Mid-week update from Chi Chi Guatemala

You can find me as David Monsour a.k.a. Disco Davo on most social media applications as well as my contact 
davidmonsour.com.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:54

Check, check, check.

SPEAKER_02 0:54

Here we are. We're in Chi Chi Castanegro in Guatemala with Russell, my man. Russ, we are midweek of our week here with Manos de Jesús. How's it going?

SPEAKER_01 1:08

It's great. We're riding on the back of a truck, riding through Chi Chi.

SPEAKER_02 1:12

So uh let's give them a look.

SPEAKER_01 1:14

Yeah. Happy to see you.

SPEAKER_02 1:16

Alright, so um before we get to our midweek, this is your second mission trip.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:24

Second with me at least.

SPEAKER_01 1:26

Second total. Second total.

SPEAKER_02 1:28

Awesome. That's why we're BFFs. Absolutely. But you're here now as a married man with your bride came with you. Yep. Alright. And first one was in El Salvador. A little bit different of a trip. I say that, you know, I told you that it wasn't as hard. But yesterday, I must not have worked last year because I was exhausted yesterday.

SPEAKER_01 1:49

I don't know if it was just the heat, the heat, and the altitude, or or what it was. But yeah, yesterday we we put in a lot of work. Yeah. We got a whole house done.

SPEAKER_02 1:57

We did a whole house. So we have we have a pretty big group with 15, 16 people. So we split. So we actually our group did two houses. Russell and I were together building one. They had already had the foundation port and the what would you call those? The just the corner post, I guess. And so then we built all the wall sidewalls and then put on a tin roof.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

Cut in a window.

SPEAKER_02 2:22

Cut in a window with a chainsaw.

SPEAKER_01 2:24

Yeah, cut in a window with a chainsaw.

SPEAKER_02 2:26

There are no table, it's not a table saw. What's that just called?

SPEAKER_01 2:29

Just a circular saw. Circular saw, no circular saw.

SPEAKER_02 2:31

So no circular saws here. They cut everything with a with a chainsaw, which is pretty amazing. Right on top of the concrete, and it doesn't got, I'm thinking I'm gonna see sparks. No sparks. The man he he had control of his chainsaw.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

He knew exactly what it was doing. He sure did. You can tell they they use what they have and make the most out of their resources.

SPEAKER_02 2:52

They sure do. And and well, I guess uh I guess it's battery-powered, maybe circular saws become more available. Because that's probably why, because there's not really electricity out there, so they can't really run.

SPEAKER_00 3:07

Yeah, they couldn't really run anything.

SPEAKER_02 3:09

That's why they're using a chainsaw.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:11

So we need to get a little Dewalt sponsorship out here.

SPEAKER_00 3:14

Hey, they had the DeWalt speakers out here.

SPEAKER_02 3:16

They did. Or Milwaukee. Well, they yeah, all their drills were all DeWalt. Dewalt battery power. So okay. So the young lady for our group that we built a home for actually works at the school, which was pretty awesome to be able to provide her a home.

SPEAKER_01 3:39

And she actually went through the program.

SPEAKER_02 3:40

And she that I that was pretty awesome to see. So I mean she was a child, a youth coming up in this community, was blessed just by being able to come and be active and learn about God and all that good stuff, and then turns around and now she's working here and got herself a house. So, and the amount of gratitude out of that lady, and hopefully I can add some photos of this house because you see how small it was. Send you some video, one room, a couple bunk beds in there, and that's a concrete floor, and I mean, she was through the moon.

SPEAKER_01 4:20

And and I thought it was really interesting how they did the tin roof, but they did a section of it with the plastic to be able to get some light in it. Skylight. Yeah, the skylight. That was really cool.

SPEAKER_02 4:30

I love it. And even the even the way they poured it, I noticed that for drainage, like because I I'm always looking at water. Where's water gonna go? And that water coming off that house or porch next to it runs right to the front door and bam takes a hard laugh around the building.

SPEAKER_01 4:49

It does.

SPEAKER_02 4:50

So, because at first I was like, man, we're lower here. I thought water's gonna come right in, but that was they had a plan.

SPEAKER_01 4:58

So this is your second time for this one.

SPEAKER_02 5:00

Second time in Mono State Jesus.

SPEAKER_01 5:03

Any differences? Anything different for you?

SPEAKER_02 5:05

Um, it's a lot well, a lot of things are a lot different, and I'll probably need to do a little more reflecting on it. I am probably a lot further in my spiritual journey, but before my first two mission trips were just being honest, I was against coming to another country and spreading the word of God. Okay, I was like, I ain't going there trying to force my religion, I'm going there to help somebody that needs a house. Like that was my thing. I want to go build a house, I want to go help somebody that doesn't have this or that, and I want my labor to speak. And then if you ask about my religion, I'm happy to tell you. Yeah, and then maybe that's still kind of the same, but now I'm at least I'm singing and got the cross, and I'm a little more just open about it, but I'm not, I'm still not to where I think I need to be coming anywhere and trying to tell them that their God is wrong. And not that that's not hard than that, because I don't know how big Christianity is here. And we're out in the out, would you consider this the mountains? We're far out where they have the Aztecan culture, and it's you know, they're burning sacrificing chickens, like literally, and candles and building fires and all that.

