Work team continues getting things done in Central Africa

After a great couple days to relax we went back to work at PK 22 today.  We did a multitude of projects from leveling dirt around the new barn to building trusses, putting a fork lift together and get it running, to setting a generator to moving shipping containers into place for storage. 

Craig was able to take a load of corn into the neighboring village with Fabian and other African guys.  He met Fabian's wife and got a tour of their house. Fabian is in charge of PK 22 (photos of PK22 on FB) for ICDI.   Craig also got into a short soccer game with local children, sorry he did not have his camera. 

We also visited the ICDI Orphan Care Center (photos of summer camp here).  We toured the center looking at the woodworking shop used to train the boys as well as the sewing room for the girls (photos of expo).  We met with the directors and learned about the program.

Tim

Woodworking Trade Finished Products

Sewing Products on display

Helping Africa one barn at a time!

Today we finished the barn!!  The guys did a great job figuring everything out.  Like putting a puzzle together, we put the barn together piece by piece.  However, we did have pieces left over but I'm pretty confident they were extras.  Since we worked so hard this week, we decided to only work half a day.  The afternoon we went and visited a farmer who is growing spirulina, bananas, and fish.  We especially were interested in the spirulina growing as it can provide many nutritional  benefits to those who eat it. 

Tim

[PHOTOS] What would your commute to work in Africa look like?

Here are some more pictures from the road as we commute to work.  Enjoy

Tim

140 degrees in the sunshine, but work gets done in CAR

Temp Reading 140 degrees

Not a lot of exciting stories today, just hard, hot work.  We got the siding and cover on the barn and Rick and Bruce built a wagon.  The temperature reached over 140 when the clouds parted.  Here are some new pictures.  Thanks for your prayers.

Tim

Wednesday

Clearing land for the pond

Well our last two days have been filled with work on the pond.  Nothing really exciting but digging as fast as we can because we all wanted to leave with the pond at least functioning.  We worked long hours both days to reach the point where the pond is ready to be filled by a small stream.  We faced challenges with some of the equipment but our team remained positive and did the best we could to keep the project moving forward.

Today was our last day of project work so we took time at the end of our day to say our good byes to the group of guys who we worked with from ICDI.  Through our translater we expressed our joy in serving along side of these men and their hard work to help us.  We also spent some time in prayer committing the work we accomplished together to God.  We also prayed for God's blessing on the continuing work both with the water well drilling compound as well as the agricultural work.  We prayed for the men and their families.

Pond is ready for next phase

It is wonderful to know that our partnership with ICDI will continue with the goal not only to provide for the physical needs of Central Africans but to tell them about the "Living Water" and the "Bread Of Life".  Spreading the love of Jesus is why we come all this way, sacrificing vacation time and time with family. While the projects we accomplished encouraged and inspired those working with us and observing us,  we want them to see Jesus in the way we live our lives. 

It is always hard to convey to you on the blog how God works in each one of us when we step out in faith and watch God do His projects through us, so I encourage you to ask us.  Please be patient with us however, it takes a while to process everything we have experienced but I can promise you each one of has seen God work during our short stay here in the CAR.

Tomorrow is a fun day so we will be visiting the orphan care center as well as touring Bangui.  We will begin packing and be ready to begin our journey back home Friday morning.  Please continue to pray for us and all of our flight to come.  We arrive in Cleveland around 2pm.

To God Be the Glory
Tim

Bloggers NOTE: the team got their flight canceled in Wash DC. No flights to Cleveland for two days. So team is driving home to OH from DC. Pray for safe travels. 

What's on your menu for lunch? Roasted Snake?

PK-22: "Fry-Day"

PK-22: Photo courtesy of Tom Peters

Friday was our second full day at PK-22, we felt like we made good progress on our projects today.  While we waited for supplies for the skid steer loader, we began placing large shipping containers to be used as the shop area for the water well team. 

