Last Day of Work

Hi everyone! Well, its the last day of work...its hard to believe. In some ways it has gone too fast, in others it seems like we've been here forever...and that's a good thing.

I've been pretty sick with the flu for the last few days, pretty much in bed all the time. It sure is making its rounds and we pray that no one else will come down with it as we have travelling to do yet....tomorrow morning back to Guatemala City and home on Thursday.

Today, most of the crew was painting inside the school, finishing up the main floor hallway, stairwell and a third story classroom that is needed b/c the school is growing rapdily. Enrollment is now around the 400 student mark and they keep on coming. Lloyd continued helping the concrete guys pour the columns and it looks like they have them done. Ed is making a cabinet for our tools that will be under lock and key and yesterday he drew up plans for cupboards to be put in the staff room.

This morning we attending a special presentation by the children - it was really wonderful. They placed chairs for us as guests of honour and each class came up to sing a song. We were blessed by them through prayer as well as thanked. This school means so much to them and to the community and they are so appreciative. After the presentation, we all received a Guatemalan handmade item as thanks. We then handed out bracelets to them with coloured beads representing the story of salvation. Hilda's daughter-in-law had translated the meaning in Spanish for us and each bracelet had an explanation attached to it. Laura Klapwyk had made 500 bracelets for us and we thank her as well. Each of the kids also were handed a candy as a treat. We then went into the school where we were able to buy handmade bags, bible covers, purses, wallets and more.

We have made up gift packs for the kitchen staff and concrete workers that will be given later today. Without them we would never have been able to accomplish what we did! We are thankful to these quiet, gracious people for all the meals we've enjoyed and for putting up with us 'gringos' as we learned to lay block, mix mortar and work alongside our Guatemalan brothers and sisters.

Tonight we clean and pack up. We leave after breakfast, going first to the historic city of Antiqua to see the market and this old, beautiful city. We will go out for dinner in the city and then stay overnight in a seminary. Breakfast tomorrow morning, perhaps to an artisans market yet and then off to the airport! Our flight leave around 2pm...if all goes well. Pray that our flight will be on time and we'll be able to make our connecting flight in Atlanta to Buffalo. We are due to land in Buffalo near midnight.

Its always hard to say goodbye. Goodbye to Timo and Mary-Lou, goodbye to the workers, goodbye to the teachers and students, goodbye to this beautiful, mountainous country, goodbye to each other as our time together as a small group is coming to an end. Has it been a year since we first met? Last night we talked about our team and what a blessing its has been. And with Matt joining us at the last minute - that was God's blessing to us! His skills as an electrician have been used much and without him along there is much that couldn't have been done in the classrooms. God was, as always, faithful and in control and we give him all the honour and glory as we prepare to leave.

We also have to say goodbye to Hank and Rosario....what an amazing blessing they have been to us. We have come to love them and hope that they have felt part of our team. Their ability to translate the language to us, explain customs, and tell us about the different things we saw was wonderful. Hank and Rosario will be staying in Guatemala to host the Niagara Team - due to arrive on February 18. Hank and Rosario - thank you so much for your gift of hospitality, your love of these people and for volunteering your time and effort on behalf of the last three groups. Without you, we would not have been able to work near as efficiently!

This is probably the last blog I'll be writing until we are home. Thank you all for following along and sharing our experience. We have been extremely blessed to be able to participate on a HANDS Team through Worldwide Christian Schools. Please continue to pray for this organization and all the HANDS Teams that will continue to go out in the next few months. If doing something like this intriques you at all, stay tuned - there'll be another team starting in a year or so. Thank you to all of you for your encouragements, prayers and comments. Its amazing that we are so far from home yet able to be so close because of internet. Blessings to you all - we love you and will see you soon....till we meet again.