Build a house in the Garbage Dump.
Day 2 — Monday, Jan. 28, 2008 — Hi, ho. Off to work we go.
Click on any photo for a larger image.
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Our building team ready to go. L to R: Jack Huber, Jen Huber, Dave Ahl, Eric Keber, Greg Billing, Antonio Monasterio. |

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We go to work in a relatively newly reclaimed area of the dump very close to Potter's House. |

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We meet the family of six for whom we're building a house plus other members of their family and the community in the traditional opening ceremony. |

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The alley in front of the house is just a very short distance from the active part of the garbage dump. |

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We start mixing the first of many, many batches of concrete. But ask yourself, what would a missions trip to Guatemala be without several tons of concrete mixed by hand? It just wouldn't be the same. |

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So that we would be able to finish the entire house, local laborers had already laid the first eight courses of concrete blocks. |

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After a quick lesson from the local mason, we start putting down the mortar and laying block ourselves. |

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Some caught on to the concrete block laying process more quickly than others, although eventually we all got the hang of it. |

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The never-ending process—lay some block, mix some mortar. |

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Even little Aury pitched in mixing the mortar. |

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Holes had to be drilled in the concrete blocks to fit over the rebar uprights. |

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The Huber block-laying team takes over for a while. |

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Concrete blocks are leveled with a hammer (and level if you have one, otherwise eyeball). |

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Cutting and fitting of blocks is required in the corners and around the window and door. |

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At work on the back wall (three courses higher than the front to allow for a sloping roof). |

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Kids all wanted to see their pictures on our digital cameras. |

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After school, scores of kids arrived to watch us work. |
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© 2008. Web site design by Dave Ahl, e-mail SwapMeetDave@aol.com
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