Day 3: Beginning

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FINALLY!!!   Our lost bags finally showed up and all is well in First Congregational land.  There was a great sigh of relief and smiles all around.  As you can tell from the photo, our kids are really happy.  See the before and after photos. We are sure you are wondering if this is actually a “work trip” given another day at the beach.  But, tomorrow our service portion of the trip begins in earnest.  We start the day on the job site at 8 and work until 4.   Our kids are actually quite ready to begin this part.  Another day at the beach was fun, but we are ready to get our hands dirty and repair houses.



This morning we bussed to Trinity Presbyterian Church in downtown San Juan.  It is an English speaking church and we watched a new pastor being installed, heard a sermon based on a passage in Leviticus and participated in communion.  Unlike our church where communion is open to all, this church required all to have been baptised.  It created a great discussion with our kids about the difference between our ways and theirs. 




Tonight we held our vespers time as a total group and debriefed the day.  We gathered in a circle around an alter of candles and coral we brought from the beach.  Our conversation was lively, open and intimate as we talked about our experiences at Trinity.  Many of our kids spoke about their feelings regarding how communion was presented and there was expressed gratitude for the inclusiveness of our church. 

Please hold us in your prayers as we get ready to work hard rebuilding homes.  This has been a great trip and well worth all the time fundraising in the many ways we did so. 




Tomorrow Matthew will return to Bethany and little Leo.  We will miss him, but know his heart will remain here with us, too. He has been our leader and he will be missed.





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