Journal Entry by Megan Murphy
Friday, July 15th, was the first day of hard work for everyone.  After breakfast of oatmeal (just what the doctor ordered to start a physically strenuous day!), we headed out to the work sites.  A small crew started working Thursday afternoon on dam construction and continued that, hauling materials through the extremely muddy paths in the jungle.  The rest of us worked from 8am – noon, moving buckets of sand from one side of the river to the other across a rickety metal bridge.  We did it chain gang style, which although extremely tiring, lessened the load for each of us. We broke for lunch (chicken, rice and red cabbage, yum!)  and then some headed for more work.

The children’s program was successful, in so much as the kids were more responsive then the previous day.  It’s amazing to see how quickly relationships are formed, even with the language barrier.  The kids are quiet, well-behaved and gentle, but they are still just kids.  They smile and laugh and get great joy from the most simple things like making bead bracelets and necklaces.

After everyone cleaned up from the day’s work and we enjoyed chili for dinner, the people in the village joined us in the common area.  Pastor Steve asked for anyone who wanted to come up and share an experience or thought about us being here.  Two of the quichua people, Franklin (who worked alongside the small work crew all day) and Jose (one of the community leaders), both spoke of how thankful they were for our help.  A few guys stayed after and talked to Steve, requesting Bibles.  It was a long day, but one that definitely confirmed why we are here and that in everything, God is in control.