SPEAKER_01 6:30

Yeah, it's really interesting because Catholicism is known around here, and just like we went to that church that was built on the Mayan temple, so they're doing both in the same place. Right. So I get what you're saying, like it how how deep is it here?

SPEAKER_00 6:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:47

And we know we went to a we went to a whole Mayan, what was it? A what you call it?

SPEAKER_02 6:53

A worshiping ground?

SPEAKER_01 6:54

A worshiping ground.

SPEAKER_02 6:55

Yeah, like a big circle where they were just lighting fires, and you know, just to kind of go back to that. I just and I believe it's even more important than this United States. I say this so many times, just be known for what you're for. And if you're anywhere and loving all people, if you are the light, that sounds so philosophical to be the light, but if you are just a great person, you know, you're you're just attracted to people. If you find somebody that you like, you want to be around them more, and you want to ask what's their juice? What are they drinking in the morning? Where do they get their coffee? And then that gives you the opportunity if you want to share about Jesus or God or whatever that is, or whichever political party.

SPEAKER_01 7:41

But if you're a hole and nobody cares who you voted for, I don't know why I just brought it to that, but no, I mean, I think it speaks to like if you think of the spirit of these people around here. You look at the lady's house that we did yesterday, and just how loving she was. Yes, and how accepting she was, and she even jumped in, she was helping out.

SPEAKER_00 8:03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:04

And that was something that she needed to do, you know, helping out to build her own house. But she said something that was really profound to me. And she said, you know, God said she had been faithful over a few things, so now she has this. Yeah, I thought that was so cool.

SPEAKER_02 8:24

Isn't it like that? That is probably my lesson for, you know, if I had to put a lesson on 2026 that I think I'm supposed to be working on, and that is being a good steward with what I have, because I'm constantly wanting more, and oh, I want to earn more and make more so that I could do this and this, and I want to be able to give to them and them. And I feel this little tug going, hey, let's let's what you doing with the what you got?

SPEAKER_00 8:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:50

How much how much uh are you giving of what you got? Whether that's time, energy, money, whatever it is.

SPEAKER_01 8:55

And I really liked what you said this morning during our morning devotion, was that she was doing great with what she had. Like she didn't really need that, but it's going to make her life better. Right.

SPEAKER_02 9:06

And how crazy is that saying she didn't need a house. I mean, I don't know where she was, if she was staying with family, yeah, or what, but like I didn't, yeah, I don't know, it was just weird. I didn't feel like that, like she felt like she arrived.

SPEAKER_01 9:19

Like and and it's not to say that she didn't she didn't need a roof over her head, it's it's nothing like that. It like I got what you were saying, like spiritually, she was full, right? Exactly. She was fulfilling things spiritually, right? And she was satisfied with what she had. This just took it up another level, and what's that gonna do for all these people that are around her going forward? Like she's already spreading love, she's already spreading the love of Christ. Yes, how is it gonna be even better now?

SPEAKER_02 9:49

And that lesson she'll be able to teach others that she was faithful and diligent, and she didn't know as a child or as a teen. I'm assuming she's probably in her 20s, that it? Yeah, I can't really tell age and Latin American people they're all look 20.

SPEAKER_01 10:04

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 10:04

Same with black people. Black don't crack and neither does vanilla or whatever. What color? What color are black people? Mulatto don't crack either.

SPEAKER_01 10:15

What's been the most I guess what's been the most interesting thing so far on this trip?

SPEAKER_02 10:25

So most interesting. Trying to think of how I want to answer that, but I I'll just say what's most enjoyable. Okay. And that, you know, that first mission trip to El Salvador. I considered like Andrew's son and all those boys that went with us. I don't know why I break this down in life, but they were cool kids. Yeah. These weren't some dorky little Bible beater kids. These were cool kids, athletes, like track stars, like they weren't, they were the cool kids.

SPEAKER_00 11:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:04

And we were sitting in that restaurant, you know, at the end, not whatever restaurant, that wherever we were at dinner at night at our Airbnb or whatever that was. And it's just Christian music on the radio. Yeah. And then he sang, he knew the words, and he was just like out openly and outward with his worship, and and I was just I was literally blown away with that. I don't know if anybody else gets that. I just to see young people that have everything. Like I've always just kind of Christianity's been for the people that had nothing else. People, oh, I'm gonna go, you know, it's almost a oh, you're sad and lonely, go find Christianity or something, or God. And these weren't. Again, these were the cool kids, and they sang and the music, and then we played in the car. And so, to bring it back to answer your question, here I just love that. Andrew is singing. I didn't know he had that in him. I knew music was in the family, but I didn't know he was that good at it. Yeah, like not just at playing the instrument, the way he is leading that, playing it, starting it, hitting the time, picking the perfect song for the morning. I don't know what it is. He's just, I think he's nailing it. And that little bit, two songs in the morning, is great. And then to play it at night in the car, everywhere. I love the microphone, seeing the kids and the people sing, and that's so cool.

