Bricks! Bricks! Bricks!

Yesterday the first brick for our homes was made. After the long wait for machine to arrive we finally have it in our compound, it has been serviced and is up and running. Although during the servicing one of the parts were broken. We have had it fixed and after one and a half days we should already have around 2000 or more bricks. Yay! Thank you Jesus! The first brick being the first trial didn't survive. But the ratio of materials is now sorted and the bricks should be better and stronger than ever. We are wanting to make around 4000 bricks for the first round. This will be for two large homes, some fencing and maybe a storage shed. We are borrowing the machine from the Ministry of Housing. They are telling us they will give us a maximum of two weeks. We will be encouraging workers to work long hours so we can attempt to make as many bricks as possible. The bricks then need curing for 14-21 days. We will begin construction as soon as the bricks are ready. We are hoping that the first home will be ready by mid to late sept.

A machine costs around $40-50.000 aud. Just in case someone has some spare money. We would be able to make bricks for ourselves as well as for selling. A great self-sustaining project!

The renovations on the cottage are also moving ahead. The slab has been finished today and brick work will begin next week. Hoping for this part of the project to be completed by the end of August.

For Lydia (see previous post) I went on my first visit to a school for the blind. The children were happy, the teachers seem dedicated and some lovely things were happening in the classrooms. One of the classrooms, in the picture, had students of low vision sewing under the guidance of a totally blind teacher. Another classroom had totally blind students using knitting machines. Another, a pretend shop and many others the teaching of braille. I'm wanting to see yet another school for the blind and meet with the parents before we decide on the best thing to do. The parents have written a letter and informed the school they want the help but we want to investigate things a little further.

School is now on a break for a month for most schools to allow for harvesting. Some schools are in session until the end of the week. Although many schools also provide tuition. This becomes an added income for the teaching staff. It is highly encouraged.

Now while we wait for the bricks and slab to cure I have a few days where I don't really need to be on the site. So I'll use the time to catch up on some paper work, recording of finances and developing policies and procedures for the homes. Still much to be done!!!

Some visitors from Canada next week for a few days. This will be nice. One will be speaking at a conference and the three others, myself and the Robins will fill in the days visiting the new site, visiting families from the Branch and helping to do some home maintenace and gardening where we can.

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