Thursday

It's been a long day! We worked all morning - here are our house-builders checking out the roof of the new house they built-

Then, after lunch, we had the 2nd Annual Vida Joven Classic, a soccer game between the Chapines (Guatemalans) and the Gringos.

Even the dads played!

Team Fishbein scored a key goal.

Some of us watched-

Some of us spent time with our new kid friends-

And then there is the group picture of the day:

Then it was off to Pollo Campero, the Guatemalan fried chicken fast-food restaurant, and after that Vida Joven club. 

...and yet another group photo-

Until tomorrow-

Brady

Wednesday

Another full day! Concrete was mixed (by hand) and poured (by hand) in great volumes; rusty metal walls were removed, replaced, and painted, and a small house began to take shape. 

But there was time to make some new friends, and to find out how Guatemalan tortillas are made (by hand!)

After quick showers, everyone came to our house, which is a real treat for our boys. It's not often they get 30+ energetic friends to play with!

Here are the wise old men (minus one):

And here's everybody in our living room.  Double click to find your daughter/son/husband/friend.

Until tomorrow-

Brady

A Full Day

We got a lot done today, but we were so busy I didn't manage to take any work pictures. 

I got my camera out when we were gathering to leave. The neighborhood kids came out to play, so we played for a while. (Double click on any photo or a fullsize version.)

Gringa racing!

Here, at least, is some evidence of the work done today!

After we came back to the guest house and cleaned up, we ate pizza with some of the Vida Joven (Young Life) kids and leaders from the neighborhoods where we're working.

They played some games-

And we managed to get everyone (!) in a group photo.

We were all tired, but apparently some more than others.

We'll try to write again tomorrow night.

-Brady

First day of work

We began working today, but first, we took a group picture. This is as clean as we're going to look for a while. Double click the picture and find your daughter/son/husband/friend.

And a silly picture.

Here's one jobsite, where we tore the entire shack down, and tomorrow we'll begin building a new house. It's 20 feet by 9 feet, and Brenda and her four children live there. In another shack on the same little lot, her sister and HER four children live in a 10'x7' shack. We're hoping to rebuild that house toward the end of the week as well.

A father/daughter moment. I think he had just taken a picture of a gigantic cockroach (there were many) and he was trying to figure out how to save it on his iphone.

Working hard

Found a friend

A little conversation break

Pouring concrete

Tired after a long day of getting a floor ready to pour

Tired but happy

After work, we went to a new mall in town, and then back to the hotel, where a few were tired enough to go to bed, and most played cards, talked, and sang before going to sleep. 

Tomorrow's another work day - we'll keep you posted.

Brady

They're here!

All of your sons, daughters, husbands, and friends arrived this morning, a little tired but happy to be here. 

Tired.

more sleeping in the airport.

We had to wait a little while in the airport, as our bus driver was a little late in arriving. It was a good time to catch up on some sleep.

We dropped off our luggage-there we are below passing it hand-to-hand, bringing it into the house where we're staying.

We went down into the neighborhoods where we'll be working, and the folks in the communities had put together welcoming parties for us. I would have taken pictures of that, but I switched cameras, and realized when we got there that the other camera had no memory card. 

Tonight, we ate together, and then we met as a group. I hope they get some sleep tonight because tomorrow we begin work!

Brady

2009

Two of my sons and I spent a few hours organizing tools and construction materials. I saw Rebeca  at the local warehouse store yesterday, her little car stuffed to the gills with plates, napkins, granola bars, cereal, and snacks. Laura has been busy setting up all the transportation and lodging. Fito bought thousands of quetzales (the local currency) worth of rock, sand, cement, wood, and metal roofing sheets. All we need now is your kids/friends/husbands!

Here are our numbers, in case you need to contact us:

Brady +011-502-5893-9779

Laura +011-502-5552-4815

Rebeca +011-502-5361-7794

I'll try to update this site nightly.

-Brady