“Religion that God the Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” 
                                                    James 1:27

          By the time we break for the Christmas festivities on December 21st, all of the outside walls should be up to the top of the windows.  Of course there are still the inside walls to erect.  Most of the inside walls are about three feet high at the present time.  They will have to increase in height quite a bit because the inside walls that will support the main roof of the building will be a little better than thirteen feet tall.  The outer walls that you see in the above picture will only be eight feet tall when completed.  The main roof will be higher and separate from the roof that covers the dorm rooms for the boys and girls.
          We have even started to pour the rebar reinforced concrete beams that will go over the top of each outside door and window.  We are making sure that no poured concrete will be seen from the outside of the building.  We are doing some stonework that will cover up the concrete beams and keep the total stone look of the building.  This stonework will stick out from the building six inches and help to keep the driving rains from entering.

         The concrete has already been poured for the above window.  We will soon remove the wood supports and finish the stonework up to the eight foot height that I mentioned earlier.
          We are also busy pricing all of the wood for the building of needed trusses (no prefab trusses here in Madagascar), and the metal roofing that will finally be put in place.  We have calculated that we will need at least 460 twenty foot planks for trusses, as well as 150 sheets of 26 foot long metal roofing to complete the job.  We have an idea of cost for these items, but prices change from day to day in Madagascar.  We are still hoping that the government will remove the tax for all construction materials after the new year, so we are waiting to see if we can get these items at a reduced price.
           Let me remind you that when we were in the states reporting to churches in the last part of 2000, we stated that the Betikara project is a four phase project.  Phase I is what we are working on now.  Phase I is only the living quarters for the Lambs.
           These living quarters will have a large central room that will serve as a dining area, worship area, play room, study area and library for the Betikara Lambs.  There will be separate bathrooms for boys and girls, and caregivers rooms off one end of the large central room.  Each bathroom will have three sinks, one bathtub, two shower stalls and three toilet stalls.  The dorm rooms for the Lambs will be to the left and right of the large central room.  The kitchen and store room (for food, clothing, etc.), will be at the other end of the large central room.
           We are shooting for the month of June or July of 2003 for completion of Phase one.  This will give us time to move the Lambs into their new home and get them ready for the start of school in September.
           Phase II of the Betikara project will be the other end of the building from the living quarters for the Betikara Lambs.  This end of the building, once erected, will contain 10 classrooms for school and bible classes.  There will be one large auditorium in the center that will be about 53 feet wide by 102 feet long.
          Phase III will be a medical clinic that will allow us to both provide for the health of the Lambs and the people in the local community.
          Phase IV will be guest housing for volunteers that want to come and work with the Lambs.

Thank You!
Last month we listed furniture items and their prices for those that were asking “What can we do?”  This month, we are anxious to tell you that through your generosity and caring hearts enough money has already been pledged to cover the total amount of the beds, tables, dressers, armoires and chairs.  Thank you so much for your willingness to help and your quick reply to last months newsletter.

Manna Relief
Manna Relief is dedicated to nourishing children in need.  Soon, they will begin sending high vitamin food supplements to Madagascar for the Betikara Lambs.  If you are interested in helping Manna Relief to help the Betikara lambs, please visit their website.

  Indiana Church of Christ 
  225 East Pike Rd. 
  Indiana, PA  15701 

“He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.” 
                           Proverbs 19:17