Week 5 ~ Just pictures

By now I figured I might be boring some people with my poor writing ability so this post will consist of mostly pictures.  Thanks for following.

Where I reside - The Phoenix

You normally open a coconut with a machete but not Javier. 

This is how a state-sider construction worker opens a 

coconut, and did you notice his customized hardhat? 

Kingdom Hall construction Group water-cooler. This symbol 

is on just about everything that belongs to the group.

Nock-off Flamin' Hot Cheetos full of MSG and an allergy warning for just about everything out there.

This is me with Jarred and Dawn Klingbeil.  They were with the 

construction group for about a year and are now reassigned to 

Guam Bethal to be a part of the Construction Desk.

The Klingbeils left on Tuesday so we had some dessert for 

them after Watchtower Prep on Monday night.  Carmel 

fudge brownies and cookies n cream ice cream!  It was great.

I'm a little deprived of ice cream out here so I couldn't  help 

but eat 3 bowls...that and then a game of ping pong was not 

a good combination, take my word for it.

Let's eat lunch! 3 of these lobsters are cheaper then a can of chicken

Thanks for sending these Kina! Some gatorade powder is a
lifesaver in the middle of a hot day of work. 

Alan, Obed, and Brennen. These 3 guys have formed the mustache 

crew.  Why? Because they can.  Now Alan looks Chinese, Brennen 

looks 10 years older, and Obed actually pulls it off a little. 

This is Zip-Zip, the adopted KHG dog enjoying a coconut

She was very curious when she saw the flash of the camera

and came right out to me, which she usually never does

unless you have a bag of leftover food for her.

Full moon outside our window

Another beautiful sunrise, a little different this time.  

After a week of preparation, setting up forms and jacks all over the place, last Tuesday we poured the roof of the Kingdom Hall.  Two from the Guam branch, Travis and Lacy Brooks, and ten from Pohnepei, including two couples and six sisters.  We started the day off with an amazing sunrise, which I only saw because we started work an hour earlier then normal.  So who knows, maybe it's always that nice, but I don't think I'm ever going to get up that early again while I'm out here, at least I hope not.  I don't know, but that was definitely the hardest I've ever worked in my life.  It was estimated that it would take us at least 10 hours to finish pouring the concrete, but we finished in 8 hours. That's 8 hours of raw work, with a 5 minute lunch break.   

It was so nice to have all of the help from the visiting friends.  Even after the roof pour, the majority of them stayed for the rest of the week.  The meeting attendance the next night was practically doubled.  Everyone really enjoyed the encouragement and to finish the week off, we had a karaoke night on the beach deck.  It was very entertaining.  

As an update for the missionary home,  we have been spending every day since the roof pour plastering as much as we can.  The outside walls are finished and over and only one more room is left to do inside.  Also, there is now a working toilet on the site.  This is a pretty big deal for anyone who has suffered the current out house for any extent of time.  I'll try to post of few pictures of it next time.  

I would like to apologize for the past few weeks of neglecting my blog.  I will try to be more regular now that work is a little less crazy.  Also I now have a bike that I'm borrowing from one of the missionaries! I'm so happy! Now I have some form of transportation to go to the store, to one of our two restaurants on island when I'm too lazy to make my own food on the weekend, and to the other house to visit with the rest of the construction group (but mostly to bum off of their hi speed WiFi).  Thanks again for all who are "following" my blog and please don't hold back from making any comments at the bottom of the page. 

sunrise on the morning of the roof pour

...with a coconut tree

daily text before starting work

our system of getting the concrete onto the roof

man power

two of three mixer stations

the finishing touch

DONE!

Convention (2 weeks later)

I apoligize for the lack of updates on my blog.  The past two weeks have been crazy busy. Here's a few pictures of the convention that was 2 weeks ago.  I will try to post some more ASAP.  As for now, I am out of time. Thanks for the many "followers".  Please don't give up on me.

Barak Bowman (guam branch committee member) and a few locals

Our improvised Convention location (an abandoned school room)

June Reselva - Missionary