Day #3: Chain Gang Practice

HOLA!  WOWIE WOWIE WOWIE  It was HOTTTTTTT today!  It actually felt hotter today than yesterday because today there was the same heat and sun...no wind.  Boooo...thumbs DOWN!  We started the day thinking that we were going to finish the rock behind the wall...but then Wagner (not sure if it's his real name...probably not) and Wilber (again...real name?  don't know) had other ideas.  The dirt wall behind where the trench was getting to the point where it might cave in.  So what'd we do?  Caved it in...then got the great opportunity to play chain gang and dig the trench again.  So not only was it hot, but any and all wind that would blow was shielded by the dirt wall and the dirt piles.  So yeah, it was sweat fest in the trench.  But by only the grace of God we got that dang trench dug out again by lunch. 

Wagner knocking down dirt in the trench. 

Dirt in the trench.

Steve breaking up the big clay clumps with a pick axe.

After lunch I took my (apparently customary) half hour nap before getting back at it.  I was chosen (because of past sheet rock experience) to head up to the school and help hang a ceiling in a small class room.  I didn't get any pictures of it though because I forgot my camera on my bunk.  BUT, it was WAAAYY more pleasant working inside where there was a great breeze than in the trench.  Two of he five morning trenchmen got reassigned, so they didn't get too far down there with the wall trench.  But there's two weeks to get that thing dug.

Tonight I found out I might get reassigned again because I'm the only one that's ever run a cement mixer on the team.  Thank you Steve Bornhoft!  Monday I believe we're going to be pouring the wall cap over the four sections of the wall that they finished framing today.

Tomorrow we're heading to a volcano!  Should be a good day.  It'll be a great day to rest and see the country a little.  Don't worry, this volcano is dormant, has been for years.  There IS an active volcano in Costa Rica, but we're not going to that one.

Keep Ron Hume in your prayers.  He's a member of our team.  He's a retired pastor that lives in Park Rapids, used to work in the Methodist church in Pipestone.  When we went to the pool today, he was getting into the shower to rinse off before swimming and he slipped and fell.  He's got about a 3 inch gash on the back of his head.  They took him to the hospital and he's not back yet.  Also, be praying for his wife Vida.  She's been waiting patiently for word from the hospital or Ron...but there hasn't been any word.  He WAS awake and cracking jokes before they took him, so we don't think it's serious.  But all the same, Vida's pretty stressed.

That's all from down south.  Oh, that reminds me.  On our way to the pool, there's a guy that has a big white semi truck parked in front of his house.  The funny thing is that there's Confederate flags and bald eagle heads all over it.  Apparently the guy bought it in North Carolina and drove it all the way down here.  I honestly don't know how he navigates the Costa Rican roads with it.  But that's his ordeal I guess.  I'll try and get a picture of it tomorrow.

No pics today...computer's not letting my upload them.

-Kyle