November 5, the day after the election

I feel as if I have to write for two days. Yesterday we were finally able to do what we came for. We saw Tecusa. First a long drive. The roads were everything I expected about south America. Steep - winding - potholes - dangerous cliffs. There was wonderful scenery of the mountains. Is this a rain forest? plenty of cows and farms but exotic. We left with high spirits with music and laughter. Two hours later we were spent and not half way there.
We had a welcome break and a great lunch. The travel and uncertainty were taking a toll on me. I ordered crab - I wanted to try something new. I got a pile of rice on top of a boiled crab - and a hammer! Not fun. It tasted good though!
We made our way to the sea as we approached Esmereldas. Then we arrived at Tecusa. It was what I expected. A small, poor, village by the sea. The people have been given help by the government to own their houses - but they had to build them. The village is a collection of disarray. Some houses are finished while others are barely started. All are poor yet even in poverty there is a hierarchy.
I was surprised at the site. I hadn't realized how close the village is to the sea. The site for the church is quite small. The planned building will fill the space. The village seems to need it. It's heart is missing.
While it is wonderful that the government is helping the people to build homes - there is no help for anything else. The church would be a spiritual center but also a cultural and social center.
We took Gladys and Patricio along with us. Becky and Leslie shared gifts with the children - so many children! We met Flavio and Lukas who are priest and missioner there. Patricio showed the plans. He asked if it was OK to have one step instead of tree. In my broken Spanish I answered, "You're the engineer. I'm the priest. No se!" I'm happy to gatherthe resources but the church is for the people of the village, not me.
Evidently they want to work against the cultural tendency to set the priest apart. Good! I think that Gladys has already done that. It was clear that she loves the people and they love her in return.
I talked with Lukas and Flavio. I admit I was getting tired - not enough personal space or time. The people shared a meal with us. Langostinos and platinos. No hammer! We traveled to a hotel and wandered to the beach. That night we shared a bottle of wine and some M&M's. We're all tired. Amy and I talked with Patricio and Javier about US politics. CNN en Espanol told us Obama was winning. Then we slept.