June 2005 report
Dear friends,
We're back from Lajas. The time went well out there and graciously no scorpion stings. It seems things take way longer to achieve out there
than one initially plans for. While I felt I worked myself to the brink
of death, I didn't even get started on the new extension. Partly some of
this was due to the almost constant stream of visitors coming by the
house. This in part is good news, but also can really get to you after a
while. A special moment was when a Tepehuan lady dropped by to visit
during lunch time. She brought her 2 year old daughter along who for a
diaper wore an old cloth. The possibility that her mother may not have
inspected it for sometime meant she also exubed quite the aroma not
desired when one is eating. I was outside working, but when I came in
was quite astonished at the deep frowns on all our kids who were in the
middle of trying to eat. Julian especially was annoyed and muttering
under his breath as he has the nose of a blood hound. Its a good thing
the Tepehuan don't understand English. I decided to eat later.
We decided we would have to move the fence in order to accommodate the
new building, and so this involved a process of events previously
unplanned for. Firstly Marselo, our three oldest kids, and myself drove
an hour deeper into the mountains to find cedar trees. The scenery on
the way into Lajas is breathtaking. The scenery beyond Lajas is
incredibly awe-inspiring. Canyons that drop down thousands of feet, so
deep that at the bottom a whole new world of vegetation and climate
exist. Lajas lies up in the forested alpine range, yet is warm enough to
grow bananas. Down in the canyons it is more a jungle/tropical
atmosphere. This, of course, has nothing to do with getting cedar, but it
does pass through your mind as you enjoy the intense scenery. An hour
later of literally only driving 7 miles, we found cedar. The kids were
totally stoked to get the opportunity to watch us fell two trees. Somehow,
Marselo managed to drop his in half the time it took me. I'm sure I gave
him the sharper of my two axes. We trimmed the branches, during which I
managed to split the end of my big toe open with the axe. I have chopped
wood most of my life, but this was the first I had cut myself with an
axe. Largely this would have been avoided had I worn boots and not the
Indian sandals I usually wear. Hence a life lesson for Joseph, whom I am
constantly warning to be careful with the axe. He was amazed that after all I
had warned him, now he finds me cutting myself. He wouldn't leave me alone
about it. We cut around 12 to 13 posts from the trees and hauled them
back to Lajas. The following day was spent debarking the posts and
digging holes. The ground, for lack of rain, was as hard as rock and it
took forever just to dig a few holes. The following day was spent
hauling 800 mud bricks up from Rutillio's house. We traded... I brought
him roof tin, he gave me bricks. The next day was spent digging more
holes, but this didn't last long as not only was water not coming
through the tap, but the spring in the ravine was being used so much, it
was running very low.
This was frustrating. Now not only did we not have water to work with,
but we were running out of water to drink and bathe with. We all prayed
for water, but none came. I have to admit, at this point I became very
angry at God. Surely He can make water come from a faucet, He can from a
rock. As if things haven't been slow and hard enough for us in Lajas,
that now we have to spend more time just to get water. In the end the
Lord answered our prayers, but not the way I had been hoping. Water was
flowing from another faucet further away in the village, and so we
loaded up all the buckets we could muster into the truck. Our neighbors
came along too with their buckets and we all headed off to get water. We
managed to get enough water to fill up our barrel and our neighbors
theirs. The following day as water got low again, it rained and we were
able get water from the faucet near our house. Funny how so often we
want the Lord to do the easy miracle for us, but he has another idea
that involves people and relationship and cooperation. In the following
days we finished the fence. We were so spent from all the hard work,
that I decided to work on the existing house rather than try and dig
footings in such hard soil. Between now and when we go out again, the
rains will have softened the ground sufficiently to make it easier to
dig. Water should be in more abundance for making cement.
No one seems too fazed that we are extending our house out there, and
many folk are wondering when we will finally live out there. The
governor was out of town, but the second-in-charge came by and talked
for a while and showed no signs of concern with what we were doing. The
Lord is answering our prayers. It seems we are slowly just becoming a
part of the community. We thank God for working in the hearts of the
Tepehuan.
Next week I'll head out again with the express desire to get a start on
the new extension. This will involve bringing up rocks from the river
and building footings and laying bricks. Hopefully I can hire a truck at
a later date to take in enough lumber and tin for the roof and interior
walls. I'm toying with the idea of buying a guide for the chainsaw and
cutting my own lumber out there. It may also be a case of getting my
capabilities confused with my ambitions. Pray the Lord will bring along
the right solution. Rainy season means many drivers won't want to take
their trucks out to Lajas due to the roads. It would be nice to have
some help along the way. Weather, roads, water and the fact that we
can't have a high profile in Lajas, makes it difficult to organize a
work team to go into Lajas. But if someone with building skills was
itching to come to Lajas for a week in the next month or two, let me
know. A small team of a few guys would be acceptable. We just ordered
wiring, lights, regulator, batteries, and solar panels for the house and
so things are happening. We're shooting to move in this year maybe after
rainy season. January will probably be more realistic.
We are trusting the Lord for a family to eventually join us in the work
with children the ages of ours. Our kids have Tepehuan friends, but there
is such a gap in their cultures. These Tepehuan kids have been
brought up in such a primitive non-Christian environment, and know and
are exposed to things way sooner than our kids have been. While we are
happy for our kids to play with their friends, we cannot let them go off
on their own or spend long amounts of time together in their homes. One
of the guys helping me was joking in a sexual way with one of Madeline's
friends who is only seven years old. She knew exactly what was going on.
Madeline had no idea. I told him in no uncertain terms to stop, which
I'm sure was quite a shock and embarrassment for him. I told him later I
won't put up with that around my kids and suggested he not do it with
Tepehuan kids especially with someone so young. All this to say, our
kids need companions in the village, and until Jesus begins to change
the hearts and lives of the Tepehuan, our kids cannot find that
companionship in their Tepehuan friends.
We appreciate everyone of you who pray so faithfully, give so faithfully
and write so faithfully so we can still be here.
For Jesus and His glory,
Andrew, Anne Marie, Joseph, Madeline, Julian, and Sophia
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