Pooped.

I'm sure I can speak for everyone when I say we're udderly exhausted.

We woke at the crack of dawn for breakfast and devotions, and then headed to Alfarero, the girl's home. It was an emotional arrival, at least for me, because as everyone got off the bus there were shrieks of joy, enormous bear hugs and genuine excitement for the team to see these girls again. One little girl ran up to Greg and just jumped up in his arms; Jenny and another girl just hugged and squealed with delight; David and the little boys picked up right where they left off and started playing and roughhousing immediately. The instant lump in my throat caught me by surprise, but reinforced to me that God's love is universal and timeless.

We brought huge bags full of items for the girls -- everything from shirts to bubbles to nail polish. They tore into the bags and wasted no time getting started. We painted nails, colored and played with sidewalk chalk.

Shortly after, we got to work. And by work, I mean the most tiring and backbreaking labor you can imagine. We removed and rolled barbed wire from the existing fence. We dug up every. single. post.  We cut down trees, cleared & burned shrubs and dug up stumps. We moved stacks and stacks of bricks, and did some brick smashing, too. It was exhausting, but equally exhilarating to see the result at the end of the day. Everyone stepped up and worked until they had blisters, callouses and scrapes. Personally, I'm thankful for the tetanus shot I received the month before.

 

The girls made us lunch that was absolutely fantastico! They labored long and hard over that meal, and it was incredible. Not only did it taste good, but it also gave us a chance to sit and spend some time with them. We also got to take periodic grapefruit and tangerine breaks, picking from the trees that grow on the property.

It was an incredibly productive day. Tomorrow we're back at it again early and will start digging the trench where the old fence was, and the goal is to have all the concrete poured the day after that. Also, it's Larry's birthday tomorrow (Friday) so we're looking forward to a birthday celebration.

This team is amazing, hard-working and fun. They have worked through hunger, fatigue, cuts, bruises, torn jeans, bandanas and bandages. All without a single word of complaint.

They are like no udder.