First Work Day in Gabon

getting ready to start our trench digging

This was one of the first people I saw this morning and it was what we all typically picture an African women to look like.

Today was our first work day here in Gabon. Our assignment was to build a wall at the Seminary about a 10 minute walk from where we are staying. The day started around 7 AM. Breakfast was at 8 AM and then off to CFTAC to work. When we got to CFTAC we were joined by a group ofabout 20 teens from the Roche Church here locally. We had a little devotional in French then had a time to get to know the Gabonese teens. We played Red Rover so as to get to know each others names. It was a real ice breaker, wait it's hot here and there is no ice. At 10 Amdown the hill and through the jungle we went to start digging a trench for the wall. Wehad to use a machette to clear a path that we could bring the wheel barrows down filled with sand and stone to mix the concrete and also bring down the cider blocks. We had pick axes and shovels to dig the 1 foot wide by 1 -3 foot deep, deeping where on the hill it was; and 150 foot long trnch.See they need to have a wall around any property because there are squatters rights here if you do not have a wall around your building. Today was a hot and sunny day, yeah I know it's Africa, but yesterday was dloudy and cool, for Africa. The kids worked constantly and also got to know the Gabonese teens, which was hard since they don't speak the same language. The Gabonese teens would just break out in worship songs as they worked. It was so amazing and they taught us a song in French. We worked untill 4 on the trench and we did have a lunch break, then they asked us tocome up with a design for improving a road on the property. Steve came up with a plan and we went to work on moving big and little rocks, Pick axing at the road andtransfering grass to around the rock area to help keep erosion fromhappening when it rains. They are calling it the Steve Babich Memorial road, to which Steve responded, "I'm NOT DEAD yet!" Your kids have been great and you are to be proud of their attitudes and behaviour. I couldn't be more thrilled to have such a group to work with.

Tomorrow we finish up on the Steve Babich Memeorial road and building the wall. We will be pouring cement and placing the cinder blocks. The plans for the next 10 days will keep us busy. We will be planning an outreach with the Roche Church Youth Group and then doing it with them on Saturday. Finding where Survivor is filming. Working at the Hope Orphanage and more stuff at CFTAC. Going into a nearby village to work and going to the market to buy our loved ones stuff. Ok, the Survivor thing is just my wish and i have been told one of the crew members is a CandMA person that gave them the lowdown on what's going on here with filming. I can only hope to run into Jeff Probst and tell him that they need to pick me. I am having a lot of trouble trying to post pictures on here, like I've been attempting to add them for 3 hours now and all I got was one to come up. I will continue to try as I have time, but you can pray that this internet connection will cooperate. Thanks for your prayers and God is so amazing.