Extreme Makeover: Monte Blanco Edition

An update from Ceci Ramsey at Monte Blanco:

Busy... busy... busy…  That's the best way to describe to last two weeks… and rewarding--fun--awesome--a blessing. Some of the women worked hard to spackle, clean graffiti and paint the boys' dorm, which has 16 bedrooms, plus a living room, a long hallway and a bathroom. Each of the bedrooms had cream-colored walls, white ceiling, and one colored wall (blue, green, eggplant, orange, etc.). We made curtains to match the colored walls. The long hallway has a dark taupe bottom, a 2-3 inch deep red horizontal stripe, and the cream top with white ceilings.  The living room which you can see coming down the hallway has the same deep red for a wall around the fireplace. It looks lovely... if I do say so myself!

Other women sewed curtains, table runners (we are working on 40), aprons, and pillowcases.

Meanwhile, the guys have rewired almost all of camp. Everywhere I look I see people working... it is amazing. The back-up generator was tested today and there is only a 5-10 second delay and it switches on automatically. It is amazing. As the guys worked, they discovered a lot of "interesting" things... the bees in the light poles, rotten poles ready to topple, about 500 lbs. of bones on an old roof where the cats had dragged them (I was told 500 lbs.), old wiring lying on straw, lots of spiders, etc. New hanging lamps were put in the dining hall. Two new compressors for the walk-in freezer were installed (apparently they still need some work). The dining hall roof is being replaced (and the dining hall will be painted as soon as this is finished). One of the workers loves to garden and he has pruned almost all the fruit trees... and built arbors from bamboo in the main quadrangle. As I said, everywhere I walk... I see people hard at work.

Thousands of campers will make their way to Monte
Blanco this year. The conveniences of their stay
are made possible by staff and volunteers, such as the
current Short Term Ministry Team.

I had the opportunity to lead women's devotionals... and to oversee the painting and sewing as well as make desserts for the team (50 with the Bolivian staff). In between, I... well, there was no "in-between" except sleeping basically. (I always have time to practice flute and read.... even if I am baking). Plus I was able to translate... all day every day. It truly has been an amazing time. I have loved having the devotions with just the women in the morning and then everyone gets together for a study in the night.

Weather has been pretty good. Most everyone is sunburned, of course. We did have light rain yesterday and the day before when the roof was 1/2 off the dining hall and the tarps had not yet arrived to cover it... it actually rained *all around us* but not here.

We have had some injuries... but nothing serious. Some mild electrical shocks, some cuts from crawling over sharp objects in the 100 degree attics to rewire everything. We have had some upset stomachs... but not much considering the change of water and food. So we feel blessed.

The other day a small herd of cows got through the fence (again) and I called on the radio for help getting them out as they dearly love to eat our grass and flowers we have tried to cultivate. At the same time I was making cookies for lunch.... there were a lot of jokes when I again called on the radio for help in carrying trays of cookies down to the dining hall… cookies and milk.

Tomorrow most of the team members (and Tim and myself along with national missionaries Onesimo and Elodia) travel to Santa Cruz at 6:30 a.m.  The team has 1/2 day to buy souvenirs (we will translate for them) and then they fly back to the U.S. tomorrow evening.  We will sorely miss them.  Sunday Onesimo, Elodia, Tim, and I will return to Monte Blanco to continue working.  Also staying are Tom and Christine Ames, Art Soares, and Bill and Joan Coho (Joan is Tim's first cousin).

The Cohos will return to the states on March 8. Ceci, Tim,  and Chuck Ramsey will return to the states on March 15, as will the Ames and Art Soares. We are grateful for all the work the I-Tec and Steppin-Out Missions teams have done at Monte Blanco.