December 22 Cement Truck in Africa?! YES!!

It came!  It came!! Three hours late, but it came!  A cement truck, delivering mixed cement to a construction site!  Amazing!  Really, it is.

December 21

Pictures taken on December 21, 2011.  How did a couple weeks go by with no updated photos?  Sorry about that.  Between the internet not working, forgetting to take the camera, and forgetting to take pictures... and Ron had to complete comments for report cards on his Carpentry class,  it's been a busy month!

So here's what it looked like the 21st.  Needed to see this before the 22nd, which is when the floor is to be poured.

We Never Did That Before!

"I'm doing something I never would have considered doing in Africa before."  Ron said. 
What's he talking about?  Downhill skiing on Mount Cameroon?  Keep a pair of white shorts white?

Nope.  But those are good guesses, and still not actually possible to do.

He's gotten to the stage in construction where a lot of cement is needed for the floor.  Usually we order truckloads of gravel, sand, and bags of cement.  And then have several guys mix the concrete in a pile on the ground, while more guys wheel barrel the mixture to where it's needed; pouring a floor wheel barrel at a time, over a period of days, with somewhat inconsistent batches of concrete.  But in this major metropolis which is growing, expanding, Ron noticed cement trucks. 

"I'm having cement trucks deliver cement to pour the floors" Ron says.  And he has ordered a couple big cement truck loads of already mixed concrete to pour floors at the Hostel! 

This may not sound like a big deal to you, but for us it is.  First time ever in all our African life, we're looking forward to cement trucks delivering and pouring cement floors all in one day! 

December 9

Ron took these pics December 9...

Foundation being laid, with CMF Hostel in the background

December 3

Progress!  First blocks are being laid. 
Ron went out to the site today and took these pictures:

Preparing Foundations

November 23 Ron took these pics...

Leveling the foundation (CMF Hostel in background)

Hostel site -- CMF to the right; wall to the left; duplex straight ahead

The side closest to the wall

Establishing the foundation for the split level

Foundation for the duplex is prepared at the same time.  Containers at the base of the duplex will be used to store construction supplies while the hostel is being built.

We're working on getting containers to use for storage during construction.  These containers will be the lower level of the duplex - and will serve to get the duplex higher (better ventilation in the living spaces).  And they'll be great for storage once the duplex is complete.  Pray that we find good containers at a good price soon!

Dedication of the Work

"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain."  Psalm 127:1

On Thursday November 17, 2011 Cameroonians and missionaries gathered around to dedicate the work of building UBAC Hostel to the Lord. 

Getting Ready

Fast forward from January to October 2011.  Now the CMF Hostel is complete and occupied.  UBAC Hostel drawings have been done, more details planned, and it's time to get the area ready.  Over the summer Ron had the guys work at clearing brush and cutting trees.



View of CMF Hostel, AOG houses & workshop as seen from future site of UBAC Hostel



Pivot to the right, you see the gate - entrance to hostel property



Follow the wall to the right again and there's RFIS on the other side.

View of hostel site from inside the entrance gate.



Newly made cement blocks drying in the sun (CMF Hostel top right)



Continue along the wall, down the hill, and this'll be a duplex for staff.



Before the Work Began

In January 2011 when the CMF Hostel foundation was in, like this...

UBAC Hostel's future location was used for the fabrication of cement blocks in CMF Hostel construction.  And the workers had a little shack to live in, shown below at the top of the picture.  That shack, torn down once CMF Hostel construction was completed, is right where UBAC Hostel is going in.

And in January 2011, Mark Post, an architect from Ziegelbaur's home church in Grand Rapids, MI came to work on drawings for the hostel and to take a look at the land.



The orange rectangle in the wall is the door leading to RFIS.



Paul Noren, Ron Z & Mark Post walking the path from UBAC location to future location of staff duplex.





Welcome to the New UBAC Hostel Construction Blog!

The blog is new, and the hostel is new too!  Big project starting at the ECIP (Covenant ministry in Cameroon) property adjacent to Rain Forest International School (RFIS).  Here's where to go for the before, during and after pictures.  Not only do we hope to keep you updated on the progress, but will update you on how to pray as the work moves along.