Update for this week: July 27 - August 1

Here is the update for this past week. We are stopping the construction temporarily to discuss our options on finishing the first floor. I will let you all know what the church decides in an email prayer letter next week.

Finishing up the cistern.

Getting ready to pour the
top of the cistern.

Plumbing up a column.

This is what the Peruvian plumbing looks like underground!

The crew from the last three weeks. L to R: Cesar, Jorge (Coco), Rudy, Julio Mercedes, Julio Lima. Cesar and the two Julios are members of El Manantial Baptist Church. Thanks men!!

Working on the Cistern

The last couple of days were spent working on the cistern by the road at the entrance of the church. That was the large hole you saw a couple of days ago. It's now full of rebar and they will be framing it up and pouring the cement next week.




Next week Becky, Rob and I will be going with the ARRIBA students to the jungle of Peru to a camp near La Merced. It is located about eight hours east of Lima. We will cross the Andes at about 16,000 feet and then descend to the "high" jungle. We are going there as part of their biology class. Please pray for our safety on this trip. We'll be back on Friday and I'll try to take a few pictures and post an update. By the end of next week we will be temporarily stopping the construction as the church reevaluates our remaining funds and decides how to continue. Thank you for all your prayers! A lot has been accomplished in the last two weeks.

Columns at the Church Entrance are in Place!

Here is what happened yesterday (Thursday) after
another day of digging on Wednesday.

The cistern at the front
entrance of the church.

Wiring the final column together.

The last column going up.

All the columns are now in place!

Tuesday, July 21: Pouring the Footers

Tuesday, what a day!
The foundation is basically done.

Yes, Suber Road Baptist Church was here and did a great job. They dug the footers and got the columns upright and the bases of them cemented into place.

The front wall is down and
we're getting ready to mix cement!

I hate to think of these rocks!
They're gone now though!

Filling in the footers.

Just the back footer to do and we're done for the day!

Three of the church members
who are glad to be finished
with this part of the project!

Friday and Saturday's Construction

Here's what happened at the church work site on Friday and Saturday. Tomorrow (Monday) will be pouring more cement.

Pouring cement

All this dirt has to go somewhere.

ARRIBA young ladies helped out with the kids' club on Friday

More rebar to wire together on Saturday

Putting up temporary Sunday school rooms at the property we are renting during the construction

Thank you Suber Road Baptist Church, Greer, South Carolina!!! They were incredible!

Thursday's Update

Today was the day we got the columns in place and began pouring cement into the footers.

Wednesday's Update

Starting off with a school assembly in Upis.

Some our friends from first grade.

The puppets were a hit!

About 200 students and teachers saw the Gospel presentation and received a CD with Bible stories and a tract.


Back to construction!

Getting ready for the cement work to begin.

Yes, it's going to be mixed by hand today!

Let an expert show how it's done!

Getting ready for tomorrow. I don't think it'll be easy getting all the rocks and cement in the ground.