Day 6

Dustin and members of the Mobile Baptist Church digging footings

Bruce, Katie and Dixie painting the decorative ironwork for the church windows

Chris and Pastor Mike breaking up concrete

Pastors Mike and Ramon working together at the La Lachosa church

Katie with some of her friends from last year in batey 106

From Katie Colson, who did construction and went with a group back to batey 106:

Today I got to work on construction. Being my first day, I didn’t really know where to start but I quickly jumped in and helped sift sand for the mortar. I later got to help paint the frames for the windows of the church but quickly got run off when the kids took over my job. They loved to paint and I just couldn’t say no. I then helped shovel some rocks out of a ditch in front of the church where they were planning to build a wall. I even got to swing a pick ax a few times! This was my first experience with construction this trip, and it was definitely a good one.

After lunch today, several people who came to the DR last year got the opportunity to return to batey 106 where we worked all last year. Honestly, I was very nervous to go back but at the same time I was very excited. I have wanted to visit with those people again, but I was worried about if they would remember us or not. Many people on the mission team had formed special relationships with many of the kids and people of the batey that I knew we would never forget. After we pulled up, I quickly found one of the girls I knew very well from last year and went over to talk to her. She gave me a strange look, and I told her my name was Katie and I came last year. She smiled but I could still tell she was confused. As soon as I said princessa, she remembered. I had to hold back tears as I gave her a big hug. We continued to look around the batey and we all found our old friends. By being able to visit with them, one of my biggest prayers was answered. Because of the fact that they remembered us, I knew we had impacted those people in ways I could not have ever imagined. I wished we could have visited longer, but they will always hold a special place in my heart.