BUILDING AMONG THE GA'DANG PEOPLE
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| Mixing concrete for the foundation posts. |
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July 30, 2009
by David Bell
It was no easy task getting building supplies to the Ga’dang village where missionaries Chuck and Shannon Talbot are beginning a ministry, but the effort has resulted in the Talbots meeting their initial building goals.
The family loaded tools, 25 pieces of plywood, food and clothes for a week and nine people into a jeepney for a one-hour ride to a drop-off point. They then unloaded their supplies and transferred them to six sleds and two carts that would be hauled six miles by water buffalo.
Not all of their supplies could be hauled into the village in the Philippines on that first day. The next day four more water buffalo made another trip. The plywood had to be left at a house for yet another day before being carried over the trail of rolling hills that included a large, muddy, slippery hill to climb.
Even the water buffalo had a hard time getting up that hill with their loads that included 53 bags of cement, weighing 88 pounds each. In some places the mud covered almost all of the legs of the buffalo.
Once the building began there was no lack of workers. Every day someone new was coming to ask if they could work.
"It gets hard to manage so many people so we are working on trying to rotate the men so they all have a chance to make some money," Shannon wrote.
Over the last several weeks a couple of men collected sand and gravel from the river bed for making the concrete.
At the end of a week all the foundation posts were in place for the house. Chuck is working this week to get beams, joists and the floor down by the time his father comes to help next week.
Please pray for continued safety as the men work and that the Talbots will establish good relationships with the Ga’dang people. |
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