Dan Divelbiss

Apologies to everyone for the delay in posting.  I got very behind with people coming and going and work in the bodega.  Here are a couple pictures from last week below.

We´re all ready to put the roof on and finish the interior but we are running short on funding.  To put the roof on it will cost about $1400 and the interior/finishing touches is about $2000 more.  Margarito and I are praying for the funding to come in and we´d also like to ask all of our friends and supporters to pray for it as well.

Also, some bad news.. Last Thursday the center was broken into (again, it happened last November as well) and about $550 worth of tools were stolen.  We really need to finish the construction so that our facilities will be protected and we can better serve the people of Santa Maria.

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Sorry about the delay..  a group from my home church in Cincinnati was down and I spent alot of time catching up.

Now that we have completed the foundation, the walls are going up quickly. 

We’re almost done with the walls of the foundation. 

We’re putting in the walls of the foundation..

Day 10 was marked by digging (clearing out the footers) and some concrete pouring (filling in the footers).  Day 11 we finished placing rebar in for the foundation and then had a six-hour concrete pouring marathon.  It was incredible.  I’m so glad we have the cement mixer.. I’m pretty sure I’d be dead if we didn’t.

Today we dug some more.  Also, we placed the footers and the rebar columns.

Day 7

Today was pretty relaxed.  I worked at a steady pace under the direction of Margarito and our new mason, Acesion.  Basically we just cut and tied a lot of rebar today.

Day 8

Today we tied more rebar and dug out alittle more of the foundation so the footers would fit.  Also, a friend of mine from school, Brian (he’s an architect), came to Santa Maria to help us finalize the plans for the AT Center.  If all goes well we ought to be pouring concrete by Monday.

Day 5 

After three days, we have finished digging the foundation.  This would not have happened so quickly, or at all, without the support of the students from WhiteRock Academy in Canada.  Thank you WhiteRock.

The next step is to begin tying rebar for the columns and the base so that we can pour the footers and lay the foundation.  We hope to begin on that tomorrow if everything is in working order..  Margarito’s truck, a relic from the 80s, started leaking brake fluid again so it will need to go into the shop.  Fortuntately all the rebar has already been delivered so we can begin tying.

Day 6

Margarito and I decided to take a day long break after the students left.  It was hard work to keep pace with those kids.  I think Mission Impact needs to bring down a team of chiropractors.

So, this team of high school students from Canada is an incredible group of workers.  The only thing we’ve done for the past two days is dig and move dirt and they are engaged and motivated.  We haven’t had to sing or dance or anything to keep them interested.  

In the past two days of work we have dug the majority of the foundation for the new AT Center.  Below are some pictures from the end of day 3.  I’ll keep you all posted on the progress.