May 6 – Wilson Kendrick

It is hard to believe that after a year of work and faith walking in our preparation for Ecuador we are ready to board the plane in a couple of days. Tomorrow, we will load as much as we can get into one vehicle, and the next day we will all meet in Atlanta and make our way to Quito. I can only imagine that the children we are going to work with next week in Villaflora are just as ready for us as we are for them. Many thanks to those who have helped us to make this trip. There are countless people who have helped us with their donations and their time and their prayers. We would not be going without you. So keep watching this blog on SIFAT’s website, and write us some comments. We hope to have some photos, too. May God bless you in your daily ministries where ever you might be.

Students from the McWhorter School of Building Science at Auburn University recently participated in a class project on building structures using low-cost available items for people living in the developing world. Then, they visited a local third grade class at Wrights Mill Road Elementary School to get their help making 4×4 wall panels that could be used to construct affordable buildings.

Previous wall construction by others in South America has attempted to use “trash”, including plastic bottles, as insulation for exterior walls of homes or schools. The class project at Auburn tried to duplicate these ideas and establish “best practices” to make the process easier and more sustainable. In the past, walls have been built vertically in place, but this project focused on building panels on the ground and then lifting them in place. The students believe this may make the walls easier to build.”