Wetlands Gate and Tree Starters

Every day I get a surprise, some days more than one. We have been without power for a few days. Today it returned. I quickly plugged my computer in and started charging all my electrical things. The mums flooded to me with their cell phones; as did the workers. The pump house looked like a spiderweb of wires strewn all about the place. I have to be careful of the rats though, I have found that their absolute favorite food is cell phone chargers. I am telling you, I think if you want to catch a mouse, use a cell phone charger on your trap instead of peanut butter. You will catch them like crazy. It is irresistible to them. 

New mango tree to replace the old one
that didn't make it.

I went out to the tap to wash off my hands. I turned the lever to find that there was no water. I thought, “this is a new low for the water pressure.” I looked at the water meter to see that it was not flowing, no water coming out the faucet, no water flowing into the tank. Another surprise! Earlier in the day I had pumped 1500 Liters of water and was now realizing that this was all we were going to get for an uncertain amount of time. The workers got their water from the hole that I dug for mixing mortar, and since the children were all at school it was not a huge deal to not have water. I told a few of the mums to go and collect their drinking water, because soon, there would be no water. I tried to limit everyone who was using the water; they have a tendency to leave the water on full pressure and not watch their bucket or jug many times way over-filing, or missing the container all together. It drives me crazy, so I stood there and regulated the water consumption. if it was for drinking, they had an unlimited amount that I was willing to give them; if they had a container. for washing or anything else I rationed it. As soon as I left my post, they went crazy and used all of the rest of the water. Children then kept coming to me telling me that there is no water. It was one of those moments where there wasn't anything I could do, so I would just nod my head and agree with them. I have left a small amount of water in the lower tank. If there is no water tomorrow, then it will become drinking water. 

When I first started the work here I was surprised to find that food is provided by the contractor, who charges the owner for it. So a cost I had not expected to pay was for food to feed all the workers every day. This meant I had to but them plates as well. There was no need for forks, they use their hands. I have run out of food before, which causes a big dilemma because I have to borrow from the children until I can buy more. I just wish someone would tell me before I am out. Right now, I am praying that God will stretch the food for this last week of construction. My next surprise for the day was when someone came up to me and told me that there were no plates on which to serve the workers their food. I didn't know what to think. I have purchased over 60 plastic dishes which is twice the number of any crew that we have had. I asked them, “Where did they all go? we had enough on saturday... what happened to them?” There was no response. They only told me that they weren't there. I did not have the time to go into town to buy more plates for them, nor the desire, so I started to ask the mums for plates that I could borrow. Slowly, I collected the 26 that I needed to feed the workers. While I was collecting them, Francis the cook told me to go and resume my other work, that this was something that I should not have to worry about. I looked at him and asked him if he was taking over, and he replied, “Yes”. So, I decided not to worry about it and went back to what I was doing. Later this evening, the mums came up to me and told me that they did not get their plates back. ...sigh.

I took some mortar and used more broken bricks to make another small retaining wall today. I do not know how long this one will hold up, but it should help with some erosion. I find that there is also something pleasing about laying brick. I can be very anal, and make the lines very straight. I decided to play with my string today and make a curve in the small wall. 

Mum Lydia and Mum Kevin doing
a little labor planting trees.

I went into town and purchased some starter trees today. I picked up some Avocado, Mango, Jackfruit, Orange, Papaya, and Guava trees. I brought them back and recruited some of the mums to help me plant them around the orphanage. The taller trees I tried to plant in locations where they would shade the homes in the evenings or around the perimeter, giving the orphanage more privacy. The shorter trees I planted down below where they are in the wet soil. The mums asked me if this was good for the trees, and my general idea is yes, if they have access to water constantly, I would think they would produce larger fruit, but I am no horticulture guru. 

Of course, the gate is delivered on a bicycle. 

We received the old gate from Henry's metal shop that had been repaired. We set it into concrete on the wetlands wall, and the masons continued to build up from the waist-high wall. We have 15 workers that are mixing mortar, moving mortar, and moving brick, and we have 11 masons laying brick, and we are about to move to scaffolding due to the height of the wall. It is all coming together down there. 

Keep praying for the project’s completion. It is getting close, Henry says he is shooting for wednesday for the completion of the project.