Backhoe moving containers at PK22

Shipping containers are not only for shipping supplies in from all over the world but they also serve as buildings and storage facilities for the work of ICDI.  We used the backhoe to move and arrange the containers. 

For lunch we went to a local restaurant which we had placed our order the day before.  Our meal consisted of chicken, cucumber salad, rice, gozo, and mango for dessert.  The food was actually pretty good and it gave Dale a chance to try the local delicacy of Gozo which has a unique local taste.  I encourage you to ask any of us who have eaten it before to tell you what it's like. Usually it's not a favorite for non-locals. :)

After lunch our supplies arrived for the skid steer so Dale and Rick worked to get the problems correctly.  Thankfully there efforts were successful and we finally were at full working capacity.

Dale and Rick worked on the plant nursery leveling dirt and making water diversion ditches.  I took the backhoe and began clearing a road back to where there is an abandoned building which Nanga hopes to build an office for PK-22. 

As part of my project I demolished what remained of the old building. Part way through my efforts I scooped up a funny looking tree branch which I quickly realized was a 6ft long poisonous snake.  Thankfully for me I was safe in the backhoe!  The snake retreated under some of the rubble I had just removed from the building.  John Hocking went and got a machete and then I moved the rubble to find the snake so we could make sure it did not cause any problems.  I can give more details later but I will just say the snake is dead.  One of the guys wanted to take a picture of the snake but the Africans working near us had already started cooking the snake.  They were excited that I had provided them a tasty meal.

FYI The temperature was 130 in the sun!! (At that temperature you can cook a pork loin in a rotisserie grill. Check out Ehow, step 4. Wow, that's hot! by Pastor Daron)

Thanks for your prayers
Tim

PK22 is not just a Danish leather lounge chair

PK-22

PK22 Danish Lounge Chair

 Today was our first day to visit ICDI's new land called PK-22.  This land is under contract from the CAR government to ICDI to develop agricultural and development projects that will impact the people of the CAR. 

 It was our joy to receive the grand tour of the 360 acres from Nanga Kaye, ICDI's chief agronomist.  It does not take long to hear the excitement that Nanga has for the potential of this land.  The passion is infectuous and we are excited to join him in developing ICDI's fields of dreams.  Nanga was excited to show us all sides of the land which also helped us with our excercise program because we walked and walked and walked as Nanga shared his dream for each area of the land.

PK-22: Land provided by CAR government

Oh, did I mention it was around 100 degrees and very sunny!  It was hot but it was awesome to see  all the land has to offer.  Some of the dreams include: developing fields of corn, soybeans, peanuts, and other crops that will provide seeds for a seed bank as well food to eat.  Other plans are for an orchard with fruit trees.  Ponds to grow and harvest fish will also be dug too.  The new land will also provide another base camp for the water well drilling teams.  Shipping containers are already here and are going to be used to store equipment and much needed parts.  A tractor and farming equipment as well as a barn and well drilling equipment is on its way across the ocean from Ohio and will end up here at PK-22.

Our projects while we are here will involve clearing land for fields, helping with drainage, arranging and setting up shipping containers, diggings fish ponds and clearing paths making the land more accessible.

Nanga Kaye-ICDI Ag Director

After lunch we began some of our work with ICDI's backhoe and skid steer loader.  Our plan is to train the ICDI staff how to properly operate this equipment as well as use the equipment ourselves.  As our work began, we soon experienced working in Africa, that means things don't always work the way they should.  We spend most of the afternoon trying to fix the skid steer.  Rick and Dale did their best to diagnose the problems but with no success.  While they struggled with that I began to clear land with the backhoe at least it worked.  The land I worked on will be used as a plant nursery so it needs to be flat as well as protected from run off from heavy rains.

Thanks to a call to Jason Steiner of Lowe and Young farm equipment, we now have better ideas to diagnose and fix the skid steer tomorrow when we return to PK-22.

