It has been a difficult, but wonderful month here in Cozumel.

These past three weeks have been interesting.  It rained, rained and then rained some more.  Gia lucked out and went back to California for a week to finish up some business (she thought I lucked out by staying here on the island). Maybe.  Even with the rain for twenty days straight, no idea how many inches, this place is now home.

With all the rain,  I could not do any work on the farm project in Las Fincas. The roads were simply impassable . In fact, even now, because of the rain, there are potholes that you could lose a scooter in.  We had our little junk car aligned, tires rotated, inflated with nitrogen (because of the heat). For about twenty eight dollars.  Problem is one of those potholes will jack us, so we live on the scooter. It’s quite interesting getting out to Las Fincas on the scooter with all the tools. I am quite the sight as you can imagine.

While waiting out the storm, I worked on my sermons and preached at the local church that we go to. Last Sunday I preached on Luke 6:6-10, the story about the man with the withered hand. During church, I saw a newcomer crying the entire time. After the sermon she and her husband came to greet me and her husband shook my hand with his left. His right arm was withered. They were visiting from Louisiana -it is amazing how God guides people in both the big and the small things.

I also went back to  my roots and started training kids in the gym for fun.  There are so many opportunities for ministry on the island. God is good and continues to open up doors and bless us abundantly with being able to share His love with new friends. The minute one of those punks calls me “Abuelo” though, I quit.

This is September – in Spanish Septiembre on the island it is called Septihombre (hombre means hungry in Spanish) It is their “joke” everyone goes hungry in September. The island is completely dependent on tourism for survival. These fall months are hurricane season, so the cruise lines don’t visit. There are lots of kids around, dozens stand in line at the store to take turns to bag you groceries. You give them a few persos, and then the kid goes to the back of the line to wait his turn to bag again.  You drive you scooter or car  anywhere and they want to wash it, you give them five pesos.  Typical Gringo I always pay way more. I don’t feel sorry for them, it is out of respect.  Many kids in the United States would be glued to the computer if school was out.  These kids do anything they can to make some money for their family.

Oh by the way, the schools were shut down for a while. The teachers were not getting paid. In fact the police and most of the maintanace workforce have not been paid for over a month.

The island is hurting, people are going hungry, and they will continue to be bad off financially for another month and a half.  Hard to see good people suffer. This is why getting the farm up and running, and training the community on how to grow their own food is a priority, by next year we hope to have enough people growing their own gardens to subsidize the community for down season.  So far,we have cut down the jungle and put it in about forty big piles.  We have had to wait to burn it, but alas the sun finally came out

last Sunday.  So last week I was able to burn some of the piles and hoe out the undergrowth. Next week we hope to burn more and begin on digging a well.

Before

After

Thank you for your prayers and financial support. You are making such a big difference in these people’s lives. We continue to send kids to school with your support and the Las Fincas community farm and mission center

is coming along nicely. If you would like to donate towards 7 Day Hero Mexico please click on the link below.

paypal.me/7dayheromexico

If you, your family or church is interested in a work/mission trip we are now ready to host you and would welcome your help.  Your team would have a safe, wonderful cultural

experience, a natural experience diving and exploring and more importantly a spiritual experience by serving and meeting felt needs for our Lord.  Vaya con Dios.
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