It only took a quick assessment at the local market in Gleno for me to realize that I was about to embark on a whole new world of food that I didn’t even recognize. Not seeing much in the way of zucchini, a common vegetable I was used to, I was pleased to find a…
This morning before I began walking from our rental house out to the building site where we are building the community center, I locked the door to our rental house and carefully put the key in my pocket as I began down the dusty road. “Dusty” is key (pun intended!) because anything small that lands…
Our Shipping Container Residence – Part 2 Dear Reader, The month of August 2024 was a busy, but productive one. Regular readers would be familiar with the 2023 project update, but in 2024 we had renewed forces. August 2024 was nothing short of a whirlwind here at the construction site in Gleno, and it seems…
Welcome the Gugu Family: A Beautiful Symphony of Faith and Fun! It’s with the greatest joy and a dash of excitement that we welcome our new team members, the Gugu Family! Imagine the perfect blend of Romanian resilience and American warmth, topped with a sprinkle of heavenly harmony. That’s the Gugu Family in a nutshell!…
Our Shipping Container Residence Dear readers, It has been some time since we commenced construction of the residence. Regular readers will know we paused the building to do some much-needed erosion mitigation to the property’s northern boundary. With that critical task behind us, we’re excited to share updates on the residence. The residence is designed…
Dear Readers and Fellow Time-Travelers, Prepare for a double take, for we find ourselves once again in the enchanting land of Timor-Leste! But amidst this return, I’ve got a confession to make: while going through our blog, I noticed a few amazing stories and pictures that somehow slipped through the cracks of time. But fear…
Did you know that flowing water is one of the most powerful forces on the planet? It shapes and reshapes landscapes, carves canyons and valleys. It can build fertile floodplains that support life or cause destructive flooding. So, guess what this letter is about? Yes, you guessed it—water! Specifically, the small river that borders the…
One of the things I’ve learnt while working in this beautiful country is that you need to be able to adapt & learn quickly. I may have worked in the built environment in various capacities but I’m no electrician. Fortunately, God blessed me with a curious mind and after a quick photo of my design…
Since the beginning of May 2022, we have been working tirelessly on the septic tank project. It has been quite the journey, considering the numerous challenges we faced and the fact that all the excavation work was done by hand. Surprisingly, the digging was completed in just about two weeks, which is quite impressive when…
We planted coconut trees this week… and here are the steps we followed Step 1: dig the hole (thankfully this was already one by Daniel.. yey) Step 2: fill the hole with 200mm of sand (to help the water drain) Step 3: add plants that are rich in NI (to help the trees grow) Step…