Blocks and a Mixer

Friday in Maputo has gone well. As I write this I am being serenaded by the Seminary choir rehearsing in the chapel. It is a beautiful and uniquely African sound that I hope I never forget. The weather has been wonderful again today. The rain has conveniently come in the night once again leaving us with a perfect day to work outside...with sunscreen and lots of water that is.

Tim Sharrock is having flu like symptoms that started yesterday afternoon. He is getting up for meals but is really tired and is being forced by Connie to rest. It may just be that the extreme pace he has been on since before arriving last week in Mozambique has finally caught up with him. We are hoping that rest, cold and flu medicine and a relaxing weekend will be what the doctor ordered. Please pray for Tim's speedy recovery.

Last evening we had dinner a little later than usual so the Bauza's could prepare an Argentine meal. It was a sort of going away celebration for their oldest daughter Tammy who flew back to Argentina today and then bus north to Paraguay to begin her senior year of high school. She will be living with her grandparents in Paraguay while back in South America. So this was a special occasion with delicious food including an incredible desert.

Today we worked on digging the trenches between the pillars so the mason could start laying block. Even the Juniors and Seniors are serious about helping in this project. Not long after we started digging trenches this morning three students in uniform and with backpacks still on their backs, stopped by and took our shovels and rapidly cleared out a big section of trench, between classes. We were grateful for their very kind gesture and help. The labor today was pretty intense with lots of digging and hauling of block. But the block is progressing well on the south side of the building. The mason and some seminary students will keep working until dark again today and probably much of the day tomorrow to finish the foundation we have dug out for them. Next week we will be pouring a large amount of concrete so it was important that we try to get the large mixer on campus working. With some serious elbow grease, a new air filter and some electrical work, Don was able to get it working just before quitting time today. So progress was made. Not as fast as we would like but progress was made.

Many of you know how much Mike Norris "likes" cats. Well he walked into his room today to find he has a new friend. This is reminiscent of a similar episode in Ghana. This time instead of a ceramic Siamese, he found a brown wood carved Siamese was nestled on his bed. Of course he is now on a hunt to find out who did it, and we are watching out for him to try to bury it at the construction site.