Saturday, January 28, 2012

Finished!!!!




Well,

We are are finished!!! Yersterday (Friday) was our last day in San Jose Petacalapa, and believe it or not we were able to finish the bridge completely! Since my last post on Wednesday we formed, poured, and finished the curbs on Thursday; Friday was spent installing the timber guardrails marking the end of our work on the bridge. Today we woke early to drive into Guatemala City which is the last stop before our flight tomorrow afternoon back to the states. This was the first day I haven't hammered nails, tied rebar, or cut lumber in three weeks. Instead I spent the day with my new friends driving in a van and then perused through a market in the city and finally explored a nearby mall...

There is so much that can be said about this unforgettable and life changing experience, but I'm sorry to say that I am at a loss of words. We (the team) have been through so much in the past month; our tribulations may have discouraged us at times, but they only strengthened our will to finish. I never doubted that we would be able to build this bridge, but as I sit and look back on it I realize that it is only by God's grace that we actually did it. I mean it is amazing what can be done with a circular saw, hammer, a little bit of know how, and a lot of Guatemalans who do not even own shoes!!!! I have a lot more scars, bruises, and aches because of this trip; but more importantly I have much more friends, awesome experiences, and fond memories.

3 comments:

  1. Oh by the way, Udel wrote an article about the trip, here is the link.... http://www.udel.edu/udaily/2012/jan/ewb-guatemala-bridge-012712.html

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  2. This is the cutest post evaaaa!!! You're awesomeee!

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  3. Awesome job Ben! What an amazing experience for you - professionally and personally. Good Luck with your future ‘BIGGER’ projects. Keep us posted.

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