Wednesday was a short work day for the drill team after they hit water on Tuesday. The team spent the morning laying a concrete foundation for the water pump. This work required them to recruit six men from the community to help. The drill team finished their work in the morning and left the foundation to dry until the next day. Meanwhile, the hygiene team returned to the school to teach the children about oral hygiene and dental health, including good habits when caring for their teeth.
The TBK team enjoyed a few hours off the drill site for a team lunch. Following fresh shrimp ceviche, they accepted an invitation to join the mayor and local Rotary Club for a boat tour off the Usulutan Coast, where our team has been staying and working. While our team enjoyed their lunchtime excursion, everyone was eager to get back to the village for their afternoon session with the community.
The afternoon began with the community singing worship songs in both English and Spanish. Our team taught the kids to sing “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” and played several rounds of the basketball game Knock Out. Even the adults of the community got involved when everyone tried to keep up during “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” and “The Chicken Dance” with increasing speeds each round. There were more than 100 local residents in attendance, and not one could be found without a smile on their face!
By the end of the day, the TBK team was exhausted, but felt accomplished and satisfied with their work this week. Each team member reflected on their day, sharing reoccurring themes of humility and gratitude for their experience in El Salvador thus far.
The team also wondered how their evening discussions might be different if they hadn’t yet hit water. This led them to read Daniel 3, the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This Bible story describes these three men being thrown into a furnace for refusing to worship the king’s idol. Our team focused on the part of the story before the men are thrown into the furnace when they state their belief that God will deliver them, “but even if he does not…we will not serve your gods.” Our team reflected on the faith of these three men, and how even if our team had faced an “if not” situation by not reaching water, their trip was still worthwhile and God was still good.