Joshua Expedition Team January 2014

January 8th was the first team of 2014.  It was a Joshua Expedition Team of 48 (mostly high schoolers) check out their website Joshua Expeditions

Between Steve Jr, Bruce and I and the kids, we had a great day and moved A LOT of wood from Phase 1 to the Phase 2 property.  It was hard work, but the team did great!  We wanted to make sure to thank them for all of their hard work.  Not only did they move wood, but they were able to do a couple of crafts in the daycare and play soccer with the workers and some neighborhood kids.  Not only was it moving wood, it was salvaging the donated wood from termites, the same wood that will be used to begin construction on Phase 2--more children homes--hopefully 4!!

The work they did was such a blessing to us and to the Project!  Thank you Joshua Expeditions for your continued relationship!  And a big shout out to Beth Anderson--the JE coordinator!

Not only was this our first team of 2014, it was also the first time we were trying to work with the team as a family.  Emme and Leyton were both instructed on rules about what it means to work with the team and how it is going to look.  At first, it was a little bit rough, they were both WANTING to work (I told them to wait until everything got started), Emme wanted to climb trees instead of working, Leyton and Emme were fighting over the one pair of small gloves (to protect from splinters), but after awhile, everything fell into place.  They worked the whole day, they bonded with some of the team members, they got rides on the medical gurney (were used to move larger loads of wood--and such a blessing!), and had a really great day!  We were so proud of them!
One of the coolest parts of the day was watching Emme do her thing with some of the girls on the team.  One girl had a Polaroid camera and took a couple of pictures with/for her.  The kids were ABSOLUTELY AMAZED by the "NEW" technology" of instant pictures!  So sweet!

Here are a few pictures from their team:

Leyton helped carry wood all day!

The JE team--and Bruce

The smart Gringo kids sitting in the shade

Getting a tour of the AP with Steve Thomas

Lunch time--we were packed!

After lunch soccer time!! 

Moving wood from the bodega to Phase 2

The girls hard at work!!!