Rains Continue as the Church nears Completion

Floor is in, but kitchen still needs some work!

We want to thank the many that have sent funds to help with the relief efforts and with the construction of the church addition.  We believe that within a month or two this project will be done and we will be in condition to give proper care to any flood affected families.  We will have a fully functioning soup kitchen, a dining area that can accommodate about 150 people, we will have two

large bathrooms with multiple showers, and our four classrooms will be functioning for the after-school remedial program for children (which currently serves 80 children in the sanctuary).  

The rains still have not stopped, but except one more incident with flooding (that left over a hundred people spending the night at the church), things have remained fairly calm. That same night we were given a loan of 80 small foam mattresses from a retreat center, and we were able to provide dry beds for this large group in the sanctuary.  Elias Castillo, Miguel Hernandez, three young people from the church and myself had to drive north of Santiago (40 miles) at midnight, to pick up these mattresses.  When we arrived, the folks spending the night in the church quickly hugged the mattresses and hauled them off to sleep. The people were so happy.  Those concrete floors are not very comfortable.

Debbie gives out mosquito nets

Freshly painted dining area.

Debbie and Pastor Delgado giving out a mattress.

But praise the Lord! The new floor is in now! When the concrete foreman asked what color it should be.  Debbie said she wanted it gold like the streets of heaven.  Well, mustard yellow is pretty close, and it does look great. It is quite a process. When the concrete slab is poured, while the concrete is still wet, a mixture of a special colored powder (orange) and white concrete are mixed together and then carefully spread over the slab.  Since both the slab and the mix are wet they will bond and dry together.  The mason is careful with his trowel to spread the mixture evenly, which will give it a smooth almost polished look when it dries.

We will now be able to continue work on this addition. This week we will  begin to concentrate on the bathrooms, and the kitchen.  Plumbing fixtures need to be put in, some tile work needs to be done, shower stalls put up, and a water pump installed. A loft for storing mattresses needs to be built. Funds are steadily coming in.  We anticipate this project being finished debt-free.

Debbie has been feeding people throughout the worst days of this flooding.  Mattresses have been purchased, mosquito nets have been given out, and roofs and homes have been fixed and repaired.
Thank you for responding to the needs.  Debbie's Facebook link highlights the past weeks events