Tuesday Report

Content by Joanne

Everyone was "bright-eyed and bushy-tailed" for our first full work day - although some were suffering shower-deprivation from a hot water issue. Breakfast was very tasty, we were all given our box lunches, and we loaded into our two vans for transportation about 8:15.

Team Juan

Team Juan had a 15-20 minute drive through some great scenery to their build location - in the middle of a corn field. As the group was evaluating their surroundings, Tall Colin stated the obvious when he said 'Well, I guess we are really going to be starting from scratch'! The small patch in the field was cleared of corn and leveled, but that was it - a blank slate. The first order of business was to make some stakes out of wood and a machete (a new tool for some), and mark out the corners. After this a hose and water was used to create a natural level, and a plane was created. Fishing twine created a guide, and team went to work digging a trench for footings where the concrete would be poured. The only thing that eventually stopped the group was - no concrete - the delivery truck was not there yet.



At lunch the group ate some incredibly fresh and massive corn. After opening the husk, some lime and salt was sprinkled on - it was delicious! However, with no delivery truck in site, the group was out of work. No problem - they just loaded back into the van and went to visit Team Timoteo - arriving just in time to help shovel out the sand and aggregate from their delivery truck, and help out doing - you guessed it - digging more trenches!! Perfect timing.



Father and Son duo showing the locals how
Canadians shovel snow.... or gravel.





Team Timoteo

Team Timoteo arrived full of vim and vigor at their build site to find a cleared corn field, a valley where there had obviously been a mud slide, and no-one else. They checked out the location, including the mud flats where the family home used to stand, and the washed out road just below it. Within a few minutes Timoteo arrived with his bag of tools and the team got to work.





They cut down another row of corn, moved dirt from one side to the other, and started to work on the trees that were growing along the side of the plot of land. Some of the trees were rotten and easy to remove, but a number of them were still living and were not so interested in being uprooted. There was a very amusing time when Trent and Joanne worked one tree for 20-30 minutes, after which Megan stepped in and gave one quick twist, picked up the whole truck, and walked off with it. Very impressive! 



Female Power!



The team had just started marking out dig lines when the delivery truck arrived, so the architectural activities were suspended while the group unloaded bricks, sheets of tin for the roof, sand, gravel, and bags and bags of cement (and they were heavy!) During this activity, Team Juan had arrived, so there was a real group effort at digging the trenches - their previous experience with this task was greatly appreciated.





The background to the Team Timoteo was a constant group of friends - the children from the family next door. Long Colin was a natural with the kids, and they soon were our constant companions. There were races on the road, push-up contests, lots of shy smiles, hopscotch, and of course the great draw - cameras. One 10-year old boy was quite proud to be helping with wheelbarrow activities.



Future Ansell Adams Learning from a Master Photgrapher!



At 4:00 PM our vans arrived from the quick trip home, hot showers (for most), some free time to walk around town, and some electronic catch-up in the 10-foot circle around the router where we are able to get wireless internet access. Supper was beef stew, rice, soup, and salad, as well as a round of 'One good thing, one bad thing, and one thing learned', where everyone gets to talk about one good thing that happened to them that day, one bad thing, and one thing they learned. This is a great group activity and lead to lots of insight, chuckles, and reflections. Oh - and everyone finally got hot water thanks to some group sleuthing!