Engineer plans, drainage ditch, access road

Dear Friends
We finally completed the digging of the drainage ditches. Now we have to insert the drainage pipes and stones in the remainder ditch and then fill the ditches again. Hard work, but we thank the Lord that slowly but surely the preparation for the foundations of the basement level is coming to an end. We also praise God that our access road is much more solid after it had more time to dry out. We also compacted more coal ash into the top surface and thus making a very hard surface. If this road can hold the heavy trucks with different building material, it means that we can get the material much closer to the actual site than before. This saves us much labor.
A prayer request:
We will soon hand in the engineer plans to the local authorities for approval. Please pray with us that everything will be in order and that they will accept the plans.

A Word from the Lord

Eze 36:33-36 So says the Lord Jehovah: In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be built. And the waste land shall be tilled, instead of being a ruin before all passing by. And they shall say, This land that was wasted has become like the garden of Eden. And the wasted, deserted and ruined cities now are fortified and inhabited. And the nations that are left all around you shall know that I Jehovah build the ruined places and plant that which was wasted. I Jehovah have spoken it, and I will do it.

Naomi's Birthday

Dear Friends
On the 8th of September we had the privilege to celebrate Naomi's 9th birthday. We praise God for the nine years that He has been with her thus far. Naomi asked that we put the following verse next to her picture on the blog:

Ecc 12:1 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days do not come, nor the years draw near, when you shall say, I have no pleasure in them.

Drainage of water

In a previous post we described how we need to insert a water drainage system to keep water from the foundations of the basement. This work continued yesterday Friday 4 September. As you know our labour force consist of people that come for help. We have found that the work is a very good way to help rebuilding their health, since most of them come from a drug background and really destroy their health through this habit. We also found that the work is a good way of determining whether someone is serious about changing his life. In the past few days many left the mission and we were really short of labour. On Friday only two of us, a young man and myself, were left and we had to move stones into the drainage ditch. While we were progressing at a very slow rate, suddenly the children came and asked if they can help. God really worked wonders through them and at lunch time we were greatful to God that we could have completed the work. So many times God meets us at that point were we don't have the answer anymore. When we are at the end of ourselves, then God can work and reveal Himself.

Staircase from basement to ground floor

Last week Tuesday the architect Warren Simpson visited us and recommended that we place the staircase from the basement to the ground floor underneath the position where the staircase will be from the ground floor to the first floor. This meant that we had to do some extra excavations which were done Thursday 3 September. On the picture you can see the new section that was excavated.

Engineers on board

In our recent meeting with the local authorities, they indicated that they require engineer approval of the project. By God's grace we made contact with Riaan Davids of BSP Consulting Engineers, who is willing to assist us. We ask you to please pray for the companies involved, since without their help it would be impossible for the project to continue.

A word of thanks to Warren Simpson

We especially want to thank architect Warren Simpson for his willingness to aid us in this project by drawing up and changing plans for us as we go along. His assistance has made this project possible to what it is so far. We pray God's richest blessings for you and your company.

A Word from the Lord

Psa 131 A Song of degrees; of David. O Jehovah, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes lofty; nor have I walked in great things, nor in things too wondrous for me.
Surely I have behaved and have quieted my soul, as one weaned by its mother; my soul on me is like one weaned.
Let Israel hope in Jehovah from this moment and forever.

A Word from the Lord:

Mat 6:31-33 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed? For the nations seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.

Preparing the basement for the casting of the foundation (continued)

Dear Friends
By the grace of God we have now finished preparing the ground for casting the basement foundation. The next step would be to put the plastic (damp course) on the sand in order to prevent dampness from rising up from the ground and into the concrete. Then we have to do the steel re-enforcement before we can cast the concrete. We finalized the casting of the floor with the ReadyMix concrete company (Afrimat) and once all the preparation is done, we can start casting. We will have to hire in a concrete pump in order to pump the concrete from the concrete truck into the basement at ground level. At the moment the weather is the one factor that slows us down, since it is winter and the clear days are often followed by stormy rainy weather. We appreciate your continued prayer.

A Word from the Lord

Hebr. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him (God) ...
Sunday 26 July 2009

Job 42:1-2 Then Job answered the Lord, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from Thee.
Friday 24 July 2009

Psalm 127 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Preparation of the basement foundation

Dear Friends
We are grateful for the progress that by God's grace we could have made thus far. It is hard work, and I think that all the brothers involved in the project will agree with me when I say that it were a long time since we were this tired after a day's work!
We are now inserting the drainage around the basement foundation, since a lot of water drain out of the clay and could damage the basement foundation. We also compact the sand on which we will cast the foundations. The layer of sand between the foundations and the clay is very necessary to counteract the movement of the clay.
One of the problems that we are facing is that the surrounding clay walls are very unstable and with every rainfall some clay come loose and we have to dig it out again. The site access road also continue to be a big problem and we already had a truck full of sand who got stuck. We had to offload half of the truck by hand before we could tip the rest! Luckily a tractor from a neighbouring farm came and helped to pull the truck out.
In spite of the all the challenges, we are happy that the work is going forward and hopefully within the next few weeks we can cast the foundations.
Please continue to pray for us and that the Lord will continue to help us in the wonderful way that He has helped us thus far. We can testify of so many miracles that God had done so far, and through that giving us confirmation that He is with us in the project.















