Wednesday's Mission Trip

Hey it's Emily!

Today we woke up bright and early for breakfast which was toast, coffee and their form of orange juice. Around 8 we got in the vans to go to Tenabo which is where our work site is (this where the Mance is - the Mance is the house where the pastor lives.) Our group and the men from Tenabo completed the base of the roof today which we had started yesterday. The speed at which our group was able to complete tasks on the work site amazed the locals.
During some down time at the site we had the chance to walk around the community, stopped in some shops, and was able to visit a traditional cemetery. I don't think I've ever seen something quite like this; there were literally whole bodies caged in cement blocks on open display. While it is their culture, it was definitely an eye opener based on how we bury our dead.

We were fed an amazing lunch once again by Esther (who is married to Alfonso, the pastor we have been working with.) The meal consisted of toastados with chicken, lettuce, a bean dip, avacado and of course we got to try more exotic fruits.

After lunch we went back to the work site to complete the roof which took about an hour. Then it was back to our beautiful hotel in Campeche where we quickly rinsed off and headed to the beach. The water was so warm (and there were barely any people there). We were truly blessed with a perfect day for experiencing the Gulf Coast. The families (Alfonso's and his brother's) joined us at the beach and fed us a meal of spaghetti and meat balls. Needless to say, it was another delicious meal.

After the beach we quickly rinsed off again because the leaders (Jim, Kathy, Eric, and Ken) had been told that the sunset in Campeche is one for the books. We took a couple of group pictures and then Collin tripped and cut his leg. It looked like a lot more blood than it should have but Kathy came to the rescue with a couple of band aids while Eric tended to his wound - he was fine. When the sun finally set, it was time to go back to the hotel to talk about our experiences so far and how our expectations compared to the actuality. Everyone agreed that this was not only a mission trip based on emotions like past Mexico trips, or spiritual ones for that matter like New Orleans, but Campeche fulfilled a much more cultural one as well.

Afterward some of the group went out to see the town at night as a few shops were still open. We got the chance to have freshly made churros and to see the amazing architecture of Campeche.
It was another gorgeous day, filled with new learning experiences and unforgettable moments. We miss and love you all!

Emily