Croc 2017:  Day 5

Day 5 was another hot workday in the Mexican sun.  We spent most of our time at the Clubhouse today.  The Clubhouse as a large two story building with a huge open courtyard area that they use for the after-school program which serves about 50 kids.  Most kids get done with school shortly after noon and they need a place to stay while their parents are still at work.  There are a few teachers that spend their time helping the kids with their homework from regular school and also provide activities to keep them entertained, all in a place where they can openly express and show Christ’s love for every child.

On Day 4 we had dug up a stone sidewalk in the courtyard and today we formed that up to pour a new one.  We also dug footings for a half wall that would extend in front of Peluche’s house.  Earlier I indicated that we had a meal at Peluche’s house the first night but that was actually Leo’s house, Peluche lives in a little house inside the courtyard of the Clubhouse.  We were all prepared and eager to start pouring cement by early afternoon but the supplies were delayed in getting to us.  It turned out to be a blessing because the afternoon was very hot and by the time the materials came the skies were a little more overcast and the hard work was a little more tolerable.  We worked a little later than normal but finished up the footings, sidewalk and a new cement ramp leading in from the street.

 

Needless to say, after a second very hot work day with very hard tasks to complete, we were all pretty tired and most would have been content to have a quick dinner and retire, but the teachers at the Clubhouse had set up a special night for the kids to come back and play with the Americano’s after dinner.  Each and every kid was genuinely excited to spend time with us and play a variety of games.  Most all of the girls were clinging to Lauren as their new big sister and most of the boys wanted to get lifted up high in the air by Mike.  The highlights of the night were a long spirited game of dodgeball with the kids against the Americano’s and then we finished by letting the each child sign his name in the fresh cement sidewalk.

 

We closed the night with our team meeting where we reflected on how God’s grace is sufficient for us in all situations of our lives and also on how we have been blessed by the people of Croc every bit as much as we have blessed them.  God truly is great.