03/11: Contain Yourself!

Hello there,

Forty feet is slightly less than two thirds the distance between pitcher’s mound and home plate. It is also the exact length of the container that will be shipped from Oakland to Mombasa then trucked to and offloaded at our little eight acre slice of heaven in Daystar. What follows is the photo journal of loading day.

This 40' container may look a little forlorn here, just sitting around with nothing to do.

But that all changed pretty quickly and it became the center of a flurry of activity.

Big crates, and boxes

and people planning and sawing and getting ready to load it up

with rebar

and boxes of clothes and tools

a tractor and

a big generator and

a six wheeled gator and

stuff that had to be lifted with a fork lift and

a water wagon and so many other things.

Everyone worked and loaded

and loaded some more, and

drove vehicles into the back at odd angles until

it was full. It was a lot of hard work and the end of a long process of gathering and planning and procuring and cooperation and people and businesses being very generous, and even though it was so much work, nobody went

...nuts...

because they remembered it was for a very good cause, and that some children in Africa would be helped who needed help very much.

Here are the packers. They look so happy and calm, this must have been taken at the start of the day.

Lots of people worked hard over a long period of time on this 8′ x 40′ beast, but none harder than Pat Shepherd and Gary Guthrie. Pat initiated the plan and got things going and Gary came on and married himself to it for longer than the honeymoon period. So whenever I go to jump up on the tractor and miss and wind up face down in the black cotton soil, you and I will both know who to blame.

Come on over in a month or so and help us unpack it.

Love from this side,

David

Comments(6)

Log in to Reply
Chris says
March 11, 2009 at 1:28 pm

Bravo to everyone. When I heard/thought “container shipment,” I had no idea…

“Face down in black cotton soil” isn’t the worse place you’ve ended up. Speaking of which, you’ve been far too circumspect about your encounter with the law. How has that all gone? Are you OK?

Our prayers are with the whole project — and with you personally.

Love,

Chris and Debi
Log in to Reply
martin says
March 11, 2009 at 1:51 pm

amazing how much good stuff was packed in there! hopefully they sprayed the whole thing down with pirate repellent.

with the gator and the tractor, you now have four cars by my count. are you trying to start up your own kenyanball run or something?
Log in to Reply
Ed Richardson says
March 11, 2009 at 4:31 pm

Dave,

You’re only a container away from some really good stuff that will follow after you receive it. Plenty of good equipment!

My thanks to Pat and Gary plus the 17 other people that packed the container. Great teamwork.

God Bless, Ed
Log in to Reply
david says
March 12, 2009 at 7:41 am

CL

Your word must be taken for truth, especially since in most cases when I’ve wound up in worse places than face down in black soil, I had only to lift my addled head and turn slightly to see your smiling face.

Yes, I’m ok and will, God willing, stay that way. We’re working hard to resolve the issues now. A tricky business for a number of reason, none of them very good.

Many thanks for your regular prayer support. I look forward to praying together soon.

Love to you and Debi,

David
Log in to Reply
david says
March 12, 2009 at 7:49 am

Martin,

We packed Burt Reynolds in the container too, just added a little more formaldehyde. We’re reprising the Smoky and the Bandit series here with our doubled fleet. We might find you a part if you have a hankerin’ to be famous.

We’re going to hire Dexter and his “fishing” boat to ride shotgun through the Gulf of Aden. Should keep ’em in line.

All here who love you say hi.

David
Log in to Reply
david says
March 12, 2009 at 7:51 am

Hi Ed,

Sorry you missed out on all the packing fun. The unpacking will be a week long present fest. Maybe you can make it for that. I can’t wait to put all that stuff to work.

Love to you and Dottie,

David

Blog

Comments(6)

Chris says

martin says

Ed Richardson says

david says

david says

david says