CHANGE of PLAN

Today, Hermano Jesus's daughter got married.  We were all ready to go, dressed, nails painted, hair done, and ten minutes to go.  Daniel, the guard, quickly came in the building and asked for Justin.  Justin rounded the corner and Daniel spilled out, "There is a fire really close and we need to move the vehicles."  Moving the vehicles means moving a van that hasn't moved in 7 months (of which a mechanic team is coming in 5 days to fix).  Ugh, good thing I grew up on the farm!

Four vehicles were pulled around (one with a flat tire) and we walked back to the chicken co-op and the fire was blazing and crackling.  I ran up and changed out of my dress, yeah you read that right . . . I was wearing a dress.  Then returned to the front lines and started fighting the blaze with 3 nannies and the guard.  Even though it has rained a few times already within the past two weeks, the pine needles on the ground, mixed with the leaves, added some impressive fuel to the fire.  We believe someone was making carbon (wood coal type substance to be used to start campfires later) and the fire got out of control.  As we write this tonight, the smoke is still going as more fires are popping up.  The flames were licking the fence.  Needless to say we did not take pictures of the biggest flames.

The six of us only had two garden hoses and a few buckets to do the fighting.  After about 30 minutes Estuardo came along with a neighbor and two other guards.  The "fire" department was called, which only consisted of two guys in fireman garb and a pick up truck.  One hoped the fence, the other just walked around and was debating about calling the water tanker (which was about 45 minutes away).  After even more neighbors came, and a few phone calls for people to pray, the large portions near the base were contained.

We are praying for it to rain tonight, and hoping for a quiet night as this firefighting team is tired.  The girls were down in the orphanage helping, as the nannies were fighting the fire as well.  When the help arrived, and the nannies returned downstairs, the girls shifted to the "lunch wagon" with lemonade and cookies for those that came to help.

Thank you for those of you who prayed.  We pray for rain tonight, for the smell of smoke to leave the base (oh is it BAD!), and for the fire to be complete contained.


The wedding went well, we just did not get to go.........Oh what a day...
~Vicki