A truly fantastic day! I packed my running shoes and resolved to run on this vacation. While somewhat sleep deprived I still managed to get up and get out at 6:30am for a few kms around the farm.
It made for a great day!
It was a very physical day that began with driving stakes in the ground with a sledge hammer to build frames for what would become walkways around a small apartment we are also working on. After that, I worked with Dane to build the actual frames with 2x4. We had to ensure the lines were level and the walkways sloped slightly to ensure water run-off when complete.
Teams worked to gather sand and rocks with wheel-barrows and then we shoveled gravel into the frames. I then pounded the gravel with a very handy tree-stump fashioned with two handles to pound the ground.
All hands were on deck and we worked in two teams to mix the concrete in large concrete mixers-- 1 bucket of water, 3 shovels of powdered concrete, multiple shovels of sand and gravel. Empty into 3 wheel-barrows led by others in the team. Repeat for about 3 hours!
And now the walkways are complete!
For dinner we were invited to the Caminul Felix compound number 1 which is where the family, whose transitional home we are working on now, has lived for 18 years with their ever-growing family. They prepared and overwhelming feast and welcomed us warmly into their home, their lives and their world.
We heard about the importance of family...for life. At Caminul Felix adoptive parents adopt abandoned children of all ages and not only provide them with a place to live, but with a family that is their's to love and and give love to for their entire lives. They do not "release" orphans when they are 18 years old. The family continues to grow as children marry and have families of their own. This is the foundation they create and provide instilling the need for and importance of a family, and a community, that cares.
There is a lot of love that needs to be shared and many who remarkably give unconditionally. My heart was overcome to see them all together, listen to how much they do and provide.
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