Por fin!

Long days, early mornings, late nights.
Quick meals, packed meals, forgotten meals, skipped meals.
Cementing, painting, sanding, scrubbing, sweeping, cleaning, digging.
Smiles, laughter, frowns, tears, sweat.
I'm going to be honest & say that our team is exhausted. It's been crunch time for the last 2 months and crunch time sure has been squeezing everything out of everyone. 

I personally will admit that construction has been a difficult subject for me. I'm more than willing to work and happy to be useful but before coming to Bolivia I wasn't aware of how much construction work I would be doing. I definitely did not expect this. I didn't expect to spend 4 of my 11 months doing only construction as well as construction on top of the children's ministry in the other 7 months. But I cannot begin to tell you what a HUGE heart change God has done in me through this. He has changed my mindset, my attitude, my willingness in so many ways. So when I feel like complaining and getting frustrated I can't help but be thankful that He is working so much in me through this. Oh & I just look out at my view and remember how blessed I am....

 "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary!" Galatians 6:9

Baptismal under the stage! Nifty, huh?

^ The Sala Grande before.

^ The Sala Grande after.

Before, dirt floors/no patio.

After, cement floors/huge patio.

 This weekend all the work paid off. We finally kicked off the ministry with the dedication/inauguration of the new building. We invited the families to come see the new center building as we held a worship service, short teaching, snacks, introduction of the team & ministries (New church, Center for the children, Women's ministry), and sign-up for the Center's after school program.

 All the women of the team baked cakes/ bars/ brownies for a snack after the service!

 All set up, decorated, and ready!

 Our first time of worship in the church!

We had a PowerPoint of the building process since before they broke ground until now!

 Announcements (later translated into Quechua because many of the families mainly speak Quechua instead of Spanish)

 The introduction of the entire team!

 "Permit the children to come to me and do not hinder them." Mark 10:14

 Fellowship after the inauguration as parents enrolled their kids for the center. So nice to have so much support from our old church body, from different church bodies, and even from visitors from the US.

Seeing all the people we are ready to work with was such an exciting site. It put all the work into perspective and it took us out of the spotlight. The perfect plan God has for this ministry and this community of people continues to spur us on, all in our own different ways. Lord have Your way in us & in this ministry. 
After a busy, hectic, crazy weekend on top of the months of time and work put into this project we all took a deep breath. We still have quite a bit of work to do in the classrooms and the yard but God has been with this project from the beginning, was with it this weekend, and will see us through until the end. Such a settling thought. 

"The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands!"
Psalm 19:1