3/28/2007

It was at 6:30 this morning that I realized it was Wednesday. Soft groans came from underneath the sleeping bags as they peeled their eyes open for day three of work. This is usually the most difficult day during a work project week. Although a lot of progress has already been made, everyone is aware that there is still much to be done. And still, once breakfast was eaten, devotions were had and tools were collected, the smiles reappeared.

We wake up each morning to a hazy sky and dense cloud cover, but by 9:00am, the clouds have cleared and the sun comes out. Each day has been around 80 degrees with a light breeze and it cools down very nice at night.

A number of the guys from Phoenix have come up to me and commented on these students saying "we have never seen high school students work this hard." This is important in this town. It is slowly growing older and older as the younger generation leaves. It is really something to watch a 16 year old girl put ceiling tiles up with a 70 year old man.

Though a part of our hope for this trip was to bring together people of all ages from Bethel, I am concerned we will come back with some serious tensions that may need to be worked out pastorally. As the card game "up and down the river" progressed late into the evening last night, tempers raged and things were said that shouldn't have. I think Deb De Jong and Mark Krygsheld made up this morning, but for a time they couldn't even speak to one another. Thankfully no students were around to witness it.