Day 7 - Pinata's and Parties

We arrived at the work site with renewed energy and a mix of emotions. Knowing it was our last day and that we would only be working until lunch made us extra aware of how precious the time was. Compared to Monday we were much more willing to try and joke with some of the workers who spoke little or no English, we felt more competent using the tools, and we knew what needed to be done and jumped in instead of waiting for instruction. It was extremely humbling to realize that all the dirt we had brought in and stomped, all 75 cubic meters of dirt, would be covered by another group with more dirt, and eventually covered by a concrete floor. Nothing we were doing would be visible.

"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you." - Psalm 89:14

What was visible was a lot more smiles on peoples faces. There were also less questions and more trust in the way things were being done. I know early on in the week it was hard to simply follow instructions because we felt like it could be done faster or better another way. At some point in the week we had to realize that those who lived here all knew what needed to be done and we were simply to trust in that work. All of us share that role. God doesn't line out the master plan, he simply tells us that we can trust him and he will give us amazing work to do. In many ways the things being constructed, the things that would be visible our whole lives, the things that would be seen by the world... were us.

"Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in." - Isaiah 58:12

During lunch Habitat presented us all with certificates that read:

"Do Something Concrete. We thank you our volunteer for your commitment and enthusiasm on building the Cristo Rey Church in Santa Ana as we build a world where everyone owns a decent home."

Each person on our team was presented with one along with a tiny cinder block to remember the very physical way we had helped rebuild a church community. The other work crew presented the Cristo Rey Church with new Bibles, then we had some cake, and finally we tried to destroy a pinata! The games that followed made it even harder to leave. We laughed till our faces hurt as we played silly games that crossed all language barriers. For a brief moment whether from the U.S. or from El Salvador, we all forgot about the problems and struggles going on in our lives.

After numerous hugs and goodbyes we loaded up the vans and headed back to the hotel to get cleaned up before going on another cultural immersion experience. We went to a neighborhood cafe - Chilateria Dona Ana and had authentic cuisine such as fried Yuca, leche poleada, and something that was a cross between Hush Puppies and a donut hole. We met the owner who was a sweet older lady that asked us in Spanish how our meal was. She then proceeded to tell us that she is the only one with the secret recipe for the donut holes. We snacked on the different foods that each other had ordered and simply took in the mountains, vendors on bicycles, and families that were strolling up to get a bite to eat. Just down the street from this cafe was a beautiful church that had recently been repainted all white inside and out. This Catholic church had large murals of the holy family to the right of the altar and another huge mural of Mary to the left. A poster on their bulletin board advertised a celebration for the 800 year anniversary of the Catholic church in Central America!

With the hours seeming to slip by, and with a desire to make the most of our time, Harrison and I went with Karla to a local square to visit more shops. Once we headed down a side street we noticed a cultural dance performance. We stopped to watch, then waded through the market where I finally found a place to buy Horchata. If you have never had it, try and order it at El Toro sometime. It basically tastes like the milk left over after you have had a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Very sweet with a milky cinnamon taste. This Horchata however was served chilled in a plastic bag that Harrison and I had to break open with our teeth and drink straight from the bag. It had more of a peanut butter flavor to it because Horchata can be made with whatever type of ground nuts are available. With Horchatas in hand we cruised past the cultural dance performers who were no longer wielding large staffs but machetes and made it back just in time.

Once back to the hotel both work groups loaded into vans again to head over to the Habitat for Humanity office. It is tradition for Maria, who is in charge at the Habitat office, to make a home cooked meal for those who have worked all week. When we sat down to eat we were treated with a large plate of rice with fresh shrimp on top surrounded by cucumbers and served alongside a tomato and cheese salad. Maria expressed her heartfelt thanks for our work throughout the week and just as it seemed like things were winding down... A mariachi band showed up out of nowhere and began playing a bunch of songs for us! For a split second we all thought we were on a reality television show. We sang Happy Birthday to Sofia who was one of the volunteers translating for us throughout the week and who had turned 21 the day before. Then the funniest part came next. A room full of Lutherans tried to dance. There was so much laughter and joy in those moments and I never want to forget them.  - Jason