Moving In!

The first week was hectic. We were living out of suitcases while we sewed curtains, installed appliances, repaired water leaks, and made numerous long trips to town just to get everyone settled in. Roca Blanca is located against a small village, Cacalotte, but the nearest shopping town is Puerto Escondido, 35-40 minutes away and we weren’t real sure where anything was or how to ask for it.

John & I were given a room on the ground floor of the hotel near a large kitchen. People would be at the door by 7:30am asking John for help and he would be gone most of the day. Others would stop by to visit or be revived with cold drinks and fruit or desserts. We got to know everyone pretty quickly in this manner.

Bro Duane had a heart attack just before our arrival and he was out of commission. Sue, his wife, was trying to keep up with everything and at the same time oversee the construction of a cottage further up in the mountains where they could get away to allow him to recuperate quietly. Major transition was being made daily when we stepped onto the Base.

After the first week, we had 12 distinguished American guests planning to arrive so all hands were called on to overhaul, repair, and deep clean the hotel. John & I were taught to run the coffee Barista and I was commissioned to bake lots of goodies. Wow! We still didn’t know our way around town but somehow found the supplies and parts we needed to get our jobs done. They were great guests and we had some lovely fellowship and connecting times with them. I’m sure my daughters will be excited to know we met the owner of NBC (½ of ½ price store). He was just one of our guests and he plans to return.

The beach and ocean is just out our door but it was the second week before we could even take a simple walk along it and we have yet to actually go swimming. Now that is just crazy.

Roca Blanca is a virtual garden with well planned landscaping. Animal life is wonderful here. Lots of birds, bees that have swarmed into a nearby pipe (oops! John didn’t get them all out of there), and bugs galore. Sundown finds us running for the mosquito spray. We have sighted some whales and dolphins from the fourth floor of the hotel where the Barista and guest dining is situated. Sorry our cameras aren’t strong enough to capture a picture of them but you are welcome to come down and see them.

While our business guests were here, we drove them into town and lunched at a local Italian restaurant while we enjoyed a wonderful testimony of how Franco, the owner, was transformed from being a druggy new ager and warlock to a divine saint of Jesus Christ. We also visited a small local children’s home. Their small band performed welcoming tunes for us after which we played some games with them and gifts were distributed.