August 10th

Today was the final and last day of pouring the foundation. Yesterday we put in 14 hours, from 6am t0 7:30pm hauling as fast as we could! We had rock and sand delivered a few days ago, and we rented 3 mixers for the cement. Yesterday morning when we started a mixer broke down. We rented a 4th mixer, and that one soon broke after an hour or so. Only using 2 mixers, we completed the job in about 20 hours all together. We poured about 35 cubic yards of cement. The mix was about 40 shovels full of rock, 32 of sand, 11 of cement, and water. Add all that up, and that's a lot of back pain. A bobcat took the loads from the mixers around the foundation, but a lot of manhandling was needed. We finished two-thirds of it yesterday, and finished it up today. It got pretty cold last night, getting to 27 degrees, and our hoses froze up. While we finished up cleaning everything up, we burned the cement bags. Low and behold, Micah left his shirt in the pile.Dusty and Micah are spending the night with Bridge and DJ to watch over the property, to make sure nothing gets stolen. (All the tools and supplies are out there, even though it has a wall around it.)

Tonight we went to an "American" restaurant called Mustang. For 17 people buying steaks, Eisben (what looked like a whole little pig on my plate), and burgers, it cost us under 700 rand, or under 100 dollars. It was really good too! Brilliant and DJ ate with us, each getting a breakfast steak. Louis told me that Brilliant only eats meat once a week, thats all he can afford. So we sent all the extra meat with the two of them. Brilliant's father got hit in a car accident, so he provides for the whole family.

Let me update you on our Sunday! We went to the township for service, and it was a very baptist like atmosphere. The preacher gave you goosebumps just raising her voice and putting every once of energy into her sermon! During the offering, the collection was given to Louis for the orphanage, and he teared up a bit. I felt humbled to see these people with a huge heart for Christ, with how small they lived on. It really reminded me of the lady giving two denari: that out of there poverty, they gave a lot. I hope and pray that God continues to humble us. I'll be sure to update you more thoroughly and more often as we rest and regain our strength. I encourage you to give more out of your own poverty, wealth, or weakness. We are aliens and strangers in this place, and our reward isn't of men, but of Heaven. God bless!