Monday   28 May, 2018   

 MORE PROJECTS!!!

We all were quite tired last evening after hiking 6 miles to/from Šutovo Falls and then having a party to celebrate the Bible School windows project being completed!  We all retired to our rooms by 9pm. And, this morning we were all back at breakfast by 7:30am, with our work clothes on and ready for another fun-filled day. Since we finished the windows, we were assigned ‘new’ projects: 1) replace the tabletops on 20 tables, 2) paint the new bench wood and the wrought iron bench ends, 3) Solve the ‘puzzle’ of putting a stone façade on the Dormitory entry steps, 4) powerwash the fence in front of the Dormitory, 5) picking up trash and pulled weeds.

The Tabletops were a bit of a challenge for Bob and Mark to get a process that was repeatable, as it seems they were all assembled a bit different from each other.  By the end of the day, 10 tables had new table tops! Good that RLC Mission and Outreach contributed funding for necessary equipment for us. A new portable drill/screwdriver was purchased to make this project more efficient.  More tabletops can be replaced tomorrow now that the process is a bit more efficient and stream-lined.

Painting the new wood slats and the bench ends was started last Saturday by the teachers.  Julie & Corrine got the ‘other side’ of things painted, but then had to just ‘watch paint dry’, as the paint is an oil-based paint that takes hours to dry.  More painting will need to be done tomorrow.

Putting a stone façade on the Dormitory steps had Jeff and Cheryl a bit ‘puzzled’ as they had to fuss with finding stones pieces that would fit together in a random pattern AND get the stone façade somewhat ‘level’… without a level!  Big ‘POZAR’ (caution) sign on the door so the mastic can dry overnight. More to do on this project beyond our time here.

Rich was in ‘sprayer heaven’ today as he volunteered to take the power washer to the fence in front of the Dormitory.  And does it now look ‘spiffy clean’ once the moss and lichen are removed.

KJ and Julie walked the grounds picking up trash and pulling weeds and getting landscape stones back into their rightful spots next to the buildings.

Mary had an invitation to visit the ‘Patchwork Club’ in downtown Martin today.  Natália arranged for Mary to make an appearance. Mary is quite the accomplished quilter and seamstress.  She made 15 pairs of ‘Minnesota Potholders’ to give to the staff as a thank you gift (thank you for putting up with us!).

There was a trip to ECCO shoe factory outlet with six folks today.  There was also a shopping trip to Žilina with 9 folks, including Natália and Adrian Kacianová, from the CCE Staff, taking the train there.  Most of us simply wandered and window-shopped.

We continue to be humbled at being here and working to make this school a place where parents want to send their children to learn and to be loved.  We have one more full day here in Martin. We’ll make the most of it, I’m sure!