Helping Africa one barn at a time

Crew mixing cement by hand

Today was another good day, thanks for all of your prayers for us.  God has blessed us with safety and success and good weather.  All of us are pretty tired tonight, starting to wear down a little but we are hoping to only work half a day tomorrow but I am impressed with everyone's commitment to work extremely hard and get as many projects done as we can.  The team is working extremely well together I thank God for each man. 

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

New pictures of the work the team is doing in the CAR with ICDI. Pictures show the ongoing construction of the barn for the agricultural center at PK22 in Bangui, CAR.  Thanks to the team for showing us their progress. Way to go team! We are so proud of God's work in you. Serve on!

The Amish would be jealous? Raising the barn in Central Africa

Raising the barn at ICDI

Today we got a lot accomplished on the barn.  We thank God for the safety of our guys because we worked with a lot of pieces of steel and some of the guys were up about 25' connecting the top of the barn.  Josh spent most of the day on scaffolding mounted on the bed of a truck and Craig spent most of the day in the bucket of the backhoe high up in the air.  We don't have access to special equipment that is available at home to get up high, so we have to be creative to make it work and still doing so with safety in mind. 

We appreciate your prayers as we will continue to work up high to finish the barn.  We also enjoyed our time with the other workers laughing at each other and learning each others langage a little.  We had competitons to see who could lift the arch structure into place with a group on each side, the Africans would cheer when they were first.  On the last arch they had  the Central Africans on one side and the Americans on the other side, thankfully for us we won!  I believe we are having an impact on these guys more than building a barn hopefully they see Jesus working through us.

Bruce and Rick continued their work on the farming equipment.  They even went out into the field and used the plow and trained the ICDI employees.

Bruce & Rick

I appreciated that Rick and Bruce wore matching outfits today I guess I did not get the memo.  Our team is doing a great job, each guy is willing to serve the Africans and each other.  We have lots of fun picking on each other but we all are committed to working as hard as we can to do as much as we can.  Thanks to all the families who have allowed these guys to be here.

Tim

[PHOTOS] New Horizons Team in Central Africa

Here are some pictures from the road and some children who came to see the big white men and Bruce with a distant relative.

Equipping Central Africans to take over [Guest post--Tim Harley]

Equipping men to mix cement

Tuesday, October 18 in the CAR

Today was another day at work.  We continued work on setting posts for the barn, the African staff mixed cement by hand on the ground.  One of our goals is to teach the Africans so it was exciting to see them catching on to how to use the transit and set the posts and make them perfectly level.  We just stepped back and let them do it.  It is also great to see our guys bridging the language barrier teaching them with hand signals and also laughing at each other.  We look forward to working with them tomorrow.  Rick and Bruce continued working making adjustments on the tractor and getting the equipment ready to go to the fields.  We did a little sight seeing at the end of the day and enjoyed sodas sitting down by the river.

More tomorrow.

Tim

Team arrives in Bangui! [Guest Post by Tim Harley]

Sunset in Bangui

Hello!  We made it! 

Our journey to the Central African Republic began at 2am. Saturday morning as we loaded our luggage and left for the airport.  We arrived in Bangui 2pm Sunday, I think all the guys would say it was a test of endurance but now we can relax a little and sleep in a bed tonight.  We thank God for protecting us on our flights and allowing us to make all of our connecting flights.  We are especially thankful that all of our luggage arrived with us; we had 18 checked bags at 50pounds full of donated tools and gifts for orphans plus 2 carry ons a piece.  Our first flight out of Cleveland ran out of storage space for the luggage and had to put some bags in a closet in the main cabin so that tells you we were leaving our mark

Once we arrived at the guest house we enjoyed some cool water and made our introductions with the ICDI staff who are here.  Jay Parks is the Chief Financial Officer and Jay Hocking helps with the computer network for ICDI in the CAR.  Now for what we came for, we drove to the property we will be working at which is called PK 22.  PK 22 is the name for property that ICDI(Integrated Community Development International www.icdinternational.org)has aquired from the CAR government to use as its new headquarters for the water well drilling and Agricultural teams.  One area will be used as a shop area with storage and mechanical repair capabilities.  The other parts of the property are being used to grow fruits and vegetables.  Our projects will impact both areas of PK 22. 

I look forward to how God will use the unique skills of the men on this team to further the work of ICDI and its desire to be used by God to help the impoverished people of the CAR physically and spiritually.

The attached pictures show some of the equipment we will be working with that was shipped from the Wooster area.  God also welcomed us with an amazing sunset while we concluded our time at PK 22 for today.  Thanks to God and thanks you for your prayers!

Tim Harley 

Ag-Director Nanga gets training with tractor

The New Horizons Team is leaving this early morning for the Cleveland airport to embark on a short term missions trip to the Central African Republic. We praise God for this team of seven men. You can read about them on yesterday's post (October 14, 2011).

