Posted by Jonah, group member
Sunday was a day of rest spent with our families. It was a perfect day
to wash clothes, play with the children, and evolve the personal
relationship with the families. With the beautiful weather many
families spent the day outside hiking, playing volleyball, or exploring
nature. At three, we met as a group at the Azcue farm to head down to
Ollantaytambo to call family, get internet access, and buy food. Some
of our group also had the opportunity to experience a Spanish mass,
which was very relatable to one back in the States. On Monday, we
spent the day carrying piedras (rock) up the hill to the worksite
assembly-line style, while others continued work on leveling the
foundation. At the end of the work day the large pile of rocks was at
the top of the hill. What a success! Tuesday, we all turned pink. Pink
adobe bricks, which we bought with fundraised money, had been
delivered at the foot of the hill, which had to be transported up to
the worksite. Many hands make light work and our large line made the
152 bricks move quite quickly. Wednesday, we spent constructing a
passable road for the Buffalo (the name for Chino´s white van) to
drive up with more rocks for the foundation of the building. Slowly,
the van climbed up our road, spewing pleanty of exhaust, and then it slowed to a stop at the top. The rest of the afternoon we spent loading and
unloading rocks into and out of the van. After work was mail time and
as usual Sadie received the most post cards… this time only five.
Group riddles and games topped off another day.
The next day was a big work day. In the morning we were assigned
various jobs including mixing mud, plopping mud onto the growing wall,
laying rocks onto the mud and bringing more rocks up the hill. After a
delicious lunch of fried rice, we resumed carting the remainder of the
large rocks up the hill in the Buffalo. A hard day´s work was very
rewarding and we returned back to the farm to vote on a potential
group sleepover. The proposed sleepover was vetoed and we all walked
home in the cold night.
It´s friday, friday, everyone´s workng on friday! We spent the morning
continuing our work from yesterday. The first adobes were laid on our
growing wall and the roof tiles were delivered and unloaded- all 1,500
of them. Only four broke.
So that´s it. The work is really strenuous, but the effort very rewarding. I showered today for the first time in 11 days. I love it here. Hope you are well.
