Building begins!

Recognize that?  It is part of the Church building being put together!  Woohoo!

 

It is not that I doubted this day would come...it is just so weird to see it actually here. 

To be sure, much work was done on the building in 2011...literally tons of work you could say, but to see something that is designed to be above ground of the building is just really encouraging, even if we are just getting started....there is so much left to do. 

Monday and Tuesday Oscar hired 10 guys to unload the entire container...the cranes set it upright, but could not move it, and to get the crane out...we had to unload. After it was unloaded, at least they could then put the container where we wanted it, so that is a silver lining.

The heaviest pieces will sit outside while they work across the fence to put them together.  The rest is being relocated back in the container for safe keeping, since it will be weeks or more for us to get to needing them...that plus they are taking up the entire man cave right now. 

What is with the container hanging off the end like that? Well, you might notice this is a 45’ container versus the rest of our containers that are 40’. So when it came to placement, we could have less of a walkway between the two containers on top, or hang over the clothing container/wall below. I thought having the overhang would be kind of cool, you know, to save up to have a big chandelier hanging there, to class the place up a bit. 

Your $26 per square foot is certainly still needed as we hopefully hit this ramped up phase of construction, if the funds sustain it, but not for any chandelier...no worries there. We can not rely on groups to do everything, and before the first group comes on the 21st to help, we need all these guys working to get the prep work done so that we can do as much as possible when they get here. Maybe, just maybe we might be able to get the walls up then, After that comes...well, everything else (roofing, windows, floor, interior finishing, tiling, electrical, plumbing...you are starting to get the idea, right?)  That can be done fairly quickly...if we have the funding to make it happen.

How about it? One square foot of the building paid for with your $26...right here, right now...or later as well:

If you want to go more than $26...you are more than welcome, there are specific projects like the stage, baptistry, sound booth, usher's room, each of three office spaces, and more that can be sponsored, just let me know.

The container came out fairly well in the whole dropping process as you can see, but to be sealed in the future it will require some cutting and patching. No money to spend on that right now either since the priority is to get the building done first.  The fix will require cutting out the damaged sections and putting it their place...something else, not sure what yet. Maybe windows? Maybe just other metal? Maybe a patchwork of the doors from the containers we still have? Time will tell.

Kind of like seeing how this giant jigsaw puzzle of sorts will go together in the building to house the God sized jigsaw puzzle that is the Church.

Exciting times are ahead...we ask also for your prayers for safety for everyone working physically on this project, as well as spiritually for us and the Church as we know that such a great tool for use for the Kingdom will bring reprisals from the enemy. 

Take a little time

Last week was rough personally.  So busy, I could even notice it creating tension between Valerie and myself.  Not good.  Both of us were just too busy for our own good.  Blogging...fell by the wayside. 

How about a few bullet points of things going on:

1.  Had to stand for at least fifteen minutes at Church on Sunday again...increased seating capacity, so needed.  Progress made on the leveling for the foundation of the new building.  Fundraising being spurred by a few very generous individuals, but struggling otherwise.  We are thinking of borrowing from the mission's general fund if necessary to try to get the down payment made on the building to get it here.

2.  Cecilia saw my old California Raisin figurines and exclaimed "oooooh, M&Ms!"  I think she needs an eye exam...and a history lesson. 

3.  An opportunity seems to be presenting itself to buy property in Sampedrana for more coffee production to support the Church there and the mission...praying how to proceed there. 

4.  The above opportunity that bore fruit in Cantaranas...is now bearing tomatoes.  Harvest starting this week, praying and looking for good outlets where to sell the tomatoes, and connections for future crops (we will have to vary crops between plantings to prevent disease, land overuse, etc.)  In less than six months that property is making a huge difference for the mission and Church there. 

5.  Work in Talanga continues with the TV station.  Power outages take their toll on equipment however.  We are seeking new cameras and most importantly battery backups with good voltage protection.  With the arrival of some new equipment, we are also praying about finding a good used shipping container here that we could transport there for use as a secure studio on the Church property site. 

