Helping Needy Families in Tonga - Paul Mitchell
Our main project for 2011 was to construct a new house for a 12 year old boy (and his family) with severe cerebal palsey. The photo (above left) was where the family of five lived. It has a dirt floor, no power, no internal lining, no water, no toilet or shower, and no kitchen. It is situated next to a tidal esturary and in big tides it flooded. They all were sleeping on blankets on the ground when we arrived. The photo on the right is the house we built. It is 6.0meters long and 4.8metres wide and has a concrete floor. It also has no water, power, no kitchen and no toilet facilities, however it is dry and above the tide levels. We designed the house to ensure absolute minimal waste of materials. The cost to build this house was $6,200NZ. We raised the money from garage sales, selling sausages and by gifts of money by our church and also other families.
Any gifts towards the building of a new house in 2012 are most appreciated. One possibility is, as a class we may even be able to raise enough to cover the cost of a window! J. Yuhayco
The main project we are planning for October 2012 is to build a similar house for Faleaka and her family. (Dad, mum and 5 kids). We met Faleaka in 2011. She is a beautiful, smiling 13year old blind girl. The photos above are of their current dwelling. We hope the costs to build have not risen too much in the past 12months, and also that the building materials are available. When we built Saus house in 2011 it was very difficult to get enough 100x50, (4 x 2 for us ‘old school’ builders) treated framing timber. The Lord provided just enough timber the day before the build team arrived!!!
