. Most of the church roof was on, but they were still working on the back part where we were still laying block. They can't work on the roof in the rain-it is too dangerous. The rain stoped just long enough for them to finish! After the roof was completed, it started a steady, heavy rain for the rest of the day-soaking everyone who went outside, but the team was able to lay block inside.

Putting the roof on

The last miracle was our block saw. Ray is our block cutter (and resident amateur weatherman) and said that the saw blade was new at the beginning of the week. Midway through the week, it started to show wear. The maranatha foreman brought the two replacement blades, which had no cutting surface left (useless). So he kept working. Today, the blade was totally ineffective. It was basically burning through the block rather than cutting. It had no diamond tip on at and would turn red as it was so hot. It took a lot longer to cut block, but, somehow, God let it work.

Even with all of those miracles, it took an incredible effort by all of the team today. Everyone pitched in and was willing to stay a bit late to complete the church. By Gods grace. We got all walls completed! I still don't know how we got so many block laid this afternoon. As some of the team said, it was as if time stood still in the afternoon. One wall had 19 courses laid, another had 11 and another 6 courses- all after lunch-with all the challenges mentioned.

Working frantically on one of the last walls

Completed interior walls


Completed walls

When we were completed, we all celebrated with the church members and maranatha crew members. We have some great pictures of all of us that we will post when we can. The team looks like we really worked that day. We were tired, filthy and sore, but have such as sense of accomplishment and awe at what God allowed us to do.

Wet and tired group

Our entire work crew on Friday - jubilant in what God allowed us to do!

Danae and Dale Spencer

Handing out the project shirts to the Maranatha crew

Other crew members

Daniel (middle) was the Maranatha foreman. He did a great job on the project. About 3:00 on Friday, I asked him to help lay block to get finished. Diego completed the roof while Daniel and Rachael laid up one wall, Guy worked on another and Gino and I on the third. I am still amazed at how much block everyone laid Friday afternoon. Time truly stood still that afternoon.

Maranatha crew members with their project team t-shirts

We got back at about 6:30. The medical/dental team was so worried about us getting back late, that they were praying for us. We will worship with the church members at the new church tomorrow. We can't wait.

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless handheld.