Yesterday we went up to Arenales to pour cement into the floor of the church with the people from that area. It seems like a pretty basic thing to do. A dozen gringos combined with about 20 people from Arenales to pour a cement floor. Why not just send money and have the locals help them with a cement floor?

There are several answers to this. One reason is encouragement that these people receive from personal help. It is not easy for them. They have little money, and most of their daylight hours are spent just making it by. They have been working on this church for the past four years. Every year they make progress on their own. And every once in a while a short term mission group comes can give them a hand. I think this is a huge encouragement to them. Have you ever been part of a daunting project, And feel like you will never finish? Then somebody comes in and gives you a hand. The momentum goes positive and you feel like you can finish. I believe this effort helps in this way. I can see it, and I can feel it.

There are other positive benefits, but that will need to wait for another email.