Tim Travels To Masoyi, South Africa, '07

For 3 weeks, I will be in South Africa helping an orphan aid organization with urgent construction. Here unfolds the next chapter of my life. Won't you join me?

10.31.2007

BOYS WILL BE BOYS

Boys will be boys anywhere. We're making CONCRETE, not CEMENT (we were sternly corrected by our team leader, who happens to work for a large concrete company, that you use cement to make concrete; you don't bake a flour, but a loaf of bread!), today, which requires water. Water is poured into a large bucket and kept on hand for whenever it is needed. Some poor frog thought this was a nice wading pool and decided to go for a swim. However, the gunk found in this water is not very healthy, so all of a sudden, you have 5 guys standing around this bucket gawking at this unfortunate, floating frog.

"Should we cook it?"
"Let's play a practical joke on one of the other guys!"

It was decided that since the frog was part of this land, it should also be part of the building that is going up. So, into the concrete mixer it went. It is now part of the concrete floor in one of the shower buildings!

Boys will be boys anywhere. When working on a farily mindless task such as laying bricks, it's understandable that the workers will become engaged in some sort of side discussion. Last week, it was about whether it is appropriate for someone who is not married to bury their family members. That particular discussion got pretty heated as there were differing opinions. Today, another such discussion ensued, as I was shovelling dirt nearby. The volume and velocity of words spoken started increasing and I could tell people were getting embroiled. As I was moving my next wheelbarrow load, one of the crew shouted out to me "Teem-y!" (that's what they call me). I put down my wheelbarrow, thinking that my chance had finally arrived. Perhaps they were arguing about sports or theology, and I would inject some of my self-proclaimed wisdom. I'm still floating high because of my recent "sermon"! I raised my head in confidence as the question came:

"Teem-y! How many people sit in a jet fighter plane?"

Huh? I had to pause for a second because this certainly wasn't the issue that I thought they were arguing about. Taken back, I mumbled a half baked answer "Ummm, two? Yeah, usually there is a co-pilot" Actually, I wasn't sure. The only thing I could think of at that moment was the movie Top Gun where Maverick had his wingman Goose. So, my moment of glory disintegrated into something I half remember seeing in a movie!

Here are some pictures of our construction site:

Some non-building pictures:

This is why...

posted @ 12:14

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