The Project

The ministry we work with in Costa Rica is called the Abraham Project.  Facilitated by the Lighthouse Community Church, this community outreach ministry has five main functions:  1)  Homes for at-risk and abandoned children, 2)  Daycare center for children of working families, 3) Job skills training center, 4) Multi-purpose Building for church services and evangelistic outreach, and 5) Consultation offices where professionals (doctors, lawyers, etc.) will donate their service to members of the surrounding marginal areas.  The consultation offices will be housed in the Multi-purpose Building, which is currently under construction. 

The Abraham Project is a debt-free ministry and trusts God for financial and material provision.  One way God has provided over the years is through an ongoing donation of scrap lumber.  This wood is used in shipping crates for an international glass company.  At one time, all of this wood was discarded after the glass was imported.  However, the project director convinced the company to donate these used crates to the ministry, instead of sending them to the landfill.  This donation has saved the project tens of thousands of dollars.  The following pictures give an example of how this scrap wood is reused at the project.

The wood is delivered to the project as used packaging crates.  These crates are disassembled, and the nails, screws, and staples are pulled from the wood.

The lumber is sorted, sized, planed and sanded.  This wood is used in every stage of construction, from form boards to finish carpentry.  Right now, for the construction of the Multi-purpose Building, the workers are piecing together massive ceiling trusses.

These trussed are then installed, by hand, to make the roof structure for office section of this new building.

This lumber has been used in each of the current buildings on the Abraham Project property (children's homes, daycare, life-skill workshops, and cafeteria, now used as a church building).  Through a donation of a company's trash, God has given the project a resource to build a center to reach and transform the community.

General Rules

I was on a long walk today and I saw something that made me think.  In the window of a video store, there was a poster for a movie starring Larry the Cable Guy.  I thought, "As a general rule, I don't watch movies with Larry the Cable Guy."  That phrase, "as a general rule," stuck in my head and I began to wonder what other "general rules" I live by.  The following is a non-exhaustive list, and not in any particular order, but these are just a few things that came to mind:

-  As a general rule... I do not watch movies starring Larry the Cable Guy.

-  As a general rule... I do not read newspapers with red titles (international joke).

-  As a general rule... I do not spend time alone with members of the opposite sex who are not my wife or daughter.

-  As a general rule... I do not listen to or watch anything with Barbara Streisand.

-  As a general rule... I do not vote for politicians who support Abortion Rights.

-  As a general rule... I do not read magazines about celebrities.

-  As a general rule... I do not agree with the positions of the ACLU.

-  As a general rule... I do not read paperback books from the grocery store.

-  As a general rule... I do not eat food in bed.

-  As a general rule... I do not like fluorescent lights.

Does anyone else have a list of "General Rules"?

Claire is Two!

Our baby girl is two years old!  She is now officially and little girl, not a baby.  We had a small party and Claire was thrilled with her cake and gifts.  Her big present was a tricycle...

..., but her favorite gift was a new baby doll.  We call her Maria Jose.  Here, Claire is feeding her "baby":

Claire LOVES babies, and walks around the house rocking her toy babies.  Not only Maria Jose gets this special attention.  She will also wrap Barney or Elmo in a blanket and pretend to rock them to sleep.

Claire is a beautiful girl, full of energy and life.  She loves to laugh.  She loves to dance (more on that in another post).  She loves to play with her brother.  She is my delight.  

Happy Birthday, Nadia Claire.  It's been a wonderful two years!