Friday, July 26, 2013

Loose change for new loos

This term, Payne Road State School are raising funds to help us construct new toilets at Erampatti Village School.  Earlier in the term they had a special day where everyone recorded how many times they used the toilets at school and it added up to more than 500 visits to the toilet in one day.  Then they discussed what it would be like and how it would impact their health and playground, if like Erampatti School, they had no toilets and had to use the open fields.  For the next 3 weeks they are collecting loose change for new loos in a full-scale toilet money box specially modified by one of the Dads. A special Indian themed family fun night, and a uniform free day are planned for later in the term.  On election day they'll be selling novelty toilet paper at the school and the giant toilet money box will also make an appearance.  A big thank you to the school and Chris Bullock and her chapliancy team for all their efforts.

Collecting loose change for loos at Payne Road State School in Brisbane

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

5 rooms in Shammah House now sponsored

We now have 5 of our rooms in Shammah House sponsored.  A big thank you to the families and businesses who've come on board to generously provide the funds we need to finish and fit-out Asher, Rohi and Nishi (our 3 sleeping rooms), Rapha, (the infirmary/counselling room) and Alizah (the playroom).  With only 3 rooms left to sponsor now, Jireh (the office) and Shekinah and Eliel (our 2 guestrooms) we're getting closer to having enough funds to complete Shammah House, which is very exciting.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Roof Slab Poured




Yesterday was roof slab pouring day at Shammah House.As you can see from the photos a lot of work has been done since my last post about the building work.  It was a busy day with more than 60 men working from 8.00 in the morning to 5.30 in the evening.  We went through hundreds of bags of cement, truckloads of sand and gravel and lots of water.  At one stage the power went off and water had to be carted by hand from the irrigation tank.  The day went smoothly without any other dramas and just as they finished their thanksgiving prayers at the end of the day, light rain started to fall, perfect for damping down the slab. Exactly what they'd prayed for at the beginning of the day.  To see more Shammah House construction photos click here to go to our facebook page.

All the concrete was mixed on site.  No large concrete trucks here. 

A side view of Shammah House on roof slab day.

Pouring out a barrow of concrete ready for leveling off.

The workers enjoying lunch and a chance to rest in the shade

A view of Shammah House from the boy's building