From the ground up

Tristan and Jeff just got back from 9 days in Yorito - working with the Toulapan Indians up in the mountains. A church from Massachusetts have started a project up there and the neat thing is that we have been a part of it from the time they were deciding if and what they were going to do to help these people. Tristan began helping the project when they were surveying the land and even before they excavated the land to begin building. The project is to build a community center for this Indian tribe. This area has no running water or electricity. It's 40 minutes up a terrible dirt road up the mountain from the smallest of pueblos. So it's pretty much in the middle of nowhere and that makes it so peaceful and very simple living. You don't feel like it's 2010 when you're up there. :)

So this time a team of 7 guys came from the church in Massachusetts and Tristan and Jeff went with them to do the framing of the community center. The wood used was wood that a lumberjack had felled a tree, and used a chain saw to cut it into the beams, planks, etc. Tristan cut all the angles and made the trusses (i think i'm using the correct terms) with a chain saw because that's the only saw that was available. So the whole project was a challenge but it was incredible to see a building come up in 8 days! Only one mishap but thankfully no major accidents - one of the guys fell from the 2nd level of the building - flat on his back - and the only thing hurt was that he dislocated 2 fingers! I'd call that a miracle!

The team stayed at our house when they flew in and out - so 2 nights. I love hosting and using our house to bless others! The last night there were 13 of us camped out around our house - even with one sleeping on the patio. :) They were a really great group of men and it was a pleasure to be a part of their ministry to the Toulapan Indians; I'm sure we're not finished helping with this project.

Personally I don't think I'd be holding that -even for a picture!
At the beginning of the week it was a flat area of land and a pile of rough cut lumber - 8 days later - a building! below: Jeff and another one of the guys were the chefs for the week - they ate over 70 pounds of meat during the week and had everything from ribs, steak, omelets, pizza (made in a wood fed brick oven), hamburgers, shish cababs etc. The food didn't feel like a missions trip (ha ha) but all the work and the shack they stayed in sure did.
Unfortunately i don't know the elevation for where they were, but they were at cloud level - this is looking out over the cliff of where the project is.