A loom for bracelets

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"Can I borrow a saw?" Pedro was at the door. "What for?" "To cut a piece of wood?" "Ok." It was much more than to just cut a piece of wood. Pedro, (our alcoholic friend in the park) makes bracelets to sell, and a while back he lost his "loom." So he was set on making another. I invited him in, found some of my tools, and we set to work. The loom is pretty simple, but after nailing together three pieces of wood, Pedro asked for sand paper. This was not just a loom, but "his" loom. Then I found some stain for the wood, and Pedro took pride in making a nice loom for himself. He sells the bracelets he makes for one dollar, and the sales give him food. I was glad to see him motivated. I believe that really helps him.

(BTW, he wears a mask because he doesn't have any teeth.)

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Friends and prayer

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Faby found these three friends in the park. We often find them drinking alcohol. So Faby recruited them to pave a small sidewalk in our yard. We know Carlos, Maria, and "Bronco" well, and they know us. About an hour into the job, I asked Carlos, "Give me an honest answer, What did you have for breakfast?" His answer, with sad eyes, was "Nothing." So I fixed them the Ecuadorian PBJ: Fried egg on top of rice. They were grateful. And they did an excellent job of the sidewalk. I was impressed. They really have nothing to do, no job, and so they sit in the park drinking. We continue to pray for their spiritual and physical health. I really don't know how to reach them. Continue to pray.

The March

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One of our neighborhoods organized a march against crime and violence. Our neighborhood accepted the invitation to join them. Then our town council added the police force and a band. In the end, the march crossed town with live music and about one hundred persons parading behind. The march ended in the park with a few brief speeches and a short concert. The result? Well… the town showed its unity and the police showed their loyalty. Hopefully it'll reduce some of the crime in the neighborhood. In the end we're getting to know each other better.

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A Useful House

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Tuesday evening this group of eight rolled in to our home to spend the night and the next day to make their yearly plan for the church. This is their third year to use our home for their annual planning. They finished around 4:30pm Wednesday, only to be followed by a meeting of our community safety committee. Our house is well located and still useful for retreats and meetings. (Not to mention that we held our weekly Bible study just before the group rolled in.)

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Community Service

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What started as community service became formal commitment. The local government has a program for forming comities with the goal that they serve to preserve the peace and safety of their neighborhoods. At the evening meeting in the park we were officially sworn in and will have to sign legal papers as the town safety committee. As president I have a good team of volunteers who take the initiative with new ideas and projects. I'm looking forward to see what God does with this committee.

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