by Team Member Aaron Roberson

Today started with a 7 am breakfast and then loading the trucks for the day.  Today we would house build at the same site that we poured the concrete, Claudia’s house.  Our crew consisted of Saul leading, Daniel & Caesar, Dick & Bev Snakenberg, and my whole family -The Roberson’s.

   Once again, it was a chore getting all of the materials & tools up to the job site. The concrete pad for the house sits 30 feet above the road almost straight up.  I was curious of how we would build with such a steep drop-off on one side.  First we built the wall closest to the drop-off, painted it on the slab and then raised & secured it to the slab.  Next we built the opposite wall and then the back wall so that all walls were tied together. Cross joists were placed as well as the front.

   Sergio (Claudia’s brother) showed up again and today we had a lot more people watching us. Sergio’s brother, Rogelio, watched closely as well.  After lunch I helped Saul & Daniel place the roof and Stirlen helped Caesar set the door and windows while Aariana, Phoebe, Bev, and Dick set up the bunk beds.  We all finished at the same time so Daniel & I set up the stove while Saul painted the remainder of the house and the others decorated the room.

    The dedication was amazing, the entire family with many neighbors watching as we presented the gifts and provisions to the family. Next, Saul prayed for the family and the new house, he spoke so powerfully as he prayed in Spanish. Everyone was praying and weeping as he spoke.  Afterwards the grandmother of the family thanked us, all the while weeping.

Earlier in the day Bev & Dick presented some chicks to the family from Tyler Morlan, and at the end of the day they gave Claudia a doll from a young girl at church.  It was an amazing sight to see and be a part of.