Day 6 - Fourth day of the Build

The build week is starting to wind down and the idea that we only have one day left to get stuff done is quite a bit daunting. The reality, though, is that there will be many that come in behind us to finish off what was not ale to be completed. Over the next 6 weeks Habitat will drill 26 wells in the community and construct a latrine for each home. Future plans for the community (in addition to adding another 350 homes) include a school and market place. The homes we are building are called "core homes" and are designed to be added onto as the families that own them are able to come up with the money to do so. Habitat is also going to require that each homeowner participate in building construction education which they will provide. This is a very good program. Today went slow and there were a couple construction stumbling blocks of our own creation... but we adjusted and came out okay... just wanted to be clear about that. It has been incredibly hot, and team members (myself included) are feeling the toll of the week. Not having Salim (this, I promise, is the CORRECT spelling of his name... I've gotten it wrong twice before) also hurt our productivity today. I've posted pictures on facebook showing the progress on our houses... might be that tomorrow we will attempt to get the second house dried in (that is, under a roof). Our day tomorrow starts an hour earlier (at 5 am for breakfast) so that we can get in a full day and have time for each house crew to have a photo opp with President Carter. Should be quite the circus. he sat down with the entire camp tonight for a little fireside chat type Q & A... talked a lot about what the Carter Center does, mixed in some political overtones, etc, etc. Even so... it's kind of cool to be within a 100 feet of a U.S. President when he speaks. It's pretty amazing to consider all the good he has done and is still doing for the world. I finally got a couple pictures of a home that was crumbled by the earthquake. Check them out on facebook. There plenty of views outside the bus windows on the way to and from the work site that let you know how terrible the quake must have been. Don't know what more I can say about today. Thanks to all of you for taking an interest in this blog. There's only a couple more to go. Peace, and Good Night.