It seems by the end of the day my brain is non-functioning which makes creative blogging difficult. I'm sure my brother will have some comment about how even fully rested my brain is only partially functioning so I'm going to preempt him.
We have completed the chapel! It took a bit longer than anticipated, but I should have learned by now to anticipate that my anticipations will be inaccurate. Ha what a horrible sentence.
A few details on the building process (not sure anybody will find any of this interesting, but here ya go):
-the slope of the land made the top side about 5 feet higher than the bottom which means filling which a ton of dirt. We had to bring in about 12 dump trucks full and wheelbarrow it all into the center, wetting it and packing as we went.
-We used 7,000 bundles of grass on the roof
-Each brick cost $0.04 and are homemade in the village; one of the boys we have been working with and teaching has saved his money and started his own brick making business where he rented a small plot of land and hired two others to make bricks for him.
-We used a final plaster coat of cement to make all the walls and floors nice and smooth. Basically it is cement without the gravel and applied at a thickness of about 1/2 inch.
-We didn't paint any of the walls cause we don't want to present ourselves as big and fancy. Perceptions to the locals is constantly on our mind.
-The poles used on the roof and for supports are eucalyptus poles, but we are not blessed with the cute Koala bears that most associate with the tree.
-We can fit over 400 children inside the building (probably closer to 600 if we seat them Ugandan style. By Ugandan style I mean on top of each other. Personal space doesn't exist here so much)
-We had the 10 young men (8 from the playground project and 2 new ones), 2 experienced construction workers, and my foreman Sam working on the project
-It took us about 2 and 1/2 months to complete the chapel construction
After finishing the roof we found that the span was a bit too far for the poles and the ones in the middle had been pushed out about 1/8 of an inch from the weight on the. This doesn't seem like much, but it is a major concern for the longevity of the building.
I had my trusted welder make us some beams with plates in the middle that we could bolt together to draw the poles back into position. We then reinforced the roof with poles running lengthwise to keep them from again pulling apart. Praise God it all worked out. I am now confident in the structural integrity of the building which is kinda important.
Here are some completed photos of the children enjoying the solace from the intense Ugandan sun. The project turned out marvelously and will open so many doors for future missions opportunities in the community. We are dreaming up so many different ways to use the building and excited to see how God is glorified through it.
