Archive for June, 2010
Elevating!
Friday, June 25th, 2010
The time has almost come to move on to the next part of our construction. As you can see from the latest pictures, the foundation portion of the first three classrooms is nearing completion.
It is very exciting to see the building taking shape.
To complete this part of the project, they need to bring in more sand to fill the forms and make more 
bricks for the walls.
Paul Agboglo, our Liaison Officer will go to the village to inspect and approve the work that has been done. Assuming he signs off on this work, we will start the elevation portion of the school.
We have learned that the children are helping out twice a week bringing water when needed! This is part of their “extra curricular activities.” They are very proud to be helping to build their school. Having everyone invested in the building process is so important to the overall success of the project.
A quick update on the “Second Annual Bachelor Auction and Wine Tasting” event. We have 12 bachelors!! Still need to find three more. If you live in the Chico area, please mark you calendars for October 1, 2010. The event will take place at the Elk’s Lodge in Chico. If you would like to attend and want to pre-register, drop me a line at natalie@leapingstone.org. We would love to see you there!
Cheers,
Natalie
A Foundation to Build a Dream On
Friday, June 18th, 2010
We have just received the latest report from Dédékè, Togo. I am happy to report that the foundation is coming along.
Mr. Magno Kuma - Mason
Here are more pictures of the progress!
As you might remember in the last post, Liqua, my assistant while in Togo, had a very bad bout with malaria. I am happy to report she is feeling better.
Unfortunately, Paul, our Liaison Officer has also been down with malaria. I tell you, everyone I know there has it. It is a major problem, with no easy answer. You can see in the picture of the rain how the puddles form. Perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.
We are gearing up for the Second Annual Bachelor Auction and Wine Tasting event. I have 11 bachelors, but still could use 4 more! If you live in the Chico area, drop me a line if you know a bachelor who might want to help out. Please mark you calendars for Friday October 1, 2010. I’m looking forward to seeing you there.
Cheers,
Natalie
GOT CEMENT?
Saturday, June 5th, 2010Hey all,
We just received word from the contractor in Togo that they scored a good quantity of cement. I suspect things will move swiftly now. Gildas was kind enough to send some more photos.
Here are some hand-made brick they will be using for the foundation and the walls.
Rebar for columns and footings.
More sand. You can see the remains of a brick church that was never finished. Beyond that are the existing classrooms.
I had an interesting and fruitful experience the other day when I did a radio interview on Sirius 159/XM 117 Radio. There is a program on the Catholic Channel called “The Catholics Next Door”. The hosts are Greg and Jennifer Willitz.
They are terrific hosts — so easy to talk to. They were kind enough to send me a CD of the show, and I hope to have it up on the site soon for all to hear. Also, a listener to the program sent in a monthly donation of $25.00. That is awesome!
On a worrisome note: my adorable assistant in Togo — Liqua — has had a terrible bout with Malaria. Everyone I know in Togo has Malaria. It is horrible. The frustrating thing is that even people who are educated and have bed nets don’t use them because it is so hot and nobody has air conditioning. The bed nets tend to make you hotter and stop the little flow of air there is, so compliance is tough to achieve. I am very worried about her, and will keep you updated on her health.
On a lighter note, as of today I have seven/eight bachelors lined up for the “Second Annual Bachelor Auction and Wine Tasting” . I still need a few more, so if you live in the Chico area and know an eligible guy, please send him our way. I am always reachable at Natalie@leapingstone.org
Cheers,
Natalie
