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| Doing some sink repair |
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| Securing the cabinets |
This past week started with the arrival of TWO SERVICE TEAMS coming to our school in Zapote. One team was from New Hope Church in Minnesota (who stayed with us in the team quarters at the school) and the other was from McKinney Christian Academy in Texas. Teams bring with them the excitement of a "taste of home", excited spirits of the participants, and the opportunity to share with others what we do day in and day out.
The New Hope team came to do construction projects within the school and our apartment . We were blessed with cabinets in our kitchen... WITH DOORS!! (The frequent ash has forced us to store silverware, plates, and other kitchen items in bins under the counters)... they also screened in gaps in the roof (it is open to allow air flow, but recently bats and other non-desirable creatures have found their way in)... they put screens on our windows (YAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!)... they built cabinets in the team room.. they built a block enclosure around the water pump.. hung doors in the school.. fixed odds and ends.. and painted murals and signs on the school. WOW!! I'm just tired writing all of that!!
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| Our New Cabinets!! |
The McKinney team gave the inside of the wall surrounding the school a fresh coat of paint... they painted the exterior of the school... they installed WiFi at the school (we will have to hide the password from the kids!!) and they put on a short VBS type program for the kids which the kids LOVED.
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| Painting the Wall |
However, that's only the beginning of the excitement from this week!! On Tuesday our lovely volcano decided to put on QUITE THE SHOW to welcome our visitors. As we stood in the courtyard of the school watching the immense cloud of ash coming in our direction, I dreaded what lie ahead. (Two weeks ago the ash was blown into the house by the windstorms and really tested our perseverance). However, when the ash cloud reached us (it looked like an approaching thunderstorm), the ash fell like snow straight to the ground. (I have never been MORE THANKFUL for NO WIND than I was at that moment). Since it was not windy, the ash did not blow into the house. It covered the ground like snow and anyone who walked through left footprints as they went. And.. in true Zapotean (a new word) spirit.. the prayer meeting was still held that evening. These people are CHAMPS!!
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| Painting the Outside |
Reuben (the groundskeeper) was up before 5am the next morning sweeping the ash out of the courtyard to clean up before the students arrived. That Wednesday brought the normal Zapote heat and hot sun, and I managed to get sunburned helping with the dance portion of the program that the McKinney team was putting on for the kids (I may really LOVE TO DANCE).
On Thursday morning all appeared "normal" as we were preparing for the day around 6:30 AM. Then the power went out... this is not unusual in Guatemala... however I noticed that I could still hear what I thought was the coffee pot brewing from next door (the walls don't reach the roof so sound travels). Then I heard someone from the New Hope team talking about smoke and fire. Looking outside, I saw that the power pole which held the line supplying power to the top floor of the school was ON FIRE!! Reuben quickly ran and cut off all the breakers (there are no transformers on power lines in Guatemala). As we sat and watched the line burn we realized that we would have to figure out some way to put the fire out (there are no fire departments where the school is). The fire was beginning to burn up the line and would continue to burn along the line and spread from house to house if the fire was not put out.
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| The Electric Fire |
We made a quick search and realized that there are no fire extinguishers in the school and putting water on an electrical fire could be disastrous. "Ok... we have to McIver this thing" I said and we quickly came up with the solution of someone climbing up a ladder and throwing dirt on the fire (hey... we needed a "powder" extinguisher right?!!) I grabbed one of the older boys and ran to the soccer field to fill two flower pots with dirt while our brave teammates from New Hope propped the ladder precariously close to the burning and sparking pole. A brave teammate ascended the ladder, tossed a handful of dirt on the fire... and THE FIRE WENT OUT!! I'm not sure what we would have done if the New Hope team had not been there with us!!
After calming ourselves and making sure the fire was extinguished and would not reignite we realized that our water pump is fed from the line that had burned. Without a water pump we did not have running water. That means we could not flush toilets.. we could not wash hands.. and there was no running water in the kitchen. However by time I asked Tiffany if we could have school without water, she laughed and said "The moms have all ready left to get the water." The mothers of the students (most of whom had been watching the fire adventure) grabbed buckets and bowls and were hauling water from a nearby well point. In a matter of minutes they filled the pilas, there was water to flush toilets, and water for cooking. The people of Zapote never cease to amaze me! We spent the rest of the day without power (but we had water!!) and the last we heard the line was still being worked on as of Friday afternoon when the team left the school.
As if that was not enough adventure for one week, the McKinney team invited Tiffany and I to join them for a zipline adventure at the edge of Antigua. I have wanted to go ziplining for some time; however, at some point I failed to realize that it involves EXTREME heights. I am TERRIFIED of heights. In fact, I nearly turned back multiple times throughout the zipline course and had to be coaxed more than once to keep going. My favorite (and most terrified) moment came after I somehow ascended a ladder that went STRAIGHT UP a tree (it had to be 50-75 ft) high... I stopped about half way up the ladder and attempted to come back down.. only to find that the security clip on the line would not allow me to descend and only to keep climbing... so after pondering if I wanted to live the rest of my life on the ladder... I gathered what minuscule intestinal fortitude I could muster (mostly from the cheering of those waiting behind me) and climbed to the top. We won't talk about how I was literally hugging the tree when the wind was blowing at the top of the platform...
I was literally shaking as I stood on the edge of the platform and waited for my harness to be attached to the line. Next, I sat back in my harness and waited to feel gravity take over... and it SURELY DID. A few seconds into my journey (to certain death) I realized that my eyes were closed and it was almost if I heard God say "Open Your Eyes"... I did.. and WOW!!! As I passed over forests and mountains I was in awe of God's creation.. It was like a bird's eye view of ALL HE HAS MADE... I began laughing with joy.. and I will admit.. despite the terrifying moments.. I REALLY LOVED IT.. and now that I am convinced that I PROBABLY won't die.. I would do it again..
So... those were the highlights of this past week. I can say that despite it all the peace of God.. the joy of God.. and the encouragement of others really pushed me through this week. I can't help but think of God's mercy in choosing me to walk this path despite of who I am and all that I have done... and I am sooooo grateful for those who were beside me this week cheering me on. Whether it was laughing together at the heat, persevering through the ash, problem solving to put out the fire, working together to better the school in Zapote, or even ALL the moral support I received on the zip line.. I realize that when we work TOGETHER and ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER we can accomplish GREAT THINGS!! And thank you to all of you "at home" and "around the world" who pray for us as we continue this adventure. I really couldn't do any of this without you. Just because you are not physically present does not mean that you are not a part of this journey to. Thank you for sharing this with me.
Blessings,
Meaghen
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