Day Fifteen: Under Construction

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John:  The days are going faster than any which I know. Only four full days remain after this one. Some philosophers say that "in a hard time, a single day is like a week or a month, but 30 joyful days is like an hour."  I can relate to that.



John and the Dornfelds traveled to Rochester today to visit the construction site of the Olmstead County Medical Center.  Kim Jensen (Dornfeld's daughter and a 2013 Tanzania traveler) is the architect and project manager for an addition to the facility -- a women's clinic being added to the existing hospital.

John:  The visit to the construction site is fabulous. I am so interested with the design since I know the architect and since I am going to oversee the construction of a new school in Tanzania.



John was fascinated by the emphasis on safety.  Even visitors to the construction site are required to wear vests, hard hats, and protective glasses.


John will be safe onsite!


John was very interested in Kim's role as project manager -- the weekly meetings for evaluation, the balancing of the client's wishes and the budget, learning the challenges of matching a new addition to an existing building.


Rheis was excused from class to accompany John for part of the day.


The Dornfelds hosted dinner for a number of donors and I arrived in time for tea. Conversation was lively as the guests asked John many questions about Tanzanian customs and living conditions.

In reflecting on the construction project he will lead at Ihemi, John said the big challenge will be to find funding to purchase the needed construction materials.  The people in the surrounding parishes have already contributed what they can -- they have made bricks, have collected stone for the foundation, they have built walls.  But funds are needed for roofing materials and finishing materials like doors, windows, paint and many other things.

John's new laptop computer arrived today.  It is a gift from one of our donors who wanted to help when they learned that John's old laptop had been stolen a couple months ago.  Ben Kilgore will help load software and anti virus protection before John returns to Tanzania.

Tomorrow:  John will have a quiet morning at the Dornfeld home before spending the afternoon with Ben and Char Kilgore.  Ben has a few outings planned, including a visit to a Lakeville farm.  John will attend the Iringa Hope dinner in the evening, and then go home with Susanne and Brad Miller, his weekend hosts.

Another day being blessed by John's presence.  Asante sana, Yesu.

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