On the evening of Wednesday, June 26, 2019, we arrived at the Church in the village of Bucusal about 7:00 pm where we were welcomed by Pastor Ronaldo and his wife Dani. Christiano, Fabio, Michael and Allen (Zeke) were the construction team from the boat to remain to work in the construction of the fruit press factory. Our home for the next 6 days would be the church and the home of Ronaldo and Dani.

The team slept on mattresses on the church floor and thank goodness for the fans to keep the air moving. After dinner on the boat, the team retired to the church to rest for the next day.

Thursday morning, Dani provided a good breakfast and the team started work by shoveling and wheel borrowing dirt to a space next to the mortar/concrete mixing pad. The block layers were starting the wall around the entire complex. The team shoveled and moved dirt until around lunchtime. After lunch the team rested and returned to work shoveling sand out of a pit behind the complex. This work was much harder, having to shovel the sand overhead into the wheelbarrow. Thursday ended with a tired crew needing rest.

Dani provided delicious meals while the crew was working. She and Ronaldo were gracious and welcoming hosts.

Friday morning started with Michael and Zeke laying block for part of the wall. By the second row, the heat had taken its toll. Christiano and Fabio had been working on forms and cutting reinforcing steel to fit into the forms. In the afternoon, there was sand to be screened for use in mortar and concrete. This proved to be more tiring than expected especially in the heat and sun with little breeze.

Saturday started much the same way with Christiano cutting the steel and getting forms ready. Fabio, Michael and Zeke were screening sand. The block layers had progressed almost half the way around the complex. In the afternoon, the crew worked on screening as well as setting the forms for the concrete. Some of the concrete was placed before the end of the day.

Sunday was another work day as the crew was screening, cutting/tying steel and setting more forms. The block wall was taking shape in front of the church and the home of Ronaldo and Dani.

Ronaldo and Dani had a group of family come visit for the day and brought fish for the meal. Lunch was served later than normal as the family was sharing together. In the evening, there was a church service on the porch of Ronaldo and Dani. There were numerous speakers with Pastor Ronaldo leading the main service. The Lords Supper was served and service ended with singing.

Monday started with more screening of sand, setting forms and the block layers bringing up the walls to the proper level. In the afternoon, everyone started carrying extra block and wood down to the river. César and Sanderley arrived during the evening on a cargo boat. All block and wood were loaded on the boat and taken to another site. Sanderley and Cesar returned after they delivered the materials. To our surprise, the boat returned this evening.

On Tuesday morning, there was a break from the sun and heat with clouds and rain. The entire team from the boat gathered to help screen sand, mix concrete, carry concrete, shovel sand from the pit and place concrete into the forms. The Construction Team and the block layers were kept busy trying to keep forms in place to be filled. By the end of the morning all of the areas to be filled with concrete had been completed. The wall complete with the concrete supports extended from the back of the complex, around the Pastors house and around the Church.

When our work began, there was no wall in place and at the end, three-quarters of the complex had wall completed. Thanks to the extra help from the boat, we were able to make great progress.

Around noon we left the site and began our journey back to Sao Sebastiao. We have been blessed by the hospitality of Ronaldo, Dani and their family. It was a pleasure to spend time with Diandras parents and Ronaldo, Pastor Daniels brother.