Placing the Cornerstones and Praying Over The First Block

Cristobal and Yobani went in behind Pastor Carlos and Mr. Estrada to set the poles into place for each cornerstone.  Carlos, the family member stood back and watch to learn how to do this himself.  Carlos was a very humble, energetic and most helpful young man in this family.  His home was across the street from the Estrada home.  They will all be very blessed to have each other close by.  Family is very important to the people of Honduras.  Carlos showed hospitality beautifully especially to Ginger who after working a couple of hours had to take a break.  So the placed a chair from his home and put it up under the shade tree in his yard.  All week Carlos was trying hard to make us all feel welcome in their community.  He definitely has the gift of hospitality.

We gathered all the workers and Mr. Estrada together around the one of the cornerstones.  Pastor Carlos laid the first block on a bed of cement. He asked Mr. Estrada to squat down around this block and lay his hand upon the first block.  As I am typing this I think back on the week and how those hands which were placed on that first block that bright and very warm morning would be laying so many more blocks and mixing more mortar to make that one single first block into a complete and welcoming home for his wife, Mirna and their two boys, Junior and Yoni.  How humbling this is to get to participate in this project which is definitely so much more than a project.  It is a gift from God and we were just simply blessed to be a part of this gift.  The joy on Mr. Estrada's face all week when we joked about how cold Nacome is (not cold at all, just saying) brought laughter amongst all of us and build a beautiful bond and relationships simply by saying yes to God.  The joy which continued to overflow from Mr. Estrada all week was definitely what I needed for myself.  We were all full of the JOY of Jesus Christ all week and to God be the glory.

"This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, 'The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very cornerstone."  1 Peter 2:7