a day to remember..

yesterday was one of THOSE days.. let me welcome everyone to rainy season in honduras. it has rained everyday since my dad's group got here. the first night we were supposed to go to the jesus statue, no, it rained, on wednesday night we were supposed to have devo at the jesus statue, no.. so yesterday, if weather was to permit, we were going to build 2 houses. we woke up, beautiful day. not too sunny, but not that cloudy, and the temperature was cool, but not cold. we headed out to the valley of angels to build, where joe was meeting us with the wood, and carlos toledo, the preacher at the church there( who we have tagged with the name- holy toledo). the wood had already been dropped off at the first sight, so my crew headed up, and i do mean UP, to our sight. most of the crew is carrying the wood up to the sight while a few of us get the post holes dug. simple, easy. we had our post holes dug and set the posts in probably 15 minutes. had the bottom boards ready and set the rest of the posts in another 30. things were looking great.. started to sprinkle.. "actually i wouldnt mind if it rained it would be kinda nice" one of the guys chimes in, i don't hold this statement against him, he has never been here before.. the flood gates were opened. all our walls are up, and it was time to start the roof. (let me go back for just a second and tell you that i put the chainsaws together before we left yesterday morning). so it's time for the roof, and i take the chainsaw and start it up and start to cut the posts to put the roofing rafters on, and i'm tellin you, it was NOT cutting, as if it were just REALLY dull. so i try the other one, same thing, not cutting at all.. by this time the rain is in full blast, and the wind isn't making the combination pleasant. so me and brilliant chainsaw comprehending mind decided to take them apart, and try something new, so i take the blades off to turn them around, only i turn them back around to the same direction they were in when they weren't cutting.. i try them again, and, you guessed it, won't cut.. i send a local to see if they can find a hand saw, because we are at a standstill until we can cut these posts to start the roof. we wait a solid hour and a half and tim calls me to check on progress with the chainsaws, and suggests turning the blades around to face the other direction.. of course, in my mind, i had already tried this, but why not? it was pouring rain, we were all freezing, and something HAD to work. i turn them around and what do you know.. they are cutting through the wood like butter. can i remind you at this point in the story that it is STILL raining, and it's just getting colder.. so we finally start on the roof, and by this time my hands are numb from it being so cold, and i can't really feel the nails that i'm hitting, so i end up hitting my fingers just as much as the nails, and i'm shivering as i'm walking around on the roof rafters, the slippery roof rafters. i mean, you could see your breath it was so cold.. see your breath.. IN HONDURAS! so we finish the roof, and barely get started on the floor, and it's time to go.. we load all the tools and head down to the bus and on the way down i think to myself.. i believe that i have a jacket in my backpack.. oh yes, i did, and i didnt even know it until the day was OVER!!! THAT was a perfect ending to the day! we got back home and a hot shower never felt so good. the group came over for dinner and we had devo at the house, and tim and my dad surprised the group with tickets to star wars.. in which i fell asleep half way through, but the first half was good!.. just another day in the exciting world of TORCH missions. a day i'm sure no one who was soaking wet and freezing will not forget any time soon..

still drying out and cold
NCR