Last week I helped rebuild a bridge with four of our new CDF
communities. I can say I helped because
I put two stones in the holes, but really I mostly just watched. Many men, probably more than 50, came from over
four communities to rebuild the bridge.
It seems like a lot of men, but it is a hard job!
**had some good pics but they are not uploading - I will try again another time!
The CDFs in the community have been working through some of
the participatory community entry activities, looking at the needs and the
resources of the community. The CDFs had their own need that they brought to
the communities; the bridges are not safe, they are hard to cross on the
motorbike. Several were just single
rotting logs or a single steel beam.
The bridge itself will be helpful for the staff and
community members, but as I stood in the sun watching the men carry and place
the heavy logs, I realized that building a bridge is a good hands on team
building exercise. It requires plenty of
good communication and cooperation.
At one point during the afternoon, one group of men carrying
a large log got impatient and passed another log. This sparked a heated disagreement. Part of the CDFs job is conflict resolution,
and this is what they did here.
Eventually the men cooled down and went back to work.
The bridge was completed by mid-afternoon and the men
cheered. I kept thinking about the verse
in Nehemiah 4:6 “So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half of its
height, for the people worked with all their heart.”
Joseph, one of the CDFs, called the group together to share
some words and sing and pray. It was a
good way to end the day. The image of
building a bridge reminded me that even though we are not physically building
bridges, our projects are all about building bridges to share the good news of
the gospel.
Some days it seems like we will never see changes – physical
or spiritual – in the communities, change is difficult, but I was reminded that
though we can respond to God’s call and carry on the work, it is God who
changes people and we need to be praying for him to change the hearts of
individuals we work with if we want to see changes in the community.
“Holy, Holy are you Lord God Almighty, Worthy is the lamb, Worthy
is the Lamb, you are Holy”
*I wrote this post earlier in the week and am just posting today. The quote I finished with reminds me again that God is Almighty, Holy, Worthy, even during the difficulties. This morning one of our CDF's unexpectedly passed away. I have not quite processed this, but please pray for his family, the CDF staff and communities he worked with, and all the SP staff, it is not easy!**had some good pics but they are not uploading - I will try again another time!
