Coffee, Red Bananas, and Sweat. Sept 19th

Well today the internet is up and running so I'm playing a bit of catch up. I'm having to use the resort's computer so I don't know if I can upload photo's....but I'm working on it. Okay so yesterday.....

...We kicked things off meeting the missionary we are partering with, Brian Weed, over some amazing breakfast at the Best Western. Then we loaded up all our gear in the bus piloted by Lewis...the Bus Ninja. I say "pilot" because sometimes the driving styles here are....well...lets just say a little different then we are used to in the US....and "bus ninja" 'cause this guy can very safely manuver a bus like nobodies business. We had quite the drive from Managua to the site of the clinic.

After we travelled for a few hours on the highway we had lunch at Tip Top, the local KFC chain. Not long after that we hit the dirt road. It was very interesting to watch the cloud line get closer and closer to the earth as we ascended into the cloud forest region. We learned that a cloud forest is much like a rain forest, just without all the heat.

After a very bumpy 45 minute ride on the dirt "road" we reached the site and were surprised and blessed to find that the site was already levelled with some of the footing for the foundation dug. Kyle estimated that put as a full day or more ahead of schedule.

Brian introduced us to the pastor of the church here, Pastor Donugo....not sure how to spell his name... and he welcomed us to his home and coffee farm, the clinic is in the middle of his coffee farm, with fresh coffee and red bananas, also grown on his farm. The coffee was what Jesus drinks in Heaven and the bananas.....well when you read "bananas" think manna from God....so very sweet. From there we went back to the site to lay out our plan for working the next week.

Yeah that lasted precisely 5.24 seconds. We were all so excited to just get started. So by the end of the day, about 7pm, we had dug most of the footings, tied the re bar for the support columns, and pored the concrete for the footings.

Then we drove back to the resort, ate at the amazing German restaurant, and went to sleep....which is were I must now go.

I'll try to get some pics up for everyone but can't promise. Continue to pray for the amazing weather we are having and continued safety on the job. Later!