Monday, August 27, 2012

Work Weekend 7

Saturday morning we started with out safety meeting on concrete.  We were told that the plumber is coming on Monday to start working. We discussed whether we would work Labor day.  The majority said no.  I think everyone needs a day of rest.  We also found out on Saturday that Facio has a goal for us to have 6 houses foundations poured by the end of September.   After we finished the meeting we broke  up into smaller groups and started working.  Lupe, Michael, Patricia, and Linda worked on digging around the pipes that were broken by the tractor work. They were covered with dirt by the end of the day.  John, Brandon, Steve, Dave, David, and Jacob worked on Lupe's house putting outside forms up. Jackie, Maria, Luisa, and Andres worked with a volunteer to put rebar in Evelyn's house.  Pat, Robert, Maria, Jeffery, Delilah, and Evelyn's volunteers worked on fixing mistakes on two house and putting forms up on Steve and Maria's house. Carlos worked on putting kickers on.  Paul, Leticia, Alfredo, Evelyn, and Naty worked on rebarring Patricia and Brandon's house.  Deena, Debbie and myself ripped boards all day. Ripping the boards means we sawed the boards down to 7 1/2 inches wide from 12 inches wide.  These boards are old and some are hard to saw.
 
 
We were surprised on Saturday by our friend Sochie.  She brought out enchiladas for us to eat for lunch.  Our friends Kim and Cole gave us a ice chest full of cold water for the group to share. Thank you.
  
Alfredo and Naty's lot (6) with the inside form boards laid out. 

Lupe's lot (8)  John, Steve, Brandon, Jacob, and David hanging the outside footing forms.

Steve and Maria's lot (11) getting prepped for hanging forms.

Maria and Delilah ready to hold a board on lot 11.

Maria, Jackie's volunteer, and Jackie doing rebar for lot 12.
Debbie, Deena, and myself ripped all these boards down to 7 1/2 inches for inside forms.
 Sunday morning started with Debbie, Deena, and myself comparing our sore muscles. Then we started  to get ready for what we were going to do. Everyone continued their work from Saturday except Lupe, Deena, Debbie, Patricia, and myself. We were put on the rebar team.  We had to add rebar every 18 inches in the footings and raise the rebar 3 inches off the ground.  Alfredo and Naty worked on adding rebar to the corners. Sunday afternoon we were surprised by three friends.  Sochie brought us lunch again.  This time tacos.  Yummy!!! Sean and Evan brought out waters and sodas for us on our last break.  Tiffany and her daughters brought out cookies for us to eat on our last break.  Thank you.
Lupe, Deena, and Naty working on rebar.
Me measuring for rebar placement (lot 6).
Lupe and Patricia bring rebar to us.

Debbie and Deena adding rebar.


Patricia and me Sunday evening after we added the last rebar for the day.
Facio adding boxes to lot 6.

Evelyn's house with rebar.

John picking up on Lupe's lot. Lupe's lot with the outside forms up.

Jeffery, Paul, Lupe, and Leticia quickly trying to finish the section of rebar.

John and my property (10).  Ready for forms next Saturday.

Steve and Maria's property at the end of Sunday ready for kickers to be added.

Leticia's house got kickers added this weekend. Kickers are stakes that help to hold the forms in place.
We can finally see progress being made.   We will have to work hard the next couple of weekends to get  6 foundations poured by the end of September.  It is a good goal.  This weekend was good.  The weather was a lot cooler.  The cooler weather makes it easier to work.  One of the things that I enjoy is hearing the laughter coming from different groups as they work.  It is wonderful to see us becoming friends and neighbors.

We have many amazing friends that help us out in so many ways.  Thank you for coming out and supporting us. We are so blessed by all that God provides and the wonderful friends that He use to provide things for us. James 1:17  Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Psalms 111

 Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart,
In the company of the upright and in the assembly.
2 Great are the works of the Lord;
They are   studied by all who delight in them.
Splendid and majestic is His work,
And His righteousness endures forever.
4 He has made His wonders to be remembered;
The Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5 He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will remember His covenant forever.
6 He has made known to His people the power of His works,
In giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 The works of His hands are truth and justice;
All His precepts are sure.
8 They are upheld forever and ever;
They are performed in  truth and uprightness.
9 He has sent redemption to His people;
He has ordained His covenant forever;
Holy and awesome is His name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;
His praise endures forever.
 
