Work Weekend 13

God is so good.  He provided for us in abundance this weekend.  John and I were worried on Friday about making our 40 hours by Sunday night.  We sent email out quickly Friday morning to let our church family know we were in need.  By lunch time we got a call telling us the hours were covered.  Friday night our friend Mark called us to tell us that the group he leads would like to provide us, Debbie's family, and Deena's family with dinner on Monday for the next three weeks.  This is such a blessing.  God blessed us more with cooler weather and lots of help.  On Saturday, Randy, Zach, Mary, and Hailey came out to help us each for a few hours.  On Sunday, Rex, Stacey, Bryan, and Eric came out to help us for a few hours each.  In addition to all our help we brought out Leticia brought out 7 girls from her nieces sorority. We also had our regular volunteers that help each family meet their 40 hours : Dave, Lynda, David, Michael, Jackie's sister, Miguel, Wendy, Andres' daughter and her boyfriend, Sal, and Coco.  We were so thankful that Pat was well and came back to help us this weekend. This weekend was amazing.  

 

On Saturday, we arrived to find all the houses plumbed and inspected.  YEAH! We started out with our safety meeting on eye protection.  Then Facio told us we did not pass inspection, but if we work hard all weekend we would have four houses for inspection on Monday.  We divided into groups.  Debbie, Deena, Leticia, Patricia, Lynda, and myself went to lot 6 (Alfredo and Naty's house) to wire in rebar and add rebar that needed to be fixed.  We were joined by a few sorority girls that helped us with the wiring.  Alfredo and Miguel worked on lot 6 adding rebar that we needed, also. John and Steve worked on marking out were rebar needed to be added and drilling holes for the rebar.  Then they worked on adding pieces were the posts go for the front porch.  Brandon worked on bending rebar and running it through the holes.  We would come behind Brandon and wire the rebar on to another piece of rebar.  Jackie, Luisa, Jackie's sister, Maria, and Andy worked on fixing the corners on lot 12 and 13.  Pat, Maria, Delilah, and Wendy worked on finishing up the forms on lot 13.  Evelyn, Lupe, and Paul worked on cleaning out footings and digging where we needed to dig.  Some of the sorority girls helped with the digging too.  I'm not sure what Jacob and Carlos did, probably digging, filling, or kickers..

Debbie reading to us about eye protection.

Everyone listening.

 

 

Deena's property with plumbing.

John and my house with plumbing.

Carlos and Jackie's house with plumbing finished.

The back view of John and my house.

Sorority girls digging.

Cleaning footings.

Fixing rebar.

working on rebar.

Leticia working on rebar.

Cleaning footings.

 

One of our sorority volunteers.

More volunteers from the sorority..

Lynda and myself working on wiring rebar.

Patricia and Lynda working on rebar.

Miguel working on rebar.

Steve and John adding post holders.

Hailey wiring.

Facio and Steve discussing something.

more wiring.

more footings to clean,

Randy wiring.

 

 

On Sunday, we got right to work.  We were pushing hard trying to get everything done for inspection.  Everyone went back where they left off on Saturday.  We just went from lot to lot trying to make sure we got everything completed.  We worked on rebar, cleaning footings, digging deeper holes in spots.  Deena and I learned how to cut and bend rebar.  Thanks Lupe.  We did not get as many pictures this weekend, because we were so focused on trying to get the houses ready for inspection. 

more wiring.

and more wiring.

Everyone working on lot 9.

On the whole this was a good weekend.  The weather was cooler making it easier to work.   We got a lot accomplished,  However, we did not get everything done.  We needed three more people for 5 hours each on Monday morning to get the houses finished.  So we will have to wait one more week before we do I our first pour.  This was hard.  We really wanted to pour next Saturday. We will continue to trust God timing.


Prayer Requests:

1) cooler weather
2) our safety, and the safety of Master's College students (They are coming out to help us this weekend for three days)
3)  Wisdom on how best to use the 16 Master's College students that our coming out.
4)  Energy and strength.  We are tired and getting discouraged by how long it is taking us to get the footing ready for pouring cement.

