Busy times!

First picture: Me painting some bookshelves in the library.

Second picture: Dave, Steve, and Bill planning the putt-putt course plan of action.

Today was a very busy day! We had so much going on it's hard to process it all. The activities started bright and early this morning with a 7 am soccer (football) game. For those of you who don't know the time difference, this is 6 am Indiana time. For the Americans playing, this was very early! What it meant for Dave and I was that we heard lots of activity because our room and balcony overlooks the soccer field. I was impressed, as I knew I would be, with the skills of the men playing soccer. Most of the players were pastors and their sons from churches around the area.

Then, we had breakfast. Let me just stop and say that the food here is FANTASTIC! Everything is flavorful. We have fruits and veggies with every meal (Yes, mom, I'm having my no-thank-you helpings of everything...haha). I have yet to be disappointed. Things are so colorful and the flavors are so rich! Yum... Anyway...back to breakfast. :) Pastors from all around the area and their families came and ate with us. It was a neat time of fellowshipping, even though I didn't understand most of it.

After breakfast, it was time to work. Dave and a carpenter named Bill started work on the putt-putt course they are building. Tele, the pastor, hopes to use it as a ministering tool for young people in the area. Come play putt-putt, hear the word. It's neat, really. Anyway, they started laying out the forms. Then, they filled gravel in the parts where the forms, though they were level, had gaps because of the uneven ground. They really would appreciate prayers as they have nine holes to make forms for, pour concrete that is mixed by hand, and have the hazards all by Friday! This is going to take a miracle for sure! But, we know God is all-powerful and able to do amazing things!

I (Rebecca) began gathering up things for painting. Last year, the carpenters came and built nice, sturdy shelves for the library as well as rolling bookcases for many of the classrooms. The paint they used last year didn't fit with the humidity and atmosphere. So, that means they all needed to be repainted. So, many of us cleaned, moved books, climbed through windows because doors were locked and the key couldn't be found, and eventually PAINTED! LOL....doing things at a slower pace is sometimes challenging but things can be learned along the way. About lunch time, I started to have an awful headache. I actually woke up with it but since I frequently get headaches, I just took tylenol, forced the liquids and moved on. However, this one was not so easily placated. I ended up having to lie down for a while. I didn't bring any of my migraine medicine because I haven't been taking it for personal reasons. Now, I'm wishing I did. However, I was able to get the headache to a dull roar, eat lunch, rest for a bit longer, and then finish out the work day. Then, I went for a quick swim in the pool, which helped cool me down.

Another part of the group was in a pastor's conference with all the pastors that came. Some presented, others just listened and participated. It's always hard to determine how things went in an international setting, but the feeling seemed to be that everything went well.

After resting for a bit and showering (pee-yew!) we had a wonderful dinner and fellowship time of games. Then, as we are heading to bed, the day is cooling off with a wonderful light rain. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow, visiting 3 churches. I am excited to experience more of the country and encourage the pastors in their home churches. Please pray for safe travel, wisdom and clarity for those preaching, and for my headache (which is till clinging on) to go away. Thanks for all the encouragement you've all sent my way! We really appreciate the support, more than you know! God bless you all and good night!