Click on the pictures to enlarge for viewing. Click "Back" on your browser to return to this page.

We arrived late Saturday night and to our surprise, but true to Larry's way, the warehouse has grown to measure 40 by 200 feet! Not only that but it will have a second floor as well. That is why the name of the game here is Flexibility

Sunday has usually been a day of rest and orientation on our mission trips but today it was a work day. Tomorrow a crane is being rented to lift the roof trusses into place and we need to have the trusses painted and assembled. So off to work we went.

Some of the ladies got down to painting the trusses while the guys (and some of the gals) lifted them into place for the welder. Dave McGregor and Matt Penny cut the spacers for the trusses and they were arc welded into place by one of the staff here at World Mission Outreach. Ezekiel is a man of many talents and also is the lead guitar player at the church.

It was almost scary when it came to standing the trusses up because just like last year the wind was blowing very hard. While it's great for keeping the bugs away it felt like it was going to catch the trusses and blow them over. The trusses are quite heavy by themselves and we were welding two of them together with the five foot spacers and then carrying them to where they will be lifted by the crane.

 

We completed 3 sets of trusses (6 in total) and there are 15 more to go. I believe this will be enough to cover 100 feet of the warehouse for this stage. Another team from Roanaoke Virginia will be coming down next week to finish the job. It's amazing how many people are involved in these projects from many different places and how everything comes together in God's perfect timing.

The walls are made of a natural stone that has been cut to size. When I asked John Campbell what they were he said, "Heavy!" In fact, they weigh 130 pounds each! One of the local people we have hired to help us carried 40 of these stones on his back to the mason who was laying them into place -- and that was before lunch! My back gets sore just thinking about it. He challenged some of the young men to try it; I'm not sure if any of them took him up on it.

The columns were supposed to be reinforced concrete but the design has been changed to steel. Again the operative word is Flexibility!

Another item to be taken care of was a survey of the site for the building permit. Steve Popovich was quite busy taking measurements of the building and its position from the property line. While the site is clear of brush the property line isn't and Steve had his moments getting all the data. Tonight he will draw up the plans and they will be submitted to the authorities.

 

On the left you see Donna Hay and Wilma Campbell unloading some sheets of ply wood and to the right Megan Penman is interacting with a group of kids that came by. She gave them some hats and stuffed animals. They were there quite some time and you will have to ask Megan about their conversation.

 

There was a number of ladies sorting all the donated clothing today and if I'm not mistaken they have finished sorting. Roger Keller is seen here with a donated table-saw and a power mitre saw. These items were shipped down in the container that had all the bike parts and tools for the Bike Shop.

 

After dinner we went over to the church to participate in their worship service. This year we were blessed with the participation of Greg and Matt Penny on our mission team. They both are talented musicians and the three of us were able to lead some singing for the congregation. A bass guitar had been donated by two members of last year's team so I was able to play as well.

 

Some of us were asked to give our testimony so John Cachia, Penny Southworth and a member of the local congregation got up and spoke through an interpreter. It's a blessing to hear how the Lord is working in other people's lives. It's also comforting to know that our struggles are not unique even though we are worlds apart. After all, 1 Cor. 10:13 reminds that "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man." How true. John Campbell then got up and spoke from 1 Thessalonians chapter 3.