Work Progressing at Rugari Lulenga Primary School

Sunday, July 13, 2008
What an auspicious day! Exactly 5 months ago today I arrived here in Goma and today we had what may be the first ever Catholic Mass in English. There were perhaps 13 people present, 14 with the priest, Abbe Oswald Musoni. We held this event at the Caritas Guest House, a beautiful setting with the lake in the background. Perhaps another time we will have the service outside where we can really enjoy nature. There are some who are so excited about this new venture that they are looking for this service every Sunday. We will see how it goes….exciting news for people like me who have sat for months in worship difficult to understand and now my longing for the familiar spoken Word has been satisfied just a touch!!!

Now onto the topic of the blog for this week, I seek to tell the story of the ongoing work at one of the Rugari Primary Schools. This is the school of Lulenga where we are helping to finish the construction of two classrooms. We are progressing, but the work had stopped because they ran out of cement and “Kohash” to mix the cement. We hope to deliver the needed supplies the end of next week when the windows and doors will also be completed and take a full truck load of supplies out to the site. I will see what I can do to get pictures of the truck supply when it goes.

The first picture here is of Abbe John Fidel talking construction as we stand beside the building that is going up.

The view from the end of a long line of classrooms.

We are at the point of placing the wood triplex sheeting in the ceiling but need to get the nails delivered so as to continue this phase. I will purchase them next week. This photo also shows the small window openings on the mountainside of the building. I can’t imagine that they will close this space with a solid window of glass, it would be a shame to lose the fresh air. Well, I will ask more about that next week.

The floors are being prepared for the final cement topcoat; they are being leveled with rock to fill in and level the floor. One of the problems I have noted in the construction here is that cement is often applied too thin in an effort to cut costs and then the floor spoils easily. Another reason for the cement spoiling easily is the poor materials used to mix, often times the sand and gravel are of poor quality, not well cleaned, and much dirt remains, decreasing the absolute strength of the cement. I am in conversation with the engineers for the building of the Gisiza Secondary School about this problem. When we build it must be in materials of high quality so that this will be a school that lasts the test of time, to last a hundred years would be a wonderful goal.

I also thought you might enjoy a look at a three stage projection of the ongoing work from approximately the same view.

This is the project at the point of construction before we began.

This photo is from my first visit after our work commenced. Roof going up, walls finished, but voids in the peak and no framing for the ceiling in place, also no floor work done yet.

Third Stage Photo:

Looking closely you can see the progress unfolding. Notice the MONUC sentry post is no longer present, they have moved down closer to the church. The framing is present to close in the ceiling with triplex, the floors are being prepared and not visible in the photo, but a previous, the peak has been closed in with block.

This nice little structure, NOT!!!, is the latrine utilized by all the students and teachers, a rather foul smelling affair. This is the view looking down the hill from the new construction of above photos. Perhaps in their future would be the construction of a nice new latrine with a septic tank, Turkish style toilets, water to flush, and an intensive training program on the hygienic use of such a facility…I do have my dreams!!!

I must close with two photos near and dear to my heart, the first is a photo from my first visit to Rugari in February when the church was empty and there was no active ecclesia present at the site, an empty church, silent and waiting to be filled again.

Last Sunday, July the 6th, I saw the filling of this church again when I went to the first service of the morning, filled to about three-fourths with people, filled with song and prayer of praise and worship. This is the site I have been longing to see.

For now I send this as the news from Rugari of the last week I spent there, a nice report of work we ARE ACCOMPLISHING. Thank you all for your continued support in prayer and action, God Bless you all!!!

I send my greetings and love in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
Jackie