El que no vive para servir no sirve para vivir

This was the theme of the devotion tonight that Rolando shared, and it fit very well with our experience today. The phrase means that anyone who does not live to serve isnt really living. At the clinic two older women came to see Sandy and Colleen with seriously damaged feet, and they washed their feet and cleaned them up as much as possible. Personally, I did not even want to see Colleen wash the one womans feet (I figured out awhile ago that nursing was not my thing), but it was a great physical reminder that we came to humbly serve others, which means being willing to kneel down and get our hands dirty. Overall the clinic saw over two hundred people, many of whom are from a very poor community along the river and have little access to health and dental care and clean water. There was a dentist with us today, and we were also able to give out some food supplies.
The construction crew was working in pastor Juans community today, helping put on an addition to a small house that currently has four people living in it but will have eight once the addition is done. After making the harrowing trip up the mountain and climbing down slanted stairs, the crew was able to pour concrete for the floor. They also had the chance during lunch to talk with pastor Juan about the microfinance program that has been set up there and the situation with Mauricios wife trying to keep her house.
The medical team will be going back to the same community tomorrow and the construction crew will also be in the same place as today. It will be good to continue the work we started and be able to continue to serve those we come in contact with and also learn a lot from them about humility, thankfulness, and joy. We are all learning a lot about service and compassion, which Rolando taught us means "suffering with."
Thanks to everyone who is praying, and we would ask for continued prayers for the communities we are working with.
Liz