Tom
Tom Utterback:
Yesterday (Tuesday) a group of us went out to a migrant camp south of San Vicente. Our main objective for the day was to pour a concrete foundation wall at a new chapel which Rudy, who ministers at these camps, is building there. The wall pouring went fine. More memorable were the local children who congregated around us all day. These children’s parents and older siblings were out in the fields working. Most of them work in tomato fields, although there are other crops nearby. The buses hauling around field laborers are everywhere here, particularly in the morning and evening. It is something to think about when we buy produce in our markets.
An 11-year old boy named Jose helped us trowel the poured concrete as we went. He was a cheerful kid who worked hard (except when he ran off because somebody had “dulces”, sweets). It was both heartening and humbling to eat lunch with the residents and play with the children. Their little camp is very rudimentary with small hovels and very few creature comforts. We left there with a sense of accomplishment.
Having worked with concrete, we are now pouring front porches at a few residences in town today. It is hot today! But we are having a good time and making progress. Now I need to eat lunch. God is good and I am being made mindful of many good things in my life.
Yesterday (Tuesday) a group of us went out to a migrant camp south of San Vicente. Our main objective for the day was to pour a concrete foundation wall at a new chapel which Rudy, who ministers at these camps, is building there. The wall pouring went fine. More memorable were the local children who congregated around us all day. These children’s parents and older siblings were out in the fields working. Most of them work in tomato fields, although there are other crops nearby. The buses hauling around field laborers are everywhere here, particularly in the morning and evening. It is something to think about when we buy produce in our markets.
An 11-year old boy named Jose helped us trowel the poured concrete as we went. He was a cheerful kid who worked hard (except when he ran off because somebody had “dulces”, sweets). It was both heartening and humbling to eat lunch with the residents and play with the children. Their little camp is very rudimentary with small hovels and very few creature comforts. We left there with a sense of accomplishment.
Having worked with concrete, we are now pouring front porches at a few residences in town today. It is hot today! But we are having a good time and making progress. Now I need to eat lunch. God is good and I am being made mindful of many good things in my life.
