So it begins

  San Isidro, Nicaragua
Sunday, January 20, 2008

Hey everybody,
   So we've been really busy lately with the kingdom hall build. We broke ground Jan. 2, 2008 and it's just been a whirlwind since then.  We have 1 couple and 2 single bros. staying in our house right now. We also are the headquarters for all the meals and morning worship, since we live closest to the soon to be kingdom hall.  Our kitchen has also been taken over for all meal cooking purposes. And your's truly (kelly) am in charge of kitchen, along with the brother asigned in the construction crew, he conveniantly lives at our house.  This involves making grocery lists of foods I cant even pronounce and of fruits and vegetables I've never even heard of...in spanish or english!  I also thought this was kind of funny since I dont cook a whole lot...not to mention nicaraguan food, which the branch sent a menu of for 6 weeks worth of meals.  The best part is theres no recipes.  Well thankfully I only have to actually cook once a week but trust me when I say that thats a blessing for everybody.  I know that Jehovahs holy spirit is with me when people come up and speak sentences full of spanish and I litterally have no idea what one word meant but somehow I know exactly what they want me to do and how to do it....its really strange. 

Here are a couple of pictures of our bedroom, and sort of closet, we still dont have a ceiling, just a roof.
 Here is a picture of the property before any work got started on it. Me and kirk have enjoyed the build thus far.  Everynight we're physically exhausted but sleep really well because of it.  There are only 4 in the construction crew ( since it's such a small hall) and about 3-6 of us regularly there on the sight along with them.  Then we have a 1-2 sisters asigned to the laundry of the crew 2 times a week.  There are also 2 sisters assigned a day to cook throughout the week, and everynight we have 2 watchman on duty ( from the cong. ) they used to have hammicks but now they have mattresses.  Thus it takes the efforts of alot of people even to accomplish a small kingdom hall. The first 2 weeks were the hardest, we had to dig a 7 foot deep trench around about a 300 sq. ft. kindom hall with pick axes and shovels. Then we had to shovel all the dirt out of the trench and wheelbarrow it over into a giant pile...the locals were extatic for free dirt. The oldest couple helping is about 80 years old! We chopped down a giant mango tree leaving 3 trees for our mid day snacks.
   The very first day we built a make shift shed and bathroom.     Cement day consisted of a few of us shoveling fine dirt into 8 buckets at a time, then the brothers carried them over and poured them into the cement mixer, somebody else was in charge of dumping water and another was incharge of dumping the cement mix.


We did this for 3 straight days all day long! One of the most physically demanding jobs thus far, besides the trench.
  One day jehovah rewarded us with a beautiful rainbow and a light sprinkle...it felt soooo good.  


  The streets are often filled with people stopping for litterally 15-30 min. just watch.  Lots of kids gather and sit to watch.  Some even brought me and kirk candy and their mother made us soup.  Many ask to work...if we pay them, and then are amazed that we all are working for free.  It's been a great wittness to the small comunity thus far, and we've been really excited to be part of it.  The finishing pictures will be posted in about 3 more weeks.  Hope you enjoy.  ...oh ya..we got a cat.

love kirk and kelly.