Weekly Report for Dulzura

Rain on Monday! Rain on Tuesday! Wednesday, Thursday, Friday too! It was a wet week here in southern California, but our volunteers had come prepared with rain coats and umbrellas and work got done in spite of it. It was a challenge to keep everything and everybody dry. We had leaks in the bathrooms and in the dining trailer, but the sleeping quarters were dry! The floors were constantly wet and the yard had rivers flowing through it, but at the end of a long wet day, there was the promise of a hot shower and plenty of hot coffee to warm us, delicious food to sustain us and good fellowship, conversations and games in the evenings.

At our newest site we got the trusses delivered and unloaded before the rain got too serious but then we had to leave that site for the rest of the week. The driveway is steep and treacherous in wet conditions, and besides, framing in the rain is not a good thing. We did get the floor joists on early in the week.

On another site, we got the insulation done and the drywall delivered, unloaded and carried in about ten minutes before the rains started again. At least we could work indoors at that site and by Friday the walls were drywalled and taped and had first coat of mud.

At the A site we got started on the hardi-plank siding as well as putting wire up underneath the house to hold up the insulation, straightened out some walls inside and did some electrical work.

At the C house we dug trenches for some water pipes and electrical wiring that needs to be done before we can ask for final inspection there.

We passed fire inspections on three sites, got a temporary final at the B house and passed the drywall inspection at the K house.

Wednesday evening we had a homeowner and her son join us for supper and then she shared her story. There was rain pouring down outside and tears on many of our faces as she told her story and expressed her appreciation for what the Mennonites had done for her and her family, her gratefulness for the many who had worked on her home and the blessing of  all the friends she had made. She had saved her animals but left her home to the fire, but now she says she would fight for this beautiful home that MDS made for her.

It was a good week! As the volunteers left to head back to their homes in Pennsylvania on Friday and Saturday, we realized that we had made progress again. We had met and made new friends, and continued not just building houses, but relationships with the homeowners as well as with each other. But, we were tired of the rain and hoping for a return to drier, sunnier and warmer conditions next week!

From Dulzura---Lloyd, Mark, Lisa, Gail, Debbie, Gail, Jared, Ray, Joyce, Clark, Julie, Dale, Deanie, Ron, Ahmed, Lory, Ron, Denis, Merlyn, Maureen, Rhoda, Pat, Sam, Linda, Jim, Ernie, Erna, Kerry, Jo