Updates on the construction and our travels

Ron is never quite happy with the construction because he finds something not right every day when he goes to the jobsite.    Some items have been critical mistakes, some engineering mistakes are also involved but unskilled workers also have bad workmanship sometimes. The progress is good and they continue to remain on the schedule set at the beginning of the job. The weather has been dry the entire time but we have had a few cold spells to allow workers to have some good days to work.

The block machine makes concrete block smaller than the regular blocks we are used to seeing.  But, the thinner blocks are not as strong.   Instead of putting mortar between them as they are stacked, they are pouring buckets of concrete down inside to bond the blocks together and provide strength for the wall. The wall looks much neater this way so they do not even plan to paint the outside at this time.

I hope, as a non-construction person, I am describing all of this correctly.    I don't understand a lot of things Ron says about the work but I am doing my best to ask questions so I can understand and post it correctly.

The building will be a two-story U shaped building with dorm rooms on the top floor.  The small section you see in the photo above is the center portion of the U.   The first floor will be the kitchen, living area, classrooms, laundry room and restrooms.    A room with bath will be on the second floor for the house parents and one for guests.   Walls are going up for the first floor as you can see.


Ron purchased the steel for the roofing today.   He is helping the superintendent select and buy as much as they can before we leave here.

King, the young man from China, that has been working with us to teach English to the small group of girls we have in Mukdahan, had to return to China to renew his VISA.    The attorney working on his permanent VISA has not yet secured it for King so he is working on a temporary VISA that requires that he leave the country and re-apply.    He just sent us a message from China that he will receive his VISA on Wednesday and will leave on Friday, arriving here on Sunday. .

King and Ron in Bangkok in 2019.    King will take over the petty cash for the jobsite when we leave and handle the purchasing of materials for the jobsite until it is finished.   We trust him with the card to withdraw needed funds from the ATM for the work.   He will be sure to have receipts for everything.  This is very important that it be handled correctly so we are placing a big responsibility on King for the next several months.   We anticipate the building to be completed by summer.

Not only for the sake of the work here but on a personal note, we are thrilled that King will get back to spend one week with us before we leave.  We enjoyed a month with him before he had to leave.

We went through a lot of red-tape and trips to Mukdahan Immigration just to get our VISA extended.  We are leaving Mukdahan on Sunday, March 8th to go to Chiang Mai for just an overnight stay with the minister of the church in this northern Thailand city.   Ron will discuss the possibility of them working with us to locate needy girls to live in the Mukdahan safe house.     We will return to Bangkok and fly to the Philippines on March 11.    We will be with Ronald and Gigi at Casa Esperanza of Angels orphanage in Tanjay, Philippines until March 19.  

We are a little concerned about getting an American Airline flight to the U.S.    We hope to go to South Korea on the 19th and get a seat on AA on March 20 to Dallas.    There is a large outbreak of the coronavirus in South Korea but it is confined to one large city south of Seoul at this time.    We hope it will not spread to prevent the flight from leaving for the U.S.    We flew to Asia via Hong Kong but that flight is not operating now.

There have been a few cases of the virus in Thailand and in the Philippines but it has not been wide-spread.     We will wear masks in the airports and on the flights but do not feel we are at great risk.  They check everyone's temperature before flights and coming into airports but from what I read, there are not always symptoms even when a person is infected.

We would appreciate your prayers for safe travels and good health.     We need to arrive home safe and healthy to continue our next phase of the work for 2020.    God be with you.