About midway through our day, as our team was putting in the rebar for the three supporting walls, our local expert Benjamin gave us a concerned look. He explained to us that there was a law in Mexico that restricted the top of our bridge, and that it would have to be shortened.
Apparently, Mexican law restricts both sidewalks and streets from going a certain distance above the ground level, and our bridge surpassed that limit - a limit that was previously unknown to our designers. The catch is, if we lowered the bridge too much, we risked bringing the bridge below where the water level could potentially run, defeating the purpose of the project in the first place. We convened to problem solve, and managed to find a solution that kept us in line with the law and didn't require us to majorly redesign or compromise the safety of the bridge.
Coming back after lunch, we knew what we had to do and started working. While we lost a good amount of momentum and had to spend time readjusting, we still ended with some significant progress. Currently, we hope to finish laying out the rebar and formwork for the three walls of the bridge tomorrow, allowing us to pour Saturday morning.
Still, while there was much hard work today, God presented some awesome opportunities to learn about the people around us. While we were working, Benjamin shared that many in his line of work use drugs and alcohol to cope with their daily lives. But, once he came to Christ, he gave those things up, relying on his friends, family, and the love of God instead.
Benjamin's openness with us was encouraging for our team, especially since he shared that without being asked about it first. God is continually opening doors for us to build relationships with the community here at Trigo y Miel.
Here are some ways to pray for us today:
That we use our time effectively tomorrow and get back on schedule
That we continue to practice safety as the amount of rebar on site increases
That we are able to continue to connect with the community
Here are some areas of thanksgiving:
We're thankful for our local friends who continue to show us kindness
We're thankful for the support of MC3, the other church group on site who leaves tomorrow to return home
We're thankful for our leaders and advisors who are constantly encouraging us and working alongside us.