Saturday July 17 - Sam's 18th Birthday!!!

Today is Sam's 18th birthday! Wendy, thanks so much for allowing him to be with our team on this momentous occasion! Kelley made a great shirt for his birthday - everyone signed the back with their name and a bible verse.

What a special young man, (Now an adult!!!) who really rose to every occasion with grace, and as we found as we went along, a great sense of humor!!!

He hurt his shoulder in a lacrosse game in April - he had surgery two months before we left and was brave enough to still want to come to Indo to help with the project. None of us could imagine the team going without him! He was such an integral part of our team!

Clay did a devotional with us - then asked each of us how this trip was effecting us and what God what God was showing us through the trip.

We are now ready to go finish the tank and start the sand filter! Got to site - clipped wires holding metal forms and luaun in - took both out. Started plastering interior with concrete. Worked on finishing the lid.

At lunchtime we walked to the beach - about 2 1/2 miles. Masta met us there with a wonderful lunch. Afterwords Sam said that he would love to get in the ocean - I asked Clay if it was safe and he said he thought it would be fine. Sam and Luke both took off and got in. In the meantime someone asked where they were and were told that they were in the ocean. Then the nationals said that there were sharks. I called the guys back in and told them. After a little discussion they figured that they would be more careful and not go out as far and went back out. Then there was more commotion from back at the lunch site, and this time the nationals said that not only were there sharks, but there were crocodiles. Apparantly being so close to Australia, Sumba also has salt water crocs! We called them back in again, and they were a little slower to come this time, savoring every moment. They did get a lot more attentive when they heard what we had to say this time! Clay and Gary actually spotted 5 or 6 of something that definitely could have been crocs - large creatures (minus dorsal fins) floating on the right side of the bay that actually turned and started making their way towards the guys! A story they will be telling long after for sure!

Got back to work site - Casper had worked through lunch (He insisted) to complete the finish coat on the inside - what a humble servant of Christ! We finished up the lid and began working on the sand filter.

David started two sealed toilets. As I mentioned earlier, the sealed toilet at Pastor Elias' was the only one in the village - they had also built one at Merry Dano's, just for our teams comfort. A sealed toilet is a sqatty potty with a trap built in underneath so that when you pour in water from the dip cup it gravity forces the waste down past the trap. None of the people in the village even had toilets, much less a sealed toilet, and they are crucial for sanitation.

David's uncle Rus had devised a means of making a sealed toilet from dirt and concrete. A mud
form is made 1st, then the concrete is applied over it. After it cures, you flip it over and dig out all of the dirt. Ingenious, and they only cost around $1.00-2.00 per sealed toilet. (A ceramic fixture from Wainapu - 3 1/2 hours away - costs around $15.00. For people who barter their goods for food, the cost is just too prohibitive.

I can easily envision future Westover teams going and building tanks, plus several of these as they take very little concrete.

Late afternoon (or was it before lunch?) Mary Dano and friends brought us another snack - this time it was baked corn + the coffee and tea. Such sweet people - the language barrier can't hinder the smiles and warmth that you feel from fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

We had another great supper made by Masta and Pastor Elias' wife and helpers. What a blessing they were to our team!

We went to church service - David introduced the team. Then he asked us to sing a song! (He has a great sense of humor - the only one of us who has actually sung in front of an audience before is Gary!) We were totally unprepared, but sang Amazing Grace - first stanza, twice!

David showed some inspirational videos, and then a humorous one - he really does have a great sense of humor and he uses this in his ministry, which helps people warm to him even more.

We stayed up late getting all of our gifts for the national pastors, our hosts and the children ready. For the pastors we tried to bring small but practical things - inexpensive watches, knives, flashlights, etc. For the woman we brought makeup bags with small gifts; kitchen towels, jewelry, etc. Containers are good because they keep bugs/critters out.