Tim Harley shared the purposes of the trip to build relationships, do construction, training, and projects with ICDI staff from Oct 14-29.  Follow their adventures on the short term blog www.woostercar.blogspot.com. (See detailed goals below as well as pictures)

Construct building like this one pictured

• continue partnership with ICDI(Integrated Community Development International) www.icdinternational.org 
• construct large building for new headquarters for ICDI well drilling and Ag ministries donated by local business
• train African staff to operate farm tractor and equipment donated by local individuals and businesses (see picture below)
• clear more land for farm fields
• construct second pond for raising fish
• repair dam in river
• electrical work for mechanics shop
• build shelving for storage containers
• continue to build relationships with African ICDI staff
• visit ICDI orphan care center

Pictures of Proposed Projects the team will pursue:

ICDI Agricultural Center

ICDI AG-Center Gardens

To excavate a New Fish Pond

Donated Farm Equipment for the ICDI AG-Center:

Seven Men Leave Wooster Grace

Departing tomorrow at 3am, Saturday October 15, seven men from the New Horizons ABF will gather to pray and to say farewells. The team will travel to the other side of the world--to the Central African Republic (CAR). These seven men leave Wooster Grace to share God's love in a real way. 

Tim Harley & Bruce Imhoff

The team is led by Tim Harley. Tim has been to Central Africa on many occasions to leverage his skills as well-driller and large machinery driver. By God's grace, relationships with Central Africans will be renewed and solidified.

Bruce Imhoff returns to the CAR for a second time. His first trip prompted him to help in any way he could. He partnered with a Central African to facilitate the start of a spirulina pool for harvesting the protein-rich product so that this CAR family could support themselves and help others.

Rick Ratzel

God has worked in Rick Ratzel's life each time he has spent time in Central Africa. The more recent time when Rick served he was able to bring a bicycle for Andre the head of Guest House Services. Rather than purchase a car or truck, the bicycle greatly enhances Andre's life.  To pedal to work or to do errands, maximizes getting things done.  Rick knows all about "African" time. But has a great attitude and a huge heart for the people.  Wooster Grace praises the Lord for those in our church who seek to make a difference in far away places with the limited vacation time they accrue. I can't wait to hear how the bicycle has improved the service and ministry in Central Africa.

Larry Wiseman

This is not the first time Larry Wiseman has traveled to Africa. I can't remember which North African country he visited. I'll have to get an update from him to post later.  But Larry has always wanted to return to Africa.
Larry attended the New Horizons ABF and heard about their passion to develop fully devoted followers in all the nations of the world through their group. He witnessed how men from the ABF went to the CAR to help last year.  Now he gets to go with a team of seven to minister in the CAR. He will surely recall his time in Africa to draw from those experiences and encourage the team to persevere despite unknown challenges ahead.  Wooster Grace praises God for ABFs who not only grow deep in community, but also reach out together to impact the world for Christ. I can't wait to ask Larry how his two trips to Africa compare. 

Craig Simmons, Dave Brenneman, &
Josh Weiser

The last three men have never been to Africa before.  By reviewing itineraries, cultural challenges, and health & safety concerns, Tim has tried to equip the team for what may await the team.  I guess the can meet and talk, but in the end, you got to get on the plane and disembark in Africa to feel the experience yourself.  I pray for the team now. Even though we commissioned them with prayer this past Sunday, the team covets your prayers.  Please keep in prayer these three men: Craig Simmons, Dave Brenneman, Josh Weiser. May the God the Holy Spirit empower them to glorify the Lord, to love one another, and to love every person they meet on the way to Africa and back home again. 

I want to pause here to ask, if you ever sense God prompting you to start thinking about going to the world to impact people for Christ, then please contact Pastor Daron (330) 264-9459 x 236.  I'd love to discuss why you'd like to go, what a successful missions trip might look like, and brainstorm how to help you discern God's will for a missions trip.  Tomorrow I will post their prayer requests, goals, and tentative work projects.  Please keep checking back to view pictures and comments from the team while they are in the CAR. 

Be on on-mission today by praying for the New Horizons Short Term Missions Team!

[Guest Post] Melissa shares about our time with the school children

Waiting for the bus

What an experience our family has had. Two days ago we learned again how schedules are different in the DR.  We took a 20 minute walk to meet the bus again. This time we walked in the daylight.  We praise God for our family as they greeted every Dominican passing-by with a smile and an "hola."

We arrived at the bus stop "on-time." The target time was 3pm. We arrived at 2:59pm.

We waited.

We waited.

We waited.

Getting on bus

A good lesson in patience emerged because we waited for over an hour before the bus arrived.

Excitement and nervousness stirred in our kids--uneasy about the unknown. We arrived at the school. The schoolyard was filled with children dressed in blue & white uniforms. The sheer numbers of students amazed us.  Six years ago only 40 students attended. Today almost 600 students attend in two sessions--morning and afternoon.  The wealthy Dominicans and nationals pay for their kids to go to school in the morning session. Then in the afternoon session the poor families especially the Haitian children go to school for free.

Johanna, the Principal

The principal Johanna gave us a tour of the school and we interacted with the students during on of their recesses.  The girls painted fingernails and faces. The boys played a pickup game of basketball.  Our children showed brave hearts as they tried to communicate with the students.

The most stretching experience was the bus ride after school. Imagine 90 kids plus 12 US Citizens packed into a 66 passenger bus. The afternoon session had Dominican and Haitian children to take home.  So we felt  surrounded. The school children wanted attention and love, so they crowded closer and closer--pushing each other out of the way to touch us. Of course, our children were overwhelmed.  Personal space is different here in the DR.

Our family was taken-aback by the visible poverty and odorous filth as we dropped children off at their homes. But there was hope.  On each child's face hope shines through. Praise God for this school's dedication and love for the children who attend the school. We look forward to spend more time with them and possibly sponsor one of the children as a family.

Thanks for your prayers. We leave in four hours for the airport. We are scheduled to arrive at 10:30pm tonight. Adios!