3rd Work Weekend

   During this past week, water and electricity was turned on at three different lots.  Now we can use the water to keep the dust down and have more footings dug.  Saturday morning we started with our safety meeting on working in hot weather.  Debbie is doing a great job being safety officer.  It was hot this weekend.  God has provided us with some shade trees.  These trees help a lot during our breaks. We were working in smaller groups this weekend.  One group started out Saturday setting the forms on lot 9.

Steve, Paul, and Brandon working on Brandon's house forms.

This corner was a difficult to get level.

Cleaning out the footing on lot 6.

Leticia and her sister digging out the footings for the pillars on the porch.

A group was given the task to clean out footings. The ground is hard, so digging is difficult. Another group was put in charge of cutting the boards for lot 12.  We had to cut them at lot 8 and then walk the boards to the end of street. After we finished cutting the boards we gathered all the other supplies to pull the string on lot 12.

We then started to pull the strings on lot 12.

Pat and Debbie measuring.

Pat and Deena measuring the diagonal for lot 12.  It took awhile, but we finally got the diagonal right.  We then pulled the rest of the strings on this lot.  Then a group came over and dug out the footings.  We used the water to get the ground wet and soak, so it would be easier to dig.

Another group was on lot 6 adding the rebar to the footings.

Jacob and Robert working on the rebar.



Carlos and a volunteer working on the rebar.

Deena, Tricia, Linda, Debbie holding up one of the last footing boards on lot 9.  Dave and John getting ready to nail in the board.

We continued doing the work on Sunday.  One group setting rebar, one digging out the footing on lot 12, and other group setting the forms on lot 9.

lot 9 at the end of Sunday.

Lot 6 at the end of Sunday.  They ran out of rebar.

Lot 12 at the end of Sunday.  By the end of Sunday, we were able to set forms at two different lots at the same time. 

We also added the chalk line for the sewer line.

We are so blessed by God. He is giving us homes beyond what I could ever dreamed of buying. God has given us wonder family and friends that watch our kids and take them to do fun things while we are working.  He has given us a good group of people to work with. We have fun during these hot and hard days.  It is fun to watch the people drive down the street to see what we are doing.  Some do stop to ask us questions or to get a closer look at what we are doing. We are so thankful to all the people that came out this weekend to help us. We always need help, so if you want to spend all day or a few hours with us we would love to have you. Just let us know.

  At the end of each day we are exhausted, dirty, and sore. However, we  look forward to next weekend.  We can't wait to see what is done this week while we are gone.


Pray Requests:

1) Energy and strength for everyone.  Most people work during the week and do this on the weekend.
2) That we learn how to do the tasks given to us.  Most of us have little knowledge going into do this adventure.  We are having to learn how to read blueprints, dig footings, set forms, use a saw, and do rebar. (and that is only in two weeks)
3) We continue to get along as a group and work well  and hard together.

Isaiah 40:28-31
²⁸ Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.

²⁹ He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.

³⁰ Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,

³¹ Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.