6.  Laurie continuing to develop the Milk Project...keeping busy and looking to be even busier as an outreach to the community, with ideas to expand even more.  Her leadership there takes a big burden off the rest of us...and is certainly providing for ways for the MP to be bigger and more impactful than it ever was before.  A very good thing.

7.  Investigating options to get filtering system for drinking water (versus buying bottles) for the clinic and mission house.  A Godincidence that sparked it might make for some initial cost...but could be much more convenient as well as less expensive in the long run. 

8.  Overwhelmed with the sheer amazing number of God driven things happening here...makes me smile...and at the same time think I need a vacation.  Would love to have one here, but when in the house I have a magnetic relationship with the laptop that seems to prevent me from unplugging my mind from taking a whirl in the tornado of ideas and possibilities.  The kids will get to go to the US this summer, which should be...very interesting, not sure when Valerie or I, or both, will get out and about somewhere, but looking forward to it, while still relishing in being here and getting to participate in all this God stuff being driven around us as well.    

9.  Smile, even if you have to fake it...you just might end up enjoying it. 

10.  Ten seems like a nice round number...picked up our latest intern on Saturday.  She will be here for two months, working on Spanish by living with Oscar and family.  Good to have her, already putting her to work today.  While at Oscar's, he showed me his lime experiment.  No wonder why he and Jonathan are doing well with their plantain/pineapple/ and now cabbage/beans property....he is growing his lemon tree in an old 55 gallon drum with no dirt, just kitchen scraps/organic material....and in a short time, it is already several feet tall...and producing limes.   I'll have to get a picture next time I am over. 

Church construction

His Eyes has a big project to accomplish in 2011. It does not scare me to say that it is way beyond what we can do by ourselves, since anything good done here in the mission applies to that category.

The long story is that the Church with which we have partnered for over 10 years here in Tegucigalpa...where our mission house and clinic are located, has been struggling for years to build a new sanctuary building.

The one they are using was built in 1999, a temporary pole barn type structure that was not meant to last this long. The Church outgrew it many years ago, after adding walls and a concrete floor. Even with the walls, made out of masonite, it is not a secure facility. Every speaker, stand, piece of equipment and folding chair must be removed after every service lest it be stolen. And with five or more services/meetings going on every week...that is a lot of wear and tear on the equipment...not to mention the volunteers.

Having a place to meet where there would be room to expand...both physically and in terms of spiritually expanding with space for more people to attend...would be an incredible opportunity. Right now...if you are late for Church, plan on finding a place to stand for thirty minutes or more, until the kids go to Sunday School....which is overcrowded and has its buildings falling apart as well.

Falling apart? Look at these posts, which are just some of the wood that is not doing so hot that supports the building.

In helping the Church with this new building, not only would it give them and us more opportunities to reach out and minister to the community immediately and otherwise around us...but this would also be an opportunity for us to help the mission as well.

You see, the property we are using for the clinic and mission house is not ours, not legally. It is "borrowed" from the Church, and has been an arrangement since before we arrived here over ten years ago.

In building the sanctuary for the Church, in addition to some other smaller projects that have already been completed, we will get legal title to that property we are using, giving us better long term security for the mission in the future to do even more construction and be safe...regardless of whether or not all of us are dead and gone and the leaders of the Church and mission at that time know about our arrangement or not.

His Eyes is committed to making this sanctuary construction its top priority for 2011. This does not mean that the rest of the work of the mission stops, but all fundraising goals are focused on this one project.

We need your help, desperately in order to finish this project before the end of 2011. The link at the top of this post will take you to PayPal where you can donate via your PayPal account or credit card to the effort.

We are looking to find people to donate 1 or more square feet of the 6,000 square feet we will be building. We are hoping to raise $26 per square foot to get the project fully funded ($1 is for the PayPal fees.) Every foot counts...if you can only donate one, that will still make a big difference. If you could also help us spread the word, letting your family, friends, enemies, acquaintances, and random strangers you run into on the street...so much the better! We need God's help...we also are praying He will use you to be part of that help.

Have questions? Want more information and pictures to help set up fundraisers? Just want to talk about all this? Please, let us know!