A Busy Week!

What a week this has been! I think of all the work teams so far this latest team from Ardmore, OK has certainly been the most destructive. I can only imagine that it was therapeutic and that if any came down stressed they have managed to leave a lot of it in the rubble at the Drop-In Centre! I had planned to go down with Tabitha but when I saw the photos I decided against it. You'll understand why as you see for yourself!

It was hard not to be there though. It was so exciting to hear what was going on and to see this incredibly energetic team have so much fun. It may look disastrous but we are delighted that most of what has been done by previous teams has been conserved. We are now working to the architect's plan and what happens from here on in will be permanent. Some of what was constructed up to this point was temporary but it enabled the Drop-In Centre to be functional and we praise God that through it kids have been won for him and are seeing Him turn their lives around.

Here the second drainage line goes in and leaves little space for moving through the building.
The kitchen does not appear to be the most hygienic place for preparing food right now!
Some of the guys get started on the wall demolition.
More stress relief as another wall comes tumbling down.
Wait a minute - we should make sure that we mess this building well and truly - right to the back wall!
No, no, no - there is absolutely no more space for more materials or for a truck for that matter!
The ladies are up working on the roof. At least the air is a little clearer up there (only the City pollution to deal with!)
A human chain for unloading 400 bricks off the lorry and onto the roof. That's on top of the other load that had already been unloaded in a similar fashion inside the Centre.
The ladies carry them two by two...
Well, having left their mark on most of the rest of the building the now set to work on the outside frontage. Plaster is chipped back and the bricks are washed down...
Back at ground level the ladies now turn their hands to mixing plaster and getting it where it should be.
Smiles all round for a welcome break and some fresh bread.
An almost daily event - the police check that paperwork is in order. No bribes to pay here - it's all above board and paperwork intact!
Some Union people come around to see if there's anything in it for them but once again with a quick phonecall it is established that everything is in order. They did get a payment but that's the way it works here - it costs less to pay them for the necessary permit when they come round than before the work starts. Another opportunity for cultural learning!
Juana finds a clean spot to show Vicky her craft skill...
...but word spreads and the clean area begins to fill up!
Now that's not so bad. A face lift for the front of the building ready for a lick of paint.
A new counselling room inside built by the team and ready for the final touches. Just think - in this very room many kids could find Christ! What was accomplished this week was amazing and we are so excited to see everything move forward. We first stood in this building in April 2005. Never did we think so many people would put in so much work to see it become the place that God is using to turn kids lives around. We are humbled and encouraged once again to be part of such an amazing team of pray-ers, workers and givers. We feel so blessed to know so many wonderful people all over the place that we would never know were it not for what God has called us to do here.

We mentioned a while back that Andrew had gone to see land and was excited (with much faith) about the potential to have a rehab centre there. It was good to have Steve here on the team who went to see the land with Andrew. What a blessing to have an expert opinion - Steve's thought was that the land would be suitable for pasture, but not for growing crops as is the idea we have. He also thought it was over-priced. It was not a wasted journey as Steve was able to point out to Andrew and Gary the type of things they needed to be looking out for. Keep praying as we trust God to make such a facility available in His time and according to His will. We have recently been developing links with a Christian guy who has a very low key rehab facility and has come to Proyecto MEFI for ideas and support. Some of the kids we know are living at the rehab centre and are doing well. The guy went to the streets on Thursday with the team and miraculously two kids decided to leave the streets. Sadly one only got so far and then turned back (a kid we first met in 2001!) but the other one made it all the way. Now starts the hard work for him and our prayer is that God will give him the strength and stamina he needs and that he will know the transforming power of the Holy Spirit changing him from the inside.