New team, same leader
Richard Brelsford’s team 19 members including families with teenagers, continued the construction of Rosa’s house that the Elevate youth group team had begun in June. The Elevate team had laid out the house, installed columns, built walls, and installed a roof. The house has earthquake resistant construction, with an approved design, and is composed of concrete slabs for rapid construction. For more information, see the blog I posted in mid-July (below).
Richard’s team members followed the Elevate team’s program, dividing each day into groups. During the mornings, most worked at the house, while a group of four or five helped with advanced English classes. In the afternoons, another group of four or five helped with children’s activities at the Los Chiles Methodist church. In this way, most team members participated in all three activities. Below are some pictures taken during the week.
Attending church service
The Sunday School program was well attended.
Sunday evening service with communion.
Continuing constructing Rosa’s house
The tasks the team carried out included: applying wall treatments to both the exterior and interior walls; building frames for and installing exterior fiberboard in the roof’s eaves, gables, and soffits; digging and installing a septic tank and drain field; and placing concrete floors. All enjoyed the experience, and no one had problems getting to sleep!
The team walks to the work site.
The work week started with a prayer at the job site.
Bringing in the concrete mixer to the site.
Mixing concrete for the new floor.
Placing concrete floors.
Chente makes a list of items to get at the hardware store.
Installing the electrical conduits.
Power outlets are embedded in the columns.
Chente installing cable into the conduits.
Digging the ditch for the septic system was a lot of work.
Filling in the drain field.
Rocks fill the drainage ditch.
Backfilling the drainage field’s trench.
Blake Davidson, AVS Executive Director, takes a turn at shoveling
One, two, three! to move the heavy pipe in place to make the septic well.
Installing the septic well.
The lid to the septic tank had the team members’ names.
The team was happy to complete the drainage ditch
The plain concrete walls need to be prepared to receive mortar.
Fran applying cement mortar to the concrete panels.
Applying the concrete finish is harder than it looks.
AVS interns help with applying concrete mortar.
Chente, an AVS carpenter, finishes off the eve.
Installing the exterior fiberboard in the house’s gables.
The team.
Helping with English classes
Advanced English classes are held Mondays to Fridays from 8 AM to 11 AM. Agua Viva Serves’ three interns have participated in many of the classes, and work teams have contributed members as well. It has been an excellent way for the teams to learn about Costa Rica; meet local young people; and make friends.
Practicing answers to customers’ complaints .
Practicing filling out forms.
Friday afternoon there was a soccer game with the English students.
Working with children in the afternoon
Four or five of Richard’s team volunteered each day to work in the afternoons with children at the Los Chiles Methodist church. There are few, if any structured children’s activities in Los Chiles, so attendance was good; around 60 children most days. Team members help with craft, lead games, and, on Thursdays, participate in Water Day.
Making bracelets.
Bubbles are a lot of fun
Slip and slide on a large plastic sheet is a favorite water day activity.
Bob with AVS in Costa Rica 