Sunday, May 22, 2011

Starting on the house.....

A blog or so ago I talked about the speeding ticket rick got in the non-existant 60 zone... here is a pic of a "cancel 60" sign - seems like more often than not, these are "missing" making it very hard to know what speed you are supposed to be going!
Before we left to drop of Visitors in Beira this past weekend, Rick marked out the foundation trench lines so the guys could start digging right away on Monday. (he is standing right where trench #2 is in the later pics)
Tada! Trench #1 pretty much done!
Trench #2 well on its way! 

Trench #1 again,  but from the other end. Tendai loves to run laps around the foundation.. its kinda funny actually!
Soon they will begin preparing the trenches to pour the foundations- which will be a very exciting time! We are soon going to be ordering our bricks and once the foundation is poured, they will start on the foundation walls, and eventually filling in the foundation to the floor level. Building here involves a LOT of steps... all of which are accomplished BY HAND (unless the tractor currently sitting in Beira Port gets cleared for import any time soon! and even then its still MOSTLY by hand!).  What takes a week or less in Canada to accomplish takes MONTHS & MONTHS here!  I posted a picture when we were in Canada, of Rick's brothes using a crane arm on a cement pumper truck to pour a cement foundation in one day. Here, the guys will mix batches of concrete by hand in a small mixer and pour using wheelbarrows and buckets!

We are praying that our construction will go quickly, that supplies will be available, and that the funds will come in! Our little rental cottage is needed for short term visitors and new staff and there is a waiting list for it already! 

Aside from keeping an eye on our house progress, Rick has been helping raise the trusses at the Training Centre, and working on a promotion video for our home church. 

Last week we were privileged to have two Brazilian ladies join us here at the mission for a week of ministry with local children. Our Amigo Orphan program kids were excited to make all sorts of crafts to help them remember the wordless book lesson!

Aside from these lovely bracelets, they made pins, animal balloons, and a different bracelet!

And last but not least, a pic of our munchkin (s). Here is magnum and Tendai-  Tendai had been on a walk with Oma Barb and picked me these lovely flowers.. which Magnum promptly tried to eat. sheesh.

Blessings,
Rick, Heather & Tendai

No comments: