Wednesday, June 13, 2007

At Long Last...





I am so thrilled that the guys on the site want to see some part of this building really feel "completed" before I leave. So because of problems loading the photos I have had to edit this because now... two classrooms and the administration building are completed roofing. It is tradition that the guy who finishes the roof has to come down on a ladder off the edge of the roof which I had to put up for him. It is very exciting to see it come together. And I daresay it is none too soon. This morning we had extreme winds that brought down trees and torrential downpours. I rushed from Church to the site to check the building. But even the classrooms where the sheeting was only tacked are still okay. Inside is dry. The verandas are very wide to protect from rain and sun. I have also continued the "oddjobs" around the site, like completing the drainage trench. I was more than a little unlucky. The guys were urging me to start the work so we mixed the concrete and about 20 minutes after we started the rain began to come washing away the bottom of the trench which I was attempting to smooth out. So we ditched that idea for a sunnier day. You can see from the photo the importance of the drainage around the building. There is a tonne of water flowing down this trench and it will help protect the building and landscaping both.
Although I don't always feel like I have had busy days, I can now say "Me na masona, me na carpenta, me na bomba designa." Everyone is always surprised to see that I actually know how to work (and sweat about 10x as much as everyone else it seems).
As a side note, the football field gets daily use, and is slowly getting larger as we clear and level more land for it. The big rematch will be on Friday or Saturday and i think the AD Site will have no trouble with the young AD Stars.

5 comments:

Dennis said...

Dear Asher,
So sweet to see the red roof on some of the classrooms. It really is coming to completion isn't it. I'm trying to imagine what it would be like to walk around the school site some time in the future. Amazing to think that by next week Sunday you will be saying farewell. You will be coming home a different person from the young man who left in January with little idea what was in store for him. Knowing this will be a bittersweet week for you Asher; a heart pulled in two directions.

Love Mom and Dad

Yvonne said...

Asher,
wow, it's looking incredible. the roofs are going up, yay!! I hope your last week is a memorable one, and I hope your AD Site team can pull off a big win.
safe travels as you head home..
see ya soon.

beim said...

Asher, we hope you end well! It has been an exciting journey. It doesn't seem long ago that we were in your kitchen and the girls were making funny faces into the camera of your computer! What an effort by you; we are all so thankful that you were there to guide this along!

With all due respect to the old guys on the site, I am predicting an upset by the AD All-Stars...

Asher deGroot said...

beim, I forgot to say also that "me na soba footballer" and have put a few balls past the keeper in all the last games we have played so at least the site has its top striker in fine form.

Anonymous said...

Asher,
I hope you have a special last week in Kabala. You have done much and taken friends along with you for a time. Thank you my frien, I luv you

See you in a few weeks along with your fricken heavy rice pounder) (I forget the name)

Lansana Kabala