Skeleton up

The four days of construction with the group went amazingly well.  Not only did we get all the main support sections constructed and up, we were able to buy many of the roofing and wall supplies for the first half of the building.  Everyone stayed safe (thanks to those that prayed...it was most definitely appreciated!) and worked together very well, even if sometimes not the most ideal working conditions...like standing on a ladder and trying to weld near the edge of the building, for just one example. 

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There will be still much welding to come, to get the roof supports in place, the pieces for the walls to mount (both inside and out) but this part of the work is among the most complex, time consuming, and needing the most people to successfully accomplish.  We did not originally think we would be able to get all this done this week...thinking only half, but with the speed, this helps us a ton in the coming weeks, even as we shift focus again next week back to trying to get closer on the finishing touches of the TSP.  When the time comes to start working here again, the process will be much easier and quicker to make quite a bit of progress. 

 

Valerie asked me to take a look at one of the AC units in the clinic on Wednesday.  It has been cooler here as of late, but Wednesday was a tad bit warmer and with more sun.  The clinic was warm....and as you can see here, was 84 degrees inside one exam room.  And this is not even the warmest part of the year.  Even if it takes until next year to finish the SFC (Second Floor of the Clinic) just having the roof and walls up it will most likely cool quite a bit of the first floor.   We will be trying to put some insulation into the walls and roof of the second floor as well, to hopefully avoid the need for more than ceiling fans on that floor as well. 



Trying to describe what it is like to push up the legs of the building, and then balance it standing up with some ropes and a few people pushing/pulling while the welders race to tack everything in place...I was not personally afraid, as I thought I could safely side step if one was to fall, but for everyone else, and in general...it was just a little nerve racking.


Only nerve racking for me however, as Oscar did not even want to move his truck before we put up the end wall here.  The group asked him, and he calmly explained there would be no problem.  I was encouraged by that since he designed everything in terms of the constrution.    

More to come on this later in the month.

If you are moved to help us....feel free to make a donation via PayPal below.  We really are trying to economize as much as possible...including selecting a non-blue color for the walls and roof because all told it will save us quite a bit of money, and have painted ourselves the anti-corrosive red paint on all the metal because it was so much cheaper.  Those are just two of the ways we are trying to be frugal.  Not that we will sacrfice a good building for just a cheap one, not being penny wise and pound foolish, but trying to be good stewards over that which you all so very generously entrust us.  Thank you, as by God's grace, that trust, and your support we are where we are on the TSP, and what we anticipate will be a big year to come on the construction of this smaller, but still big project in Tegucigalpa (among the other dozen or so projets going on in the Churches and elsewhere in the mission!)