One of the questions we get asked: "What is a day like in El Salvador, with a Shelter Team?"
Here's a little glimpse of the practical pieces that make up a day:
Wake Up* - this is a variable that can differ by several hours depending on the team member :)
7:00am - We meet for breakfast and a short devotion (some thought given to how a bible verse is influencing us)
8:00am - We travel to the build site in a 15 person micro bus (this year our commute is relatively short, 30-40 minutes)
9:00am -ish - We split our team into separate build teams (this year 2 teams) to meet with the recipient family, the community of helpers, the construction team and the Shelter team. We begin with introductions by name, safety instructions and a time of prayer, asking God to bless our work and the people involved.
12:00pm -ishish - We stop for lunch, bringing everyone back together, with the hope that we have completed the first house. Sandwiches (PB&J) are shared, fruit is devoured, and good conversation takes place as we exchange a few stories from our morning.
1:00pm-ish - We head to our next build site, meet the recipient family, gather for a time of prayer and then get to work again: digging holes, cutting tin, building walls, raising the structure and celebrating as the homeowner gets to place their sticker on the front door frame.
4:00pm-ish - This year, because our commute is fairly short, and because we are working efficiently despite the heat of the sun, we are arriving back at our host house earlier than in previous years. This gives us a couple of hours to clean up, maybe get a little rest, and flick through some pictures from the day.
6:00pm - We make our way for a wonderfully prepared dinner, that is consumed with gratitude after a day spent working in the heat.
7:00pm - Snackies! - this is a must. A cultural outing to the local grocery store (Super Selectos), or a night at the Texaco Convenience store for ice bars, or an ice cream shop. Snackies are a great way to end the day.
8:00pm - Debrief - We take a few minutes, sometimes longer, to share the stories of the families we've met, and our own reflections on the day. There's always something to learn.
This week we've been ending the evening by playing some card games together, sharing laughs at one another's expense and gearing down for a night's rest, because....
It all starts again in the morning!
In between all of this is a readiness for unpredictability, and the openness to learn and grown in our relationship with God as a result of what we are seeing, who we are meeting, and the work that we are privileged to be doing.
Thanks for your support in so many different ways.