Above: Preparing and inserting the drainage around the basement.















Above: Removing clay that had fall in because of rainfalls.















Above: Compacting the sand that we put on top of the clay to counteract the movement of the clay.

Profiles for the foundations for the basement level

While the digger loader was excavating the basement level. we started to put up profiles to mark out the foundations and walls of the basement level.

Building of a new road

One major challenge that we faced was that there was no access road for construction vehicles to the site. We literally had to build a road from the clay that we excavated for the basement level.

Excavations of basement level

Removal of old foundations

The old foundations had to be removed before we could start with the new building. Someone remarked that it is the same in our spiritual lives, the old must be removed before God can give us the new.

Front and Back elevation of new building

This would be the front elevation of the new building. The little building in front is the part of the old house that remained after the fire.









This would be the back elevation of the new building.

Building of new home started

Dear Friends
By God's grace we could finally start with the building of the new Moreson Children Haven, in place of the one that burned down. After months of much planning we are so grateful to our Lord Jesus Christ that finally we could start building the new home.
One of the very first miracles God did was to lay it on an architect's heart to help us draw up the plans for the new home. Please see the proposed front and back elevation pictures of how the new building most probably will look like.
We plan to do most of the construction ourselves, since labour is big factor which could well be up to 45% to 50% of the cost of the whole project. God in His grace send us a brother in Christ from Kwasizabantu Mission in Natal to help us with advise on the construction. "Uncle" Jack Terblanche is an elderly gentleman with many years of experience in the construction industry.
One of the first challenges that we faced was the fact the ground had a slope of at least 1,6 meters from the highest to the lowest point. We had one of two options, fill up the slope and have a house that is situated high above the ground, or excavate the ground and incorporate a basement level. The second option seemed to be the better choice of the two. We started excavating last week Wednesday and it seems as if we will finish by Wednesday 29 July.
Our second challenge that we faced was the discovery that underneath the ground we had a solid clay bank. For any building clay is one of the biggest enemies since it creates movement in the ground when it expands or shrinks. This causes a house to crack. The way to overcome this is to do a specialized foundation with sand underneath the foundations and the foundations re-enforced with steel. Luckily uncle Jack could help us with sound advise and planning.
Please continue to pray for us we continue, we are thankful for God's blessings in the whole project thus far.

More fire photos

Fire at Moreson

Recently on March the 18Th 2009 more than half of Moreson Children Home were destroyed by a fire that started due to an electrical fault. Since then continuous planning are made to rebuild the home. Please pray for this endeavor.

History of the start of Moreson Children Haven

Moreson Children Haven was originally started as Talitha Home. Since then the name of the home has changed to Moreson Children Haven.

Talitha Home - fulfillment of a vision

Since 1997 Gerhard and Elmané le Roux saw the need to start a home for abandoned babies. For nearly three years this vision was discussed, put aside, taken up and discussed again, until finally in May 2000 the first baby was taken in by Gerhard and Elmané le Roux.
One of the major obstacles in starting Talitha Home was the need for a married couple to act as foster father and mother for the babies. When Gerhard and Elmané got married in October 1998, this obstacle was overcome and they were ready to take in the first baby. Still another year and a half passed before the first baby arrived.
More babies have since come to Talitha Home. Not all of them are abandoned babies, some come from families where they were mistreated and neglected. The Home also takes in babies orphaned by AIDS, and babies whose mothers would have aborted them but changed their minds. At the moment Talitha Home has two abandoned babies that are in foster care with Gerhard and Elmane and four babies that are in safety care. All the babies that come to the Home are treated as their own children, becoming part of their family, while full-time volunteer co-workers help in the daily responsibilities of feeding, changing diapers, bathing etc.
Young girls that are pregnant but unmarried are also accommodated by Talitha Home and are thus given an alternative to the option of abortion.
When older, the children of Talitha Home will attend a private pre-primary and primary school registered at the Western Cape Education Department and run by people directly or indirectly involved with Talitha Home.
The latest exciting news is that Talitha Home is moving to a farm about 50 km outside Cape Town, near a town called Malmesbury. This will offer the children a healthy farm atmosphere in which to grow up.
Although the Home also helps on a short term basis in crisis situations with safety care, it has a long-term vision for abandoned babies, helping them to grow into responsible adults who, in the future, can make a difference in their society.

Meridith Hall joined MCH for a few months ....

Publish Post

God in His grace had been good to us by allowing an young lady with the name of Meridith Hall from America to come and visit us for a few months at MCH. On Monday 22 June 2009 she will go to Kwasizabantu Mission Natal for a few weeks. Tonight she also went with us on a True Love Waits outreach to some of the young people in Malmesbury. We addressed a group of 80 to 100 youth on the topic of abstinence before marriage. This was her first time in speaking on the topic of True Love Waits. We had a good response from the young people. They thanked us for addressing them on the subject. Again we just realized how big the need is and how important it is to go out and give light to these young people.