From November 8th through the 15th, 2014, a team from 1st Presbyterian Church-Midland will be traveling to the Central American country of Belize, and working with The Word at Work ministry.
This will be an opportunity to reach out and share the gospel with the
people of Belize while working side-by-side with the local community and
The Word at Work staff on a much-needed construction project ... all of
this building upon a foundation of relationships that was laid early
this year.
Building Walls and Friendships
Upon arrival in Seven Miles / El Progresso, we stopped at the church to pick up a trailer of lumber that will provide framing for the house. Then it was up to the house site, built on the slopes overlooking the cultivated fields and, beyond those, the jungle and the mountains.
Then to work ... unloading the trailer, measuring and marking the foundation, cutting the lumber to size for the framing, and assembling that frame. A gas-powered generator provides the electricity to operate the saw, and the drill that will prepare holes in the concrete for anchoring the frame to the foundation ... so far, everything else is being done 'old school,' sans electricity. This is not uncommon ... as I noted in a post during our January mission trip, the power lines do not reach this village ... not even close. Electricity comes from gasoline-powered generators, some solar panels (for the school), and adaptations of automobile-type batteries.
The first day of building goes well, especially the work by the villagers. Many of them are farmers ... but they must also be home builders, and auto mechanics and many other trades ... those of you who are farmers, or who come from a farming family, can relate to that. Those of us from Midland do what we can ... especially Harold, who is a builder by trade. For those, like myself, who lack that expertise, there is still plenty to do. Me? I'm 'The Tightener' and can handle a mean ratchet as I secure the anchors at the base of the frame.
By day's end, framing of the walls is DONE! The 20' by 25' home will have four rooms, a larger front room that will run the length of the home, and three smaller rooms. I am told we got a LOT done today.
Tomorrow, our team will split-up ... part of us will be making prison and medical-related visits, while anothere part returns to the construction site ... it has been pointed out to me that they were the ones doing alll the work today, anyway, so our departure today won't make eny difference in the pace-of-wor on building that home!
Please keep us - Pastor Walter Thompson, Dr. Greg Bartha, Becky Holmes, Pat Hunter, Jeff McDonald, Chrissie Mee and Casey Smith, our friends in the community of Seven Mile / El Progresso, and our WAW partners - in your thoughts and prayers.
Got questions and/or comments for our team? Send them through the link at the bottom of this page.
GOT QUESTIONS?
Is there something you'd like to ask any of our mission team members, or our pastor?
No comments:
Post a Comment