Many of you know that one of our fears since beginning our work with Pastor Justin and the orphanage has been the rapid erosion of the earth under the foundationof the downhill-side of the church. If rain were to wash this out, not only would the side of the church collapse, but it would potentially fall onto the orphanage wall and take that out as well.
The week before Isaac hit, the church took up an annual special offering, and though there was initially some debate as to which project this money should go to, the money was finally dedicated to building a much-needed retaining wall. They began the work a few days before Isaac hit, and then went back to work almost immediately after the storm passed. The funds given will not finish the project, so we will have to come up with the money to finish the project, but it has covered the majority of the work. Here are some pics of the progress and where things sit right now.
Digging out space for the wall.
Metal ready to go in place.
The work began.
Hard at work.
Making great progress.
Clearing out the excess dirt and filling in a non-functional well. Killing two birds with one stone.
Waiting to be finished.
This wall has been built to equal the height of the orphanage walls, so that in the future a roof can be placed over the two, and a cement floor can be added, giving space for a formal dining room for the children, rather than eating wherever they land.
Also, the next project on the list is, at the back of this space between the church and the orphanage, to build a small two-room apartment for long-term missionaries like myself to stay in. This will reduce travel costs getting to and from the center everyday, and cut out housing payments for having someone on the ground full-time. Stay tuned for future updates, and as usual. If you are interested in donating to this or any of our building needs, click on the ‘Donate’ tab at the top.
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