We started the building project in earnest today. Dawda and a couple men came before we had finished our walk. Luckily we walked to the back of the property so we could unlock the back gate for them to come in. Dawda, the mason lives behind the mission property and the gate is a great short cut for him. The men that came this morning were the diggers for the foundation. They dug foundation around the perimeter of the building, the veranda and for the inside walls of each of the four rooms. They finished the digging about 2:00. Nazo and Mr. Iddrisu hauled gravel that was left from the building we built last year to the new job site. They still have lots of gravel and sand to haul. Dawda said he was going to try to find a couple extra men to help them with the loading and unloading.
The man that will make the rebar structures for the pillars and veranda beams stopped by this morning; he overcharged us the last time he worked for us so we told Dawda that we were not happy with him and that we wanted to change to a different man. Dawda was not happy about that turn of events because he recommended the man to us. Dawda said that he would talk to the guy to see if he would give us a better price. We got the same price as we paid last year plus they are going to make an additional pillar on the veranda. At least that is better than raising the price.
The guys hauled the 4 foot square water containers to the jobsite yesterday; the tanker truck brought water just about the time we were going to sit down to eat our lunch.
The workers always find something to complain about; today they said that the filtered bagged water that we are providing them tastes funny; they think that it tastes funny because it is in the shed. I had Steve bring in a bag and I tried it; it tastes just like it normally does. If they weren’t complaining about the water they would be complaining about something else. Filtered water is not provided at their other jobsite!
Timothy Niligrini, the evangelist, called last night to let us know that Joseph Labichi’s daughter died earlier in the day. They were going to quickly do the burial and they would let us know what the plans for the funeral will be. We expected to hear something today but as of yet we have not. Joseph is the church leader at Sakpei. This is not the first child he has lost. Several years ago he lost a toddler to malaria. We had been there to visit on Sunday and by Monday we got word that the child was gone. So sad! We have not heard what was wrong with his daughter or how old she was.
Please keep Joseph and his family in your prayers.
In His Service,
Steve and Kandie
