Heading Home!!

Well yet another amazing trip to S/A has ended for us- - -all except another 8 hour plane ride from Paris to Phil.We are all exhausted but feel wonderful as we do on every trip to S/A

Unlike most of the younger folks that come on these trips, Vicki and I "choose" to "disconnect" for two weeks.We are old enough to know that the world can survive just fine with us not being connected. It is different since we come together and have not left a spouse/family behind. I  still even show my work Out of Office message to say that I am in rural S/A on a church mission trip with NO CONNECTIVITY. Alyssa or Mark will be glad to assist you in my absence! I do not mention that there is some intermittent connection capability that we will have our downtime in CapeTown, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen.

Now to the building. Of course the houses being built by Mosaic look like all of the other ones we built in past years. It takes us a day or so to "regain" a semblance of skill with a trowel and DUGGA/cement!  Before you know it, you begin to think you really can lay brick.

The main focus of this years bricklaying for me was bathrooms. I did one shower and bricked a bathtub in place. That was just after Patty and I had finished a great looking wall- - - - - - and then the S/A foreman came along and sold "NO NO-WINDOW GOES THERE!!!!!"
Patty and I both agree that was "his " responsibility to tell us where windows go!

Bricklaying was not the only task that we did. Folks painted floors,glued down carpet tiles in two house (on top of concrete). The fumes were quite strong. At one point Vicki and Patty had been doing that for hours- - - - and they both thought Tony was Nelson Mandella !! After some fresh air-they returned to normal.

Tony supervised, Cammy directed and Seth, Matt, Jim, Patty Stephanie, Vicki and I joined in with our local workers to actually make good progress.This trip was a day or so shorter as to work but we all agreed that we really laid a lot of brick.

As always, doing this work is the real reason we come here and come back. When we presented Nozuko a stove and fridge for that house she will move into soon- - - - her reaction of tears and head shaking says all you need to know. Yes the flights are long and difficult, and it is not cheap but when you realize that you joy gave the most deserving person in the world the S/A version "Powerball"- - -you know why you came.

This country and this amazing vision of Meyer Conrad and Mosaic has left an indelible memory on our hearts and souls. We will continue coming here as long as we are able.

Dick