Sorry everyone. I got a little fast on the draw and hit the "Send" button when I didn't intend to.
So, here is (Paul Harvey voice)...."the rest of the story".
The four houses are now plastered inside and the electrician has done the wiring. The dining room walls are now coming up and they are laying the concrete slab. Santino expects it to be done by the end of the week. Then he will start the guard house and latrines.
We have hired four guards (pictured with Fred, Justus, and Alex) and started them to work immediately since we now have materials on site and other work for them to do. Alex, Justus, and I did a one day orientation where they signed their probationary contracts. After a bit of a slow start (working with some cultural differences with time), they have really been working hard. They are clearing the site of grass and stumps. This work is done, as usual, by hand. There are many stumps so they have quite a job ahead of them. They were really excited last week when while clearing they caught five bush rats. They ate them within two days so the constructions workers and guards all had a treat. Of course, treat is a relative term! They offered me some but I politely refused while they laughed.
We currently have a team here so the day of their arrival I piled most of them in the Land Cruiser to see GRACE Home. They are pictured in front of the dining room along with three of the guards and Justus. Art Masker, the CEO of Holston Home for Children is on this team and is helping me (actually doing most of the work) with Child Rights and Protection Policies, staff manual, and training of the Administrative Director, Justus. We have also written up the remaining four job descriptions and done a performance evaluation form. There is a whole lot more to this than constructing buildings! I am blessed to have Art here to guide me along.
We will be coming home soon and I really hate to leave the work in progress. But, the work will go on and I will be in contact via email with Justus and the Fogelmans.
Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. So, until we meet GRACE, peace, and joy to each of you.
Love,
Libby
