Dave's trip to Ethiopia {the work}

So now for the real reason he went to Africa,

to help build Marshal and Rachel's new house that will be located on the compound.

This is the beginning of Day 1 - before they had started anything. And the rest of the pictures just show the progress through the days they were there.

They frame was made out of steel.

They mixed concrete by hand.

Local workers came in and worked carring and laying brick, while Dave, Justin and Marshal did most (if not all) of the framing, and after the framing, they helped with the brick.

This was the guy that Dave got to know the most. His name was Tekle.

Marshal is on the right, and then Dave and Justin, standing in front of the work they accomplished.

This was the point that they got to before leaving. From what I hear - I think it was further (or maybe much further) than what was expected.

Which quite possibly was because of their little helpers.

And lastly, I got this picture from Rachel (along with a couple of others), to show the status of the house as of June 15. Their hope is to be in by Christmas.

Dave is so very thankful for this opportunity God gave him to use his skills, and to experience something outside the comfort of our everyday life and luxuries.

I only got to experience this trip through pictures and first-hand stories.

But hearing Dave's heart made me realize how easy it is to get tunnel vision as we go through our lives surrounded by such comforts and people so similar to us. Forgetting that God has created a great big world out there, and has filled it with people, all created by His hands just like you and me, that He loves just the same.

It can be humbling and life-changing to really and truly understand that the "stuff" we have means nothing.

It's such a reminder to find our value and worth in not what we have, but who we have and who we are in Him.

Thanks again Giles' for taking such good care of my hubby while he was away from us!