In many ways, as we move deeper and deeper into design, we tend to get more and more boring. The drainage/water engineers start talking about sinuosity and thalweg, the structural/bridge engineers talk of earthquake loading and 'L' over something or other, the architects talk about visualizations and charrettes. Our language separates us from one another - how there is an interesting thought when you are sitting in a foreign country. As a design team, our desire is to stay unified in what we are doing, and with the ministry that we are serving, but our skills, our talents, and our passions, draw us away from one another and cause us to use different language.
For what we do on an EMI design trip, we overcome that challenge by taking time to bring one another along, and by daily stopping the design process and refocusing on what God is doing among us.
How do we overcome the things that naturally separate us from one another in our daily lives? How do we maintain a sense of unity that allows us to function as the Body of Christ?
Architects showing some of the YL staff their cool stuff.
Digging a test pit the easy way. Here we were trying to determine what was causing a large soft spot.
Jamal - working up some visualizations
Please be praying for Wanda and the kids. They have been swamped with snow the last few days, and Wanda is now starting the process of getting ready to join me in Nicaragua on Saturday. We will spend next week with our "relaunch" team Scouting out Managua. Pray that the transition from dad being gone to both mom and dad being gone goes well for our kids. Grandpa and Grandma Burgi will be staying with the kids, pray for energy (for the Grandparents, not the kids....).
We are coming to the end of day numbero 3.
Our three separate teams have started working on their individual tasks.
After spending some time walking the site with some of the Young Life staff, the Architectural/Graphics team have begun building the Sketch Up model. This will allow the Camp staff to begin visualizing what proposed improvement might look like.
Jamal, CK, and Janine working away
Our bridge team started by digging a test pit in the bottom of the drained lake. The information gathered here will define the bearing capacity of the soil as the bridge team sizes the footing for a pier.
Colter - taking notes on the soils conditions
The bridge team then got busy doing some pre-design so that we could quickly get to a cost analysis. By the end of the day, they had prepared a cost analysis for a couple bridge options so that tomorrow morning we can meet with the Young Life leaders and make a decision on the type of bridge we will design.
Colter and Ian reviewing design approaches
Throughout the day, the bridge team met with Joey (Young Life) to make sure we were all tracking the same speed.
Joey and Brian talking through the details of deck width
Brand new to services offered by EMI - Coffee packing! Two of our team members spent the day helping roast and pack coffee!
Alli and Lesley roasting and packing away!
The stormwater/drainage team spent most of the day walking the two creeks that feed into the lake looking for various sources of sediment. They will continue to work with the camp staff to provide options for how to manage the land to decrease soil
Laura and Jamey stiring up the sediment and taking a water sample.
Coffee is one of the ways that Young Life in Nicaragua sends kids to camp! All proceeds from the sale of coffee goes to sending young Nicaraguans to camp. Check out this link, and buy some coffee! - http://beyondbeanscoffee.com/ Or, if you a couple of you want, I might be convinced to bring some back for you.
Coffee plants here on La Finca.
Overall, the team is working wonderfully together. Today, there were a number of things happening here at camp, from workers building the new dinning hall to the coffee workers processing beans that had been picked. It has been good for our team to spread around the camp and see some of the ministry that happens here even when there aren't any youth on site.
God is working in our team as we once again see how we each bring our own skills and gifts. This evening we shared a devotion on the Body of Christ. It is always amazing to me how these EMI teams become a wonderful expression of the Body of Christ. We encourage one another, challenge one another, learn from one another, teach one another, serve one another, and love one another. Hopefully a good challenge for each of us to think about how we do this in our local churches.
Once again, I will try to keep the blog updated with some thoughts and experiences of our project trip to Nicaragua. I am here leading a team of 12 engineers and architects to support the ministry of Young Life near Matagalpa, Nicaragua (see "La Finca")
Our travels to Nicaragua were wonderful, we had one canceled flight, but those passengers were able to get on other flights and catch up with the rest of the team. Yesterday afternoon we drove from Managua (150 feet elevation) up to the camp outside Matagalpa (4880 feet elevation).
One thing that surprised the team last night was the temperature. You think you are in Nicaragua where it is hot and humid, but up here in the mountains it is quite chilly, I will be adding another blanket tonight!
Driving down into Matagalpa
Hills around the camp
Today we went to church at a Baptist church in town. As always, it was pretty awesome to sing songs we knew, in Spanish. After service and dinner, we traveled back to the Camp and learned more about what Young Life program looks like here in Nicaragua and what their vision is for the camp. That was very exciting for the team.
Tonight we are preparing for the day tomorrow where we get to do the technical stuff that we love so much. I will try to get more pictures of the camp tomorrow and give you all an update on how things are going.
Praise/Prayer requests:
Praise - Safe travels - no lost luggage
Praise - Team is relating well with one another
Pray for clarity as we move into the beginnings of design
C.K., one of our team members came with a bit of a cold. She is still fighting that bug, pray for health for her and the rest of the team.
Young Life. Most of us know these people. Whether we have supported, volunteered, helped, or attended - I am amazed at how many people have been affected by this organization. Their vision is simple:
Every adolescent will have the opportunity to meet Jesus Christ and follow Him
What I have recently learned is that this vision expands beyond the boarders of these United States.
This month, I have an opportunity to lead a project team to "La Finca" a ministry of Vida Joven (Young Life). Since 1988, Young Life has been working in Nicaragua.
Nicaragua is a country that has experienced "underdevelopment" as a result of natural disasters, wars, and political instability. One result of these influences is a median age of the population of 24.2 years. This compares to the median age in the USA of 37.6 years. In countries where the median population is younger, youth struggle with alcoholism, drug addiction, prostitution, gang involvement, and apathy regarding their future. Without hope for a future, and without resources to overcome the desperation of their situation the youth of Nicaragua find themselves floundering.
While the overall situation in the country is overwhelming, Vida Joven seeks to provide an opportunity for the youth of Nicaragua to meet Jesus Christ, offering HOPE.
Vida Joven works in schools and communities building relationships with youth, inviting them to attend Club meetings where they have fun and encounter the wonderful message of the Gospel. La Finca is an extension of that ministry. Located in the mountains of Nicaragua and doubling as a working coffee farm, La Finca offers a unique opportunity for the Youth of Nicaragua where they can escape the struggles, heat, and desperation of the City and experience the beauty of God's creation, great food, extreme fun, adults who care for them as individuals, and the opportunity to meet Jesus Christ.
Many of us remember our summer camp experiences. Imagine if along with all the other memories you have, you add the first time you saw a flush toilet, or the first time you had three meals a day? This creates a wonderful opportunity for youth.
Here is a You Tube video about the camp:
The eMi design team will be supporting the ministry of La Finca by assisting with three specific technical issues they are facing.
A pedestrian bridge - the camp is split up by a lake
Drainage/sediment control - during the wet season, there is a large sediment load that fills up the lake.
Graphic design for the Camp Master Plan - As the camp looks to the future with their Master Plan, it will be helpful to have a three dimensional model.
We have a team of 12 of us who will travel to Nicaragua from the 21st to the 28th of February. I will be trying to provide some blog updates as we move through the week, so keep an eye out for that!
I would really appreciate your prayers for our team as they seek to give of themselves, and learn more about what God is doing in Nicaragua.
