Today our final day of work was started with another hearty breakfast with French toast and some delicious freshly cut fruit. Many of us may be eating healthier here than we do back home.
Since it was our last day we were mostly finishing up projects we had started during the week, except for delivering 22 beds that had been put together by an earlier group and the accompanying mattresses to the village of Chuitinamit where the people had been displaced after Hurricane Agatha in 2010. Although are now living in tin shacks with only four outdoor latrines to serve 150 people, they had been living in tents that were donated for about 11 months. It is really hard to imagine living in a tent for 11 months and then having the “upgrade” still having a dirt floor. Because we were delivering the beds and helping the people carry them into their homes, we were able to see how the people there actually live.
After we finished with the last bed, one of the women came out and gave a short speech thanking us for all that we had done. After she concluded one of the men came out with cans of juice followed by a woman with cans of soda. If there was a God moment during this entire week this was it. When one thinks of all of the things we have prayed for, hope, moments to enrich our faith, acts of kindness, these were all wrapped up together during this 5 to 10 minute we shared with our brothers and sisters from another land. It was one of those times when you forget who you are and where you came from and just enjoyed a moment with new friends. What a great way to end our mission trip.