HAITI - Fat Tuesday, 2/12/13

Well, we need not have feared Mardi Gras complications today, the streets were actually clearer than usual, even coming back in the afternoon.  The Lord blessed us with another beautiful day, and we made amazing progress in every area.  Dr. Abbi and our ladies visited the two old Haitian ladies that can't walk, and then walked the neighborhood inviting the other ladies to our Bible studies starting tomorrow.  We badly need a couple of small, light, folding wheelchairs, and saw some of them coming out on the baggage carousel when we arrived, so they should be relatively easy to get here. (hint! hint!)

Afterwards the medical team went back to the orphanage to finish up treating the kids and the construction teams got going. There was the usual chain gang getting blocks, mortar and concrete up to the second floor of the DH, where the block laying crews worked amazingly fast on the walls,

while Jody and Scott installed and connected the second floor sewage lines to the line out to the septic tank below.

By end of day, the block layers were already full height on two of the upper walls, and most of the way on the other two.

 

The plaster work in the main room of P1 is done; we asked the Haitian crew to leave a nice textured surface instead of the smooth one they usually do.  It looks fantastic!

The front wall painting is done except for a little touch up, and of course the Mango Tree sign!

Tomorrow we will have the first ladies Bible study, and the medical team will go visit Pastor Felix's orphanage. We hope to finish the walls tomorrow, Lord willing, and then start the forms for the bond beams. Next week we will be ready for Blackie Black and his crew from the Florida panhandle to frame the second floor interior and front porch walls and build the trusses for the roof.

We are making tremendous progress in all areas, and feel truly blessed to be a part of this, especially as it comes together and we get closer to moving the kids in.  What a glorious day that will be! We give all praise and glory to our Lord for this wonderful work and our share in it. You can share in it, too!  Come join us!