The Cement Pour

For those who were wondering - YES, the back wall of the lower level was poured this past Tuesday! Since the concrete pour happened on the same day that we got Daniel's papers and brought him home, he got priority on the blog! Since Tuesday, well, life has been rather a blur.

Victor and I were in Veracruz picking up Daniel while the concrete pump truck and eight cement trucks rumbled through Refuge Ranch to pour the back wall of the lower level, which is a reinforced concrete wall. This means that there are rebars running all the way through the wall, inside the poured concrete to make the wall stronger.

We praise and thank the Lord for His faithfulness, and we thank you for your generosity and obedience, in providing the $5000 needed to pour the wall. This is the first time ever that we have used cement trucks to pour concrete at Refuge Ranch and is proves to be easier, more economical and a better quality concrete. So, Lord willing, we will get used to seeing cement trucks around here more often!

In order to pour the concrete, a huge concrete pump was used. The kids keep telling me that the concrete pump truck looked like a huge grasshopper. This truck pulled into Refuge Ranch around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning. The cement trucks started rolling in around 11:30 and the pour was done around 4:00 p.m.

As I understand it, the cement trucks would pour the concrete into the pump truck and the concrete would come out through a long tube or hose that one of the cement company guys was controlling to fill the forms.

Dale and the other men on the work team this week at Refuge Ranch would then use a vibrator to help the concrete settle down in between the rebar.

We thank the Lord that the pour went well, with no accidents or major mishaps. We are looking forward to getting those forms off and looking at a huge concrete wall!

Each time since we have gotten back from Veracruz and I ask the kids, or the work team, or our staff about the concrete pour that day I get the same story repeated back to me. So, I better share it with you too!

The concrete pump truck pulled into Refuge Ranch about two hours before the cement trucks arrived. Why? I really don't know why! However, the Lord can use any situation and my sister-in-law, Pati, and my niece, Jocelin, saw those workers just standing around waiting for the cement trucks and they had an idea. They promptly got several copies of the Gospel of John and some evangelistic tracts that we have for the crusades and gave them to the cement company workers. Those guys stood around for several hours reading the Gospel of John! Then, I am told, everytime there was a lull in the work as they waited for the next cement truck, they would get out their Gospel's of John and read some more!

What you are making possible through your prayers and giving to the ministry here at Refuge Ranch is not only transforming the lives of children, but is transforming the lives of those who come into contact with Refuge Ranch. Praise God and thank you!

Julie