We were assigned to dig a canal along one of the buildings for the drainage of rain water. The project was to make a canal about 40 feet long about 3 feet wide and various depths from 1 to 2 ½ feet with some slope.
Well, it took me just less than 10 minutes to find out that swinging a pick in a hot humid climate is not my calling.
I started with good intentions but my body just was not going to have anything to do with this pick swinging.
Our team was Steven, Nick, Tim and I. John joined later after he was done with doing some brick work on a short project.
The group was great we joked all day at my “pick” skills but we found a way for me to help the team.
I got on my knees and moved the dirt with my hands helping to load the wheel barrow and then empty as needed.
Why the Panama Canal? we were all talking about how the workers built that canal in the hot, humid weather. Here we all were struggling just to complete this project and we could not imagine what they had been through.
We were a team, joking, laughing, and working together finding how each of us could help the team finish the project on time.
I can say this, Tim and Steven can really swing that pick and Nick and John can move a lot of dirt with their shovels. They kept that wheel barrow filled.
I learned that you must keep drinking lots of water and the team watches out for each other.
As with anything, when others complete their projects they come and help out. You can see that in the last few pictures where the the girls can be seen helping out.
You have to pace yourself in the heat. We had a better appreciation for our Honduran workers. They work hard and do this every day.
The next task with our canal is to do the cement work and finish this project on Wednesday.
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