Caborca 2011

Day 1:

• scheduled to leave at 1:30, Leave at 3 instead
• feel carsick immediately
• pass a semi trailer, miss oncoming traffic by 20 yards
• puke in the car, get out at pit stop, continue vomiting
• Dramamine. :)
• Ram into a double trailer semi while passing other semi. Lose side mirror and mangle van.

• Stop at pull off and check damage, Anne switches vans (and blames it on the non-existant nausea)
• Reach customs stop. First 2 vans proceed. Third van gets stopped because of church name printed on side and trailer hitched to back.
• Anne argues with customs, saying that Agua Prieta officials claimed that van didn't need permission to travel.
• Van did need permission.
• Driver of 2nd mini van exits van, forgets to put in park. 
• Car accident number 2.
• Third van with trailer attached turn back towards Agua Prieta, time stamp 5:30 pm. 2 minivans continue to Caborca.
• Reach AP, get trailer/van permission. Cross the border to pick up car sick pills at WalMart, and pizza at Little Ceasars.
• Leave AP at 9:15 pm. Receive message from rest of group that they have made it to Caborca at 9:30, just in time for a 6 pm worship service.
• Try to pass crack head swerving over all 3 lanes of traffic on a blind curve on a mountain. Almost get car accident #3. Pass successfully.
• Reach customs stop again. In and out in less than 2 minutes.
• Ask directions to Caborca, told to just go straight.
• Reach Santa Anna. Can go right, or can go left, but can't go straight.
• Ask Taco Stand Dude for directions.
• Follow Taco Stand Dude's directions.
• 2 hours later, call Pastor. Told to go back to Santa Anna. Taco Dude was wrong.
• Turn around, encounter new Customs stop. Time Stamp: 2:30 am.
• Change drivers. Customs soldiers command that trailer be emptied and x-rayed.
• Anne. Pissed.
• Continue to Santa Anna.
• Take wrong street to Caborca in Santa Anna.
• Reach Altar, Mexico. Roll through stop sign. Warmly greeted at 4:00 am by Mexican Federal Police.
• Worm way out of ticket. Pull into Caborca church at 4:37 am.

Day 2:

• 7 am wake up call. FML
• work construction. Kirk demotes himself to bottom of group, Anne takes over. (Seriously)
• lunch.
• Shower in the sink. NOTE: 1 bathroom:25 people; 1 shower:25 people
• First day of Bible School
• 6 kids show up at start.
• 40 kids leave at end.
• Success.

Day 3:

• Wake up much more refreshed.
• Breakfast: more beans
• 2 members fall ill, Montezuma's revenge hitting very often. NOTE: still only 1 bathroom.
• Construction: climbing on neighbors roof to reach our roof. Second hand marijuana high. Good MORNING.
• Shower in sink again.
• Lunch. 
• Second day of Bible School. Total of 80 kids. Oldest member of group unknowingly wets his pants. Begin urine smell in common space at night.

Day 4:

• Wake up at 6 am- Group leader using outside voice while rest of the world is sleeping.
• Thererfore, wake up really cranky
• 7:30 Breakfast
• Contingent to leave for Hermosillo, Mexico.
• Begin insulating classroom ceiling for construction.
• Very quickly be covered in fiberglass
• Sweat- a lot
• Lunch: Group leaves for Plaza tour, Kirk and Anne try to finish insulation
• Staple gun out of staples with brand new box of staples no where to be seen. Give up on insulation
• Take REAL shower.
• Third day of Bible School. Those who went to Plaza arrive late. Frantic scramble to be prepared for apx. 60  kids.
• More success.
• More pee smell from group member who only brought 2 pairs of pants, and still hasn't realized that he smells.

Day 5:

• Wake up on my own schedule.
• Breakfast at 7 ish
• Continue with construction. Finish insulating the ceiling. Build and install window and frame. Feel incredibly accomplished, and very dirty/sweaty/itchy.

• Notice member has wet his pants again. Try not to suffocate in small room.
• Contingent back from Hermosillo.
• Lunch
• Real shower again. Try to get rid of all fiberglass in skin.
• Pack and clean common room for trip back to Agua Prieta.
• Bible School: last night. Hotter= less kids. Balloon fight for Recreation. 
• Dinner with Church pastor, fill up on Horchata. YUM.
• Leave Caborca at 8:30.
• Customs stop- no problems.
• Drop off ladder in Altar.
• Pee.
• Pull off road halfway through trip to check new tire on van. Seems to be without problems.
• Reach church in AP 3 hours later. Check tire in van. MANUALLY move lug nuts. WHOOPS.
• Lead group across border for coffee and breakfast stop.
• Return home 4:30 am.

The division wall in the classrooms we were constructing

Future location of cinderblock wall

Practicing the puppet show for Vacation Bible School

The most beautiful insulation work Mexico has ever seen