Five times and counting....

SIRVA, five times!  I am so grateful to have had the experience of working on Casa Hogar all these years and to be able to participate in finishing its second floor and the beginning of a second building.  But the physical is only one realm in which building has been going on.

 

The shared experience of serving has given many opportunities to see growth in the lives of those who travelled with us, in the lives of the children and caregivers at Casa Hogar, in the lives of my family, and, yes, in my own life.  I have more and more become aware that it is a great mystery of giving that, when done in the Jesus' name, one receives more than one can give, that God gives unity of purpose to those who keep their eyes on Him, and that prayer is very necessary and effective.  SIRVA can be a challenging trip in many ways, but there is always the wonder of the common experience of working hard, sometimes harder than one thought one could, sometimes with people only beginning to know each other, and receiving back the satisfaction of work well done and the enjoyment of new, true friendships.   

 

I spent the last afternoon shovelling sand for the cement mixer as we poured two floors for rooms in the new building.  The sand pile, which had been sitting in the field for a bit, had many hidden inhabitants, who were all anxious to vacate their residences as our shovels came close to their respective homes.  Salamanders scurried off (one minus the tip of his tail, which had been too close to the end of my shovel), quite a few little grey frogs, and one lovely specimen of a scorpion.  They provided interest and entertainment during the hard job of keeping pails of sand topped up for the cement mix - Jon was setting a very fast pace in an effort to finish for the day.  

 

At the end of the afternoon, the various creatures had all gone off to find new residences, and the freshly poured floors of the new building held promise for a new residence for disadvantaged but loving kids who would some day be able to live, rest and have fun there.  Hmmm,  I'd like to meet them - I think I'd like to go on SIRVA again...

 

v.i.o.n.n.a.