Let Block Making Commence!!!

I have begun work on the orphanage...sort of...yesterday I went to the site and we moved the already dried blocks so we would have space to make more blocks. We must have moved about 300 blocks 35lbs blocks into piles, needless to say I was a bit sore today. We only worked for a couple hours, which at first I was disappointed in but this morning my arms an back were thankful. Since I was done at the site by noon I went back to the orphanage to play with the babies some more. When I walked in my little buddy Prince looked at me smiled and put his arms up to be held, I was glad I made good use of my time and went over. 

Today we started making blocks, finally. We used 2 bags of cement mixed with sand and put the mixture into a mold to make the blocks. We made about 35-40 and tomorrow when ten more bags of cement are delivered we will work all day starting at 6:30am so it won't be too hot.  The goal is to make about 300-400 blocks once Kwaku and I found a rhythm it goes pretty fast so I think if we work all day the rest of the week we should be fine. Next Wednesday the other group from America comes so we want to be ready to build the walls of the school. 

When I signed up to do a construction project I knew I would have to prove myself. Even when I volunteer in the US I have to spend at least one day proving I can lift more than 10 pounds, use power tools, and do minor construction projects. I figured I would have to work twice as hard here as the culture is very different and women don't work on a construction site.  At first Kwaku the site manager didn't let me do a lot but I just watched what he did and the followed suit I moved bricks with him and then  took the shovel from the pile to mix and mold the cement, and he couldn't argue. Today when we were done he looked at me and said, "you hard worker, I like this." Point proven - time to get things done for Africa!

This weekend Bless and I are going to Howay, to see the monkey sanctuary and a big waterfall, it will be good to travel a bit and see other parts of Ghana, I just hope it doesn't rain! I also hope to get to an actual computer soon so I can upload some photos for all of you to see. I haven't been able to take too many "around town" as most people don't want any photos and if they allow it they want money except for children who want me to take hundreds of photos of them :)