SPEAKER_01 12:24

I'm glad you brought that.

SPEAKER_02 12:26

I did not know if that would go. Sometimes people don't, people a little scared of karaoke, and people easily do it, but I do love that the music, so that's the answer. I love singing all day and playing the music and all that fun stuff.

SPEAKER_01 12:40

So, what about you? You know, you brought up El Salvador, and I asked you about this before we came on this because I was bringing my wife with me. I'm just like, how hard is this trip? And you were like, dude, this is a cakewall compared to El Salvador. And El Salvador was great. I got a lot out of that. I think that really sparked my passion for missions. This here has been different, like just the people, the group that we're with, like this herd family is fantastic, dude. Like, they're just jumping in, doing stuff, connecting with the kids, and manos is just amazing for what they're doing in this community. That was almost an accident. But no, I I it's been really cool to see the interactions on this trip. Yeah, I don't think we had as many interactions in El Salvador, like it was just go do the work. We kind of hung out with the kids a little bit where we were at while we were working.

SPEAKER_02 13:41

You know, I had some interactions.

SPEAKER_01 13:44

Yeah, exactly. Mr.

SPEAKER_02 13:46

Blonde here, what's that? Almost got married, right?

SPEAKER_01 13:52

But no, just like, you know, we did the house yesterday, we came back and we were all playing games with the kids. Yes, you know, water guns and playing soccer and all that stuff. So I think the interactions are what is the most enjoyable, the most interesting to me on this trip.

SPEAKER_02 14:10

Yeah, I I think El Salvador was the perfect trip for me for where I was in my life. Because I would not have felt good or been comfortable. Like right now, we're headed to do house visits, wellness checks, and just these are people that are part of the monos program, their kids come, we're going to their house, see what their needs are, uh, pray for them as well. But you know, I don't think if it was a whole bunch of that, I would have been down. We physically served in El Salvador, and that's where I was. But I love this that we physically served yesterday. Today, we're going out into the community and hearing the stories and talking to them. So it's a mix. And the kids at the school to play soccer and to to see them do communion, you know, as kindergartners. That was pretty awesome. Yeah. For sure.

unknown 15:09

Oh.

SPEAKER_02 15:09

Oh, I just took one to the chest.

SPEAKER_01 15:13

This will work out right on the back of this truck.

SPEAKER_02 15:19

Oh, where's our other truck? We're missing one.

SPEAKER_01 15:21

There they go.

SPEAKER_02 15:23

Oh, that's right. All right.

unknown 15:25

Nice.

SPEAKER_02 15:26

So what do we have left on this trip? We've got two days of home visits. I think we're doing this tomorrow, too, right?

SPEAKER_01 15:31

Yeah, we're doing it tomorrow.

SPEAKER_02 15:32

We get to go to the market today, which is you know, it's just a cultural thing. I think that's more for us if we want to buy anything to take back home.

SPEAKER_01 15:42

I mean, it is one of the biggest open-air markets in Central America.

SPEAKER_02 15:47

That's what they tell me.

SPEAKER_01 15:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 15:49

I haven't been ever sorry. I'm sure that's good audio. Every time this bar knocks the wind out of me. But, like, I I brought flashcards, and you know that kid that followed us on our tour the other day, and we're walking around. It's like, you buy for me on Tuesday. Oh, they're gonna remember you. Yeah, oh yeah, they are. And I I just I kept saying, hey, like his English was good, his memory was incredible, like he knew all of our names. I was like, you have to do something. Like, I'm sitting there, you are too intelligent, too charismatic to just do sales.

SPEAKER_01 16:28

Yeah, really. Or anyone's doing it on a larger scale. Right. He could do it on a larger scale. It'd be an awesome salesman.

SPEAKER_02 16:35

Exactly. And that's so today. I hope I do see him. And I brought him some flashcards. I'm going, I need you to learn English. I need you to learn how to. I don't know if he I'm assuming because he's on the street selling during the day. I mean, he knows some. Oh, he knows good English. Because he speaks it without the accent. Like it wasn't, I say color. It was an accent, but it wasn't, I wasn't struggling to understand that game.

SPEAKER_01 16:57

No, not at all.

SPEAKER_02 16:58

Not at all. So I would just like for somebody like that to achieve something pretty awesome. Like, because he can change his whole life. Oh, yeah, they sure are. So I'm gonna wear a different color hat and see if they notice.

SPEAKER_00 17:11

Don't notice.

SPEAKER_02 17:11

Oh no. So I gotta buy a dang flute. But that's worth it. I'm buying that flute so that he'll take my Spanish English cards. Hopefully, if he doesn't know how to read, he can identify the words.

unknown 17:26

Oh fine.

SPEAKER_02 17:28

So we're gonna reconvene at the end, maybe at the airport, turn on the bus ride back, talk about how we close this sucker out.

SPEAKER_01 17:35

Maybe later on tonight after we do the home. Oh, I like it.

SPEAKER_02 17:38

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 17:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:39

All right. Y'all have a great day.