The recent weeks have been quite busy. Last week, we built a total of 64 shelters in two different villages. In the one village, I was told that they usually get between 1 and 1.5 meters (39.7″ – 59″) of snow. With many of them living in non-insulated tents and firewood being scarce, I can only imagine how cold it gets. The insulated shelters that we are building are easier to keep warm and can handle the snow without a problem.
When starting the process of building shelters at a new village, it usually involves having the locals help with building a few shelters before they have a good understanding of the process. A build team typically consists of 2-4 experienced people and 2-3 local villagers. Working side-by-side with the locals has been a great way to learn more about their culture and make new friends.
As a sign of appreciation, some villages will kill and cook a goat for us. Watching them kill the goat made me think about the sacrifice Jesus made for us, so that we could have salvation. I’m sure it wasn’t a pretty sight. I feel a new level of appreciation for the food we’re served, knowing the sacrifice that has to be made by the goat and the work that it takes to prepare it for us. I am thankful that I get to work with these people and will miss much when I leave.
