One of the problems we have been concerned about at the construction site is security. After the last team left, it was reported to us that someone had stolen some of the rebar assemblies that we had left, un-poured, at the director's house and on the back wall. A special, no-team trip was quickly organized for the week of June 18-22 to get local Haitian labor to finish the outer wall. Marc Duvivier, our Haitian-American translator and foreman, was called on to put together a team of local workers from across the road and from Pastor Edmond's church to do the work, and blocks and cement and rebar ordered. One big concern we had was the weather. After the last of the three May teams left, who all had excellent weather for building despite Haiti being in the middle of its rainy season, the rains did come. And the day before the wall construction was to start, it was still raining.
But on Monday the 18th it dawned clear. God provides even the weather we need to do His work! We started off the work on the wall where it had been left off at the front of the site.
And worked our way back to the back along that side.
And meanwhile began wiring assembles and forming up the bond beam across the back.
After which the wall was continued and the back finished.
And then we started up the other side with rebar and forms for the bond beam.
We also found time to finish the bond beam at the director's house, except for the one part across the front, which we are leaving open for now.
Marc and his crew have continued the work this week, and the wall is now complete all the way around, with about a third of the posts formed and poured so far. God has continued to provide excellent weather for the work and we are praying it will be finished by Wednesday or Thursday.
We serve an awesome God! He has provided everything we need, especially the excellent weather for our work in May and June despite the rainy season, and enabling us to finish this important part of the orphanage, providing complete security for future teams and their work. The next team, coming in July, will be able to finish the Phase one building walls, and a Dominican contractor is working on the steel trusses for the roof after that. If we only had a team in August to put the roof on! It's hurricane season here, too, and we need to get the kids moved into a safe and secure situation as soon as possible.
Please pray for more teams to come down and finish the work! And please consider coming yourself for the experience of a lifetime, serving God and ministering to His children in Haiti.
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