construction update: highs and lows
In the last update I told you that we hired an engineer…that engineer is no longer with us…I guess she found a better offer…not real sure…she was never real honest with me about why she was leaving…she gave her two week notice and then did not show up for those two weeks…didn’t call…e-mail…not a thing! Nice.
This was a minor set back because we had planned projects around having an engineer…so we had to call an audible at the line of scrimmage and try a new approach (those who are female and are not sure what “call an audible” is referring to, ask a guy about calling an audible in football). We have a new plan and it looks like we will get real busy, real fast.
I have hired a Technical Officer, which basically means he is in charge of quality control. He visits all the sites to make sure contractors are doing what they are suppose. So far he is doing a great job, I wish I had two more just like him. So currently there are three of us in the SW Construction Office. Adam, Benjamin - Investigator/Technical Officer, Mahinda - Technical Officer. I will need to hire at least one more technical officer in the next few weeks.
Since the last construction post, we have gone through a holiday (that lasted three weeks) and had some weather issues…all of which impeded the progress of completing construction and getting the designs we wanted in the timeframe we were expecting. We were told that the month of April would be difficult but we did not believe it until we were in our second week of no trash pick up, 80% of businesses and restaurants closed, no bread (unless it was a Muslim bakery, they don't celebrate the Buddhist New Year), no water delivery, and nobody working on job sites!
I have decided to give projections instead of concrete stats…because rarely are the stats concrete.
West Coast (the project I oversee)
Projected for the end of June…
51 houses complete.
36 new houses under construction
Projected for the end of July…
30 partial rebuilds started (homes have completed 80%, still need some assistance).
3 Community Centers under construction
All remaining Community Facilities Designated (this means we will know exactly
what we have left to build).
East Coast (Dave oversees these projects)
Projected for the end of June…
35 houses completed
Sports Complex under construction
Dave started a new office on the East coast in January, and the construction process is completely different over there, much more time consuming…so 35 is pretty impressive.
We have been off on some of our previous projections (mostly with designs for big projects) but we remain optimistic…striving to meet these goals.
We started our biggest (financially) project in May. The pictures below are of the beneficiaries and of the stone laying ceremony. We are building 10 houses in a Muslim community for 10 Muslim families. These families were given homes in another community, that was not Muslim, and let’s just say they were not welcomed with open arms. So, the local government approached us with this property and asked us to build for these families. The site sits on a hill and will take extensive excavation in order to be ready for building houses. The excavation is well underway and we are looking forward to starting the house in the next few weeks. This project will probably take 6 months to complete.
In the last update I told you that we hired an engineer…that engineer is no longer with us…I guess she found a better offer…not real sure…she was never real honest with me about why she was leaving…she gave her two week notice and then did not show up for those two weeks…didn’t call…e-mail…not a thing! Nice.
This was a minor set back because we had planned projects around having an engineer…so we had to call an audible at the line of scrimmage and try a new approach (those who are female and are not sure what “call an audible” is referring to, ask a guy about calling an audible in football). We have a new plan and it looks like we will get real busy, real fast.
I have hired a Technical Officer, which basically means he is in charge of quality control. He visits all the sites to make sure contractors are doing what they are suppose. So far he is doing a great job, I wish I had two more just like him. So currently there are three of us in the SW Construction Office. Adam, Benjamin - Investigator/Technical Officer, Mahinda - Technical Officer. I will need to hire at least one more technical officer in the next few weeks.
Since the last construction post, we have gone through a holiday (that lasted three weeks) and had some weather issues…all of which impeded the progress of completing construction and getting the designs we wanted in the timeframe we were expecting. We were told that the month of April would be difficult but we did not believe it until we were in our second week of no trash pick up, 80% of businesses and restaurants closed, no bread (unless it was a Muslim bakery, they don't celebrate the Buddhist New Year), no water delivery, and nobody working on job sites!
I have decided to give projections instead of concrete stats…because rarely are the stats concrete.
West Coast (the project I oversee)
Projected for the end of June…
51 houses complete.
36 new houses under construction
Projected for the end of July…
30 partial rebuilds started (homes have completed 80%, still need some assistance).
3 Community Centers under construction
All remaining Community Facilities Designated (this means we will know exactly
what we have left to build).
East Coast (Dave oversees these projects)
Projected for the end of June…
35 houses completed
Sports Complex under construction
Dave started a new office on the East coast in January, and the construction process is completely different over there, much more time consuming…so 35 is pretty impressive.
We have been off on some of our previous projections (mostly with designs for big projects) but we remain optimistic…striving to meet these goals.
We started our biggest (financially) project in May. The pictures below are of the beneficiaries and of the stone laying ceremony. We are building 10 houses in a Muslim community for 10 Muslim families. These families were given homes in another community, that was not Muslim, and let’s just say they were not welcomed with open arms. So, the local government approached us with this property and asked us to build for these families. The site sits on a hill and will take extensive excavation in order to be ready for building houses. The excavation is well underway and we are looking forward to starting the house in the next few weeks. This project will probably take 6 months to complete.
Above are the families who will move into the houses.
Did you notice no one is sitting in front of the platform? It's hot in Sri Lanka, even hotter in the sun and at the time of the ceremony...the shade was on either side of the platform...enough said. The funniest thing...the speakers didn't look out to either side at the people...yup...straight forward at a pile of dirt!
We just finished the houses below last week and have handed over the keys to the families. In case you were wondering...the house color is pumpkin...they brought me two options and this was the lesser of two evils. Good Times.
Thank you for praying. We miss you and love you.
Adam (and Mindy)
Labels: construction update
posted by Adam & Mindy at 5:51 AM
3 Comments:
hey people! thanks for the phone call last week - i was so excited and sad to have missed you. but the message made me smile. FYI: ohio girls know what it means to call an audible... don't talk down to me! :)
Hey Adam and Mindy, I happened upon your blog and have enjoyed reading how God is using you guys! Looks like you are really doing some great things for the people there. That is awesome. Well, I just wanted to say hello and it is really neat to see what a difference you are making.
Meghan (Bridgette) Burke
Adam, great update. You crack me up. The platform in the sun scenario is hysterical. Also, the thought of YOU having to choose pumpkin paint as the LESSER of two evils had me rolling.
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