 
Prayer Requests:
1) Strength and Energy.  We are going on into our 8th weekend.  Most people work all week and come do this on the weekends. They are getting tired.
2) That we are productive and work as a team.
3) That we learn each task quickly and perform it well.
4) Wisdom on how to manage all the things we need to do each week and build our homes on the weekend.
5) Group 2.  Last I heard, they still need a few more families.  They can not start until they have 12 families.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Work Weekend 6

Saturday morning started out with our safety meeting.  We went over concrete safety.  I hope that means we will be doing concrete soon.  After the meeting, we broke up into different groups.  Pat (Debbie's helper) took one group and worked on Robert and Maria's lot (17).  Brandon, John, Steve, Leticia went back to work on Carlos and Jackie's lot (15).  Debbie, Deena, and myself started working on the last three houses that needed strings pulled.  Another group worked on rebar.   It was another hot day.  Our friend, Rhonda, brought out popsicles in the late afternoon.  Everyone took a break and enjoyed a popsicle.  (Thank you Rhonda.)
Deena and Tricia wiring the rebar together before we  pull strings on Deena's lot.
On Friday, a group came out and worked on rebaring Alfredo and Naty's house (lot 6).   So on Saturday, we only had a little bit left to finish up.  Phil came out and helped the rebar team make a board that helps them wire the rebar together outside of the footings then lower it inside. 
Lot 6 working on the rebar.

Rebar

Brandon, John, Steve, and Chris (volunteer) working on lot 15's footings.

Debbie and Michael wiring the rebar together.

Ian, David, and Michael pounding in rebar.

Hailee (volunteer) cleaning out footings.

Steve and Brandon

John and Chris working hard. 

Leticia hammering stakes on her house.

Delilah, Maria, Robert, and Jacob working on Leticia's garage footings.

Maria, Patricia, and Lupe cleaning out footings. (lot 13)

Luisa and her volunteer.

Rebar in the footings.



Deena' lot (7).  Ready for footing boards.

Jacob, Michael, Deena, and David working on the strings on my lot (10).


Brandon and Steve rechecking the footings on Brandon's house.

Chris taking a break from his hard work.

Maria and Roberts lot finished.



Sunday morning,  we got started right away.  We all went back to the groups we were with the day before and got to work were we left off.   Pat, Jeffery, Maria, Robert, Evelyn, and Delilah worked on Leticia's house (lot 14).  Debbie, Deena, and myself finished up pulling the string on John and my lot.  Brandon, John, Steve, Lupe, and Patricia worked on getting the boards up on Lupe's lot (8).  Jackie, Carlos, Maria, and Jacob worked on getting the kickers up on Debbie's house (lot 16).

Leticia and Robert in Leticia's garage.
Pat, Evelyn, and Robert putting up the first board on Leticia's house.

Leticia's house almost finished.

Leticia's garage complete.
John and Steve pounding in stakes on Lupe's lot (8).

Lupe's house at the end of the day.

Brandon, Dave (Deena's Dad), and Jeffery (Leticia's helper) cuting board.

Michael, Linda (Deena's Mom), Lupe, and Patricia standing in the only shade on Lupe's lot. 


 After we finished pulling the strings on my house, we got a new assignment.  Ripping boards.  We had to take a pile of old lumber and rip them down to 7 1/2 inches in width.  This was the first time that Deena and myself got to use the saw.
Deena getting ready to cut and me (Tricia) holding the board.

Deena cutting.

Me (Tricia) cutting.

By the end of the day, Deena and I felt more comfortable cutting boards.


John and Tricia's lot (10) ready for footings.

I finally feel like we are making some progress.  We only have 3 more house to put outside footing boards up on.  The rebar team made a lot of progress on Brandon and Patricia's lot (9). 

We very much appreciate all the people that came out this weekend to helped.

Prayer Requests:

1) Strength, energy, and health most families work all week and do this on the weekend.
2) We work hard and together to get these homes built.
3) For our safety.  We are using power tools,  there is rebar all over the place, and deep footings we have to work around.
4) For our families, we don't get to spend as much time with our children.

Psalm 19:7-14

  The law of the Lord is  perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be  blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.