Psalms 118: 22-29

²² The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief corner stone.
²³ This is ^[i]the Lord’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ This is the day which the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
²⁵ O Lord, do save, we beseech You;
O Lord, we beseech You, do send prosperity!
²⁶ Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord;
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
²⁷ The Lord is God, and He has given us light;
Bind the festival sacrifice with cords ^[j]to the horns of the altar.
²⁸ You are my God, and I give thanks to You;
You are my God, I extol You.
²⁹ Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Work Weekend 12

Saturday morning started out with Debbie being called by Pat to tell her he was sick and would not be coming out this weekend.  We arrived at the job site early and Debbie started to make calls trying to get Pat's hours covered.  We then had our morning meeting on staying hydrated during the hot days.  Next Facio told us that his goal was to get the four houses ready for inspection this week.  Jackie, Jackie's sister, Luisa, Luisa's helper, and Maria worked on finishing the rebar on Evelyn's house.  When they finished they moved to Jackie's house.  Leticia and her many volunteers worked on adding rebar pieces to lot 6 and lot 9.  After lunch Leticia started to work with the rebar team on Jackie's house.  Paul and Jacob finished filling in the dirt on lot 6.  Then they moved over to lot 7 (Deena's house) to use the jackhammer to enlarge two areas for the plumber.  Debbie, Deena, Lupe, and Debbie's volunteer worked on putting vertical rebar on lot 13 (Andres and Luisa's house).  John, Brandon, and Steve worked on lot 6 adding the final inside boards and leveling boards.  Patricia and myself had to relay out the front wall on the  house and add a few more bolts on lot 6, 7, and 10.  Evelyn, Maria, Wendy, and Delilah worked on inside boards on lot 13.   Carlos came after lunch and worked on adding the other utilities to lot 13.  Our friends Lorraine and Larry came out in the afternoon to help Debbie cover her hours.

 

Jacob and Paul working on lot 6.

Facio and John working on leveling the boxes for the porch on lot 6.

David nailing.

Paul and Jacob working on the trenches on lot 7.

John pounding in more stakes.

Steve, John, and Brandon

Working on lot 12's rebar.

Working on lot 13 rebar and inside forms.

Larry, Lorraine, Deena, David, and Lupe working on rebar.

Maria and Delilah.

Vertical rebar almost done on lot 13.

lot 13

Sunday we got started hoping that we would get everything done, so we can pour next weekend.  Most of us worked on lot 12 and lot 13.  We worked on adding the vertical rebar, bolts, and adding final inside boards.  Paul, Sal, Jacob, and Michael worked on enlarging two trenches on lot 10 (John and my lot). 

Sal using the jackhammer.

Paul using the jackhammer.

Michael and Jacob cleaning out the trench.

John  pounding into the hard dirt.

Jackie adding vertical rebar.

Jeffery and Carlos filling in the trench.  Maria keeping the ground wet to limit dust.

Debbie, Kim (Debbie's helper), Deena, Robert, and Delilah working on lot 13.

Paul using the board Sal made us to help us make sure the footings are 12" x12".

Deena's lot (7) ready for the plumber.

Everyone working hard to get lot 13 ready.

Lupe, Kim, and Patricia working on bolts.

Andres and Jackie working on rebar.  Me adding bolts.

Everyone working on lot 12 and lot 13.

Patrica and Brandon's lot almost read for inspection.

Lot 10 trench ready for plumber.

Lot 12 almost ready for inspection.

Lot 13 almost ready for inspection.

This was a very hot weekend.  We were blessed by Kevin bring lemonade out on Saturday for last break.  Sean brought out ice cold water out Sunday for last break.  Thank you to all the people that came out this weekend to work and bring us beverages. 

 

Sadly, we did not get all the lots completed.  We did get one lot done.  Lot 6 will be inspected on Monday.  We will continue to work on the other three to get them inspected next week.  Hopefully, the plumber will come out and finish the last three house. Pat was missed.  We hope he is feeling better.  Debbie was able to get her hours for the weekend.

 

 

Prayer Requests:

 

1) Lot 6 passes inspection

 

2) cooler weather

 

3) Energy and strength for everyone. 

 

4) Good health for everyone.  

 Matthew 11:28-30

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Psalm 105: 1-4

¹ Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
² Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
³ Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
⁴ Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.