Rejoice with us that the projected finish date of Phase 1 of our Community Campus is June 1!  The cement parts of the building are receiving a concrete plaster this week. Next the roof will be added, the floor poured, and a fence will be installed to section off this part of our land. Our national workers report that they miss the U.S. teams but are continuing to work hard without them.  The shipping container has been transformed into two bathrooms and storage. Toilets, sinks and urinals have been installed, the walls have been painted inside and out and waterproofing has been added to the roof. Stall dividers need to be finished as well as the stairs leading up to the bathrooms. For now, we will wash our hands and flush with a bucket of water as we await the electric company running lines to our location.  We have a working hand pump! This was quite an achievement due to needing a special foot valve that we finally located in Port-au-Prince. Getting it to the DR from Haiti was quite a challenge, as was the installation. But in the end, it is working and we are very thankful to not have to go to the river for water! Starting in February, five US teams have joined in the construction fun.  Team 1 – QUEST from churches across New England started us off by building the foundation for the shipping container and the base around the well that had been drilled the week before. Many buckets of water were carried up from the river. Team 2 – Monument Hill Church from Monument, CO helped mix and carry concrete for the footers of the columns. Again, many buckets of water were carried up from the river. The team set the stage for great relations between folks from the US and the national workers. Sandwiches shared at lunch and Gatorade breaks provided opportunities to show appreciation for Ciro, the engineer, and his team workers. The Monument Hill team also joined in our Kids’ Club time by interacting in free – play time, helping teach the lesson and participating in craft time. Everyone loved it when some from our communities came over to the new site. Team 3 – Hope Chapel, MA helped continue the concrete work and led health/hygiene classes in our communities, as well as offering crocheting lessons. Returning for the second year, this team was able to build upon the blood pressure and general health training they taught previously. They helped us register 51 families in our Salud Familiar (Family Health) and encouraged hand washing as the #1 way to prevent many illnesses. Families were encouraged to make a handwashing station in their homes. ¡Lavate las manos! (Wash your hands!). Team 4 – Hope of Israel, CO experienced a very rainy week, but managed to help further the construction efforts in midst of it all. They did some of the grunt work of moving dirt and cleaning up the worksite. Team 5 – A team consisting of people from Church in the Pines and Christian Fellowship Center, both from MA, and Mark Cline from St. Louis had the opportunity to help in some very visible ways, as well as moving a lot of dirt.  A plumber on the team got to install the bathroom fixtures. He and another team member worked with locals to determine why the pump wasn’t working and were there for the exciting moment when water came pouring out. Team members struggled valiantly to get a sticky mess on the top of the container to provide waterproofing. Others painted the container inside and out. They did a great job of interacting with our kids. One couple brought kites that were perfect for the windy Sunday afternoon they were here. As I told the teams, some people did hard work that no one will ever see because it is now buried beneath the ground. Most likely no one is ever going to say, “Thanks for hauling over all that dirt to fill in the form for the bathroom stairs.” Most likely no one is ever going to say, “Thanks so much for all that water you hauled up from the river so that concrete could be mixed to make these columns.” Most likely no one is ever going to say, “Thanks for paying for this toilet.” But that is when we know we are serving as Jesus would . . . doing our part, however insignificant and mundane it might seem, and continuing, even when no one is clapping. Blessings to each of you who came, who made it possible for others to come, who shared your financial resources to make Phase I happen, who pray for us. You are each an important part of this journey! With an overflowing heart, Ina |
Phase 1 Nearing Completion!
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