Another goal of ICDI is to be a blessing to the village that is next to PK-22 so today Tom Peters and Ted Rondeau of ICDI spent time talking to village leaders hoping begin building relationships.  We also stopped at a local restaurant to see about getting food for future days lunches. Not a fast food place but we hope to eat there tomorrow.  We put our order in today so it will be ready for lunch tomorrow.  We ordered two chickens, (yes whole chickens) cooked to order, rice, and drinks (#1combo meal).Smile!

Well, I will give you a food review for tomorrows blog entry so stay tuned.

Thanks for all of your prayers
Tim

Today in the CAR [guest post by Rick Ratzel]

PK22 land provided by CAR government

From facebook today (Thu Apr 7) "Today in the CAR..We walked around the new ICDI ag center land today checking out the 360 acres there.

(We) came back after lunch and started working on clearing land till the skidsteer shut down..Worked on it till it was time to leave,so yes I got dirty already.

Thankful for my leatherman cause tools are scarse..Should sleep good,it was hot today..Again,thanks for all your prayers,we sure appreciate them."

Please leave a comment for the team so that they can gain encouragement from your visit at the blog. 

Thanks to Pastor Tom Peters for the pictures of PK-22 from FB.  Pictured below are the tools Rick used for the day. These are the kind of things the team is working with in Bangui, CAR.  Please pray for their great health, physical stamina and rest, and godly relationships.

Skidsteer

 

 

 

 

Leatherman

 

Coming Home from Central Africa

Well, we made it!

We are now back in the capital city of Bangui.  Tomorrow night (Thursday, March 25) we leave at 11pm (6pm OH/PA time).  This will probably be my last message from the CAR.  Thanks to all who have faithfully prayed for us.  It has been an adventure the last two weeks but God has been so gracious to all of us for sustaining us as well as challenging us. 

We all have seen and experienced more than we will be able to describe, so be patient with us when we come home.  There is a process we go through, we are ready to come home but we have been deeply impacted by what we have experienced here and it takes time to adjust back to American life.  This is called reverse culture shock. 

All we have seen for the last two weeks is extreme poverty.  We have seen people who survive day to day, there savings account only includes goats.  Having enough food to eat is a daily struggle that sometimes doesn't work out and one goes hungry.  Most live without what we would consider necessities: electricity, tv, internet, video games, toilets, running water in your house, cups, and etc. 

When we come home sometimes it is a shock to see how much we waste as Americans or what Americans complain about.  Our perspective has been changed. 

But we also bring lots of stories of hope that only comes from God working through people who love Him to help those who are the forgotten.  We have seen the hope that comes through drilling a water well, planting fruit trees, digging lattrines, radio programs, rescuing orphans, and just showing that you value everyone.  A simple wave driving past a village brings smiles and shouts of thank you, thank you.  Simple acts of kindness goes a long way.

Our two weeks is coming to an end but ICDI's work continues so please join us in supporting ICDI with your prayers, finances, skills, and other resources.  We have had a small glimpse into the challenges of this ministry. 

In fact, even today we found out that the drill team that is drilling in the northern part of the CAR was being held in a village at gunpoint.  They were told "you can leave as soon as you drill us a well".  Unfortunatey that village is not scheduled to get a well because of limited funding. 

How would you handle today's dilemna?  There have been other major dilemas happening while we have been here, this is not easy work.  Please pray especially for Jim Hocking as he feels the weight of these situations. 

I am glad we serve a big and awesome God whose wisdom is unmatched and who we can "cast all of cares on Him because He cares for us."  No problem  is too big for God to handle.  This however doesn't only apply to those working in Africa, this is the same God that can work in your life in the midst of your daily struggles.  Trust Him, read His word and pray to Him!!

It has been great to get to know John, Kevin, and Sonny from Hanover, PA.  Thanks to all of there friends and family for reading this blog and praying for all of us.

1Peter 4:7-10 says,"The end of all things is near.  Therefore be clear minded and self controlled so that you can pray.  Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various form."

Serving Jesus Christ

Tim Harley