We just wanted to give everyone a short update on our house project (this is actually from Wednesday but I couldn't get access to the internet until today, Friday). The last two days were all about mud—yes, mud! We put up the horizontal wooden slates earlier in the week. The next step is to fill the wall between the slats with mud. This is an incredibly tiring and filthy job.

The crew that worked Thursday...Sarah, Meghan, Kim, Taylor, Ben and Br Dismas

Several people work pick-axing and shoveling dirt from the side of a nearby hill. Then, using a wheel barrow, they bring the dirt to a spot just inside the house where two Honduran men, who are helping us, mix it with water using shovels and/or their feet to make the mud. Finally, about four more people grab handfuls of mud, compact it by rolling it on the ground, and then smash it into the wall space (framed by the wood slats) to build the walls. 

Local Hondurans who are helping...notice that the roof is on

When it is all done and dry, the last step (after we are gone) will be to stucco the outside and inside walls. The stucco will help keep the bedbugs from making holes in the walls and then biting the family when they sleep at night.

Sarah and her friend Erminio

Meghan and Sarah coming home after mudding all day!

You would be surprised at how much mud is needed for a very small house and how heavy wet mud is after doing this ALL day! The soil here is as red as Georgia clay so it makes quite a mess, but with a little scrubbing with detergent and a scrub brush, most of it comes off your clothes. Our shoes….well that’s a different story!

The shoes!

God bless!

Matthew