After many delays, we are SO thankful and excited to be able to complete the second story roof on the school building. This is part of the School Construction Project that began in Mach 2018! Over the last nearly three years, we have had various plans for completing the project. However, challenges in getting quality materials, combined with countrywide shutdowns due to (first) political upheaval and (second) COVID-19, caused delay after delay.
But finally, the Box Truck brought the metal roofing and screws, MACOL supplied the wood and other materials, and Russ Finkbeiner supplied the plans!
However, one of the most significant parts of the story comes next:
Over the years, we had roofing teams from Canada (Russ was a member of these teams), the US, and even Germany who came to the Plateau to help build roofs. The members of these teams (you know who you are!) worked intentionally together with our local workmen, investing knowledge and experience into them. Samuel Schafer---who lived on the Plateau with us for several years, and who had built roofs in Germany---also invested significantly in our guys.
L-R Top: A combined American-Canadian (and unpictured German) roofing crew! (2011) (2014)
L-R Bottom: Samuel and Gulbert (2014?); German crew (2018); Canadian crew (2018)
And others!
Today, because of the men on those teams and their willingness to invest in others, our own Bos Gulbert is able to consult a roofing plan, oversee the other workmen from our community (several of whom also worked together with the visiting teams), and execute this major project.
That's. So. Beautiful. ❤️
That's investing in people.
Below, you can enjoy photos of the progression of the roof!
Another word here: The school gave the kids an extra week of Christmas vacation to provide time for the major part of the construction. But, the school teachers didn't just sit around! They got involved in the parts of the project that didn't require special construction expertise! I spy three teachers in the photo above.
That's Teacher Wislet and Teacher Yrvin tracing plywood cutouts!
😳
Once school started again, they guys worked in the afternoons/evenings and on Saturday.
First sheet going up!
Roofing is up!
It makes everything look so different!
Beautiful!
Just for fun, here is a picture of the school from 2013. God is good!
