Construction nearing completion....

From our Director in Zambia, Mike Jones (edited):

Trust all is well. I've been a bit slow getting back to you. The buildings are at the place where not much progress can be seen in the pictures. I've sent the workers that joined us for this construction project -back home. They are all happy, and ready to join us again when we have money to start another house. Shut down and start up -costs us time and money. This way we are continuing to build at a slower pace and can easily speed up when we need to move faster.

The bath house window frames turned out much smaller than I had ordered; I thought the price was really cheap and now I know why. Yes, the openings between the rafters provides good ventilation (and light) and will be screened. Since the window frames are so small, I think we will just put screens in them instead of glass. The brick posts for the kitchen/laundry are going up. The window glasses are probably already installed in the house. We ordered one bunk bed with drawers under -from a carpenter in Livingstone. The price is good, K330,000 which is $85-90 (plus mattresses for about $65.00). We will send you pictures when it is ready around the first of November. If you like it and have the money, we will order more.

I wanted to build a platform for the hand pump, eliminating pumping up hill, but the driller assured me he had a better solution. The gasket the borehole driller put on the handpump for pumping "up hill" is leaking. If it wears out this quickly we will need another system for filling the tank. We have some choices:
1. Buy more rubber to make gaskets and hope it works.
2. Put containers of water in the bath house for washing and flushing.
3. Hand pump water and fill tank by hand.
4. Hand pump water into small tank/container. Use 2nd pump to fill tank.
5. Buy another pump for borehole. Only specialized hand pumps are designed to pump a "head". Windmills, solar pumps, and other motors requiring power could work.

Since we have little water to pump, all of our options will be at the low end of the price scale. I would suggest we work by hand, while looking for and pricing other options.

Tuesday I plan to turn in the application for the orphanage to the council. I must first get a letter from the health ministry, which they have already promised will be ready. Wednesday and Thursday we will be in Lusaka for work permit, vehicle repairs, etc. I hope to be on the building site again Friday, hauling rocks, setting toilets & sinks, etc.

Jo Anne should arrive here to stay next month. That is a big praise. I'll send more later, providing my computer keeps working (power problems).

God Bless, Mike

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We expect another level of approvals without any issues within the next month, and will potentially start accepting children at the home by the end of November. Each home (six planned for) will be home to 12 children.