First they knocked down two walls with sledge hammers. After the walls were gone, they began shoveling out dirt for the foundation of the new addition. They (along with the help of some of the older students from the school) tied rebar to prepare for the concrete which will be laid tomorrow. They were excited to spend some time with some of the kids from the school. Greg said one of the students looks a lot like his 8 year old son, Keegan. Needless to say Greg already loves that kiddo!
They finished around 6:30 and headed back to the hotel. They were both EXHAUSTED. Greg said it felt like he had just mowed 8 yards, back to back, with no break. Needless to say they will sleep good tonight. :)
They both sounded so excited about the work today and are looking forward to seeing the rest of the crew on Tuesday.
Guatemala Fun Fact for Today...
The national bird of Guatemala is the Quetzal and it is absolutely beautiful.
About the Quetzal... (taken from http://www.stanford.edu)When the quetzal flies, it’s long tail streams behind it’s blue/green body, making a motion that is almost serpentine. This observation by the Maya and Aztec lead to the creation of the feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl who represents light, love, happiness and all which is good in life. The quetzal makes appearances in many Maya Legends. For example, the red breast of the quetzal came from landing on the wounds of slain Quiche prince Tecun Uman after the prince was killed by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado.
Today the quetzal has become the nation symbol of Guatemala. Images of the quetzal are everywhere, including the basic unit of currency. None the less, as a result of habitat degradation quetzals themselves are becoming increasingly scarce. The quetzal resides within the misty depths of high altitude cloud forest and is known to shy away from the prying presence of visitors. Unfortunately, as in other parts of the world, habitat loss is the main reason behind a decrease in the population of this species. Still, while sightings are rare and the bird is threatened, like many aspects of Guatemala's culture, the Quetzal is holding on.
