Our Beautiful New Building

What a day of rejoicing it was when we were able to dedicate our brand new building to the Lord!   Many months (actually 6 years ago beginning in 2005), Child Evangelism Fellowship of Fiji began its journey of faith asking God to provide a national office and training center.  In August of 2011, that new building was dedicated to the glory of the Lord.  Let these pictures cause you to rejoice with us!  If you do not see 16 pictures below, then there may be a GRAY-colored "Read More..." just below this paragraph.  If so, then double-click there to SEE what God has given to us!

Unfortunate Building Repairs

Fiji experienced back-to-back tropical storms in January '12 which resulted in a tremendous amount of rain. You may have heard about the extenisve flooding on our side of the main island. We did NOT have any problems with the floods, BUT we did have problems with the rain which revealed many LEAKS in the UPPER roof. We also discovered extensive problems with the VERANDA roof which lacks the proper SLOPE. The leaks caused by the lack of a fall in the rooftop have ruined the ceiling of the veranda on three sides of the building. Our original contractor has already made the repairs that he is willing to make. Those repairs stopped some of the leaks, but did not solve the root of the problems. 

Wet cement blocks in the attic

Obviously, roof repairs need to be done during Fiji dry season:
June to October.

Water- damaged rafters

The following figures are an average of estimates given by 3 Fiji "roofers" paying local workmen :

Phase 1
Sealing of Upper Roof 
USD$20,000.00  
NEWSFLASH: There is a volunteer missions construction team from New Zealand offering free labor if we can provide USD$1,000.00 IMMEDIATELY for the purchase of materials. This is an urgent need.

Phase 2
Veranda slope repair and new ceiling
USD $12,000 to 20,000.00??????

City Council still insists that we install a parking lot to cater for 18 cars.

Phase 3
Required Parking lot
USD $25,000.00 to $35,000.00?????

Unfinished walls at the peak of the roof
allows wind to blow rain inside.

We are sick at heart to report that if these given estimates are "in the ballpark",  we need somewhere  close to
USD $70,000.00 to fix it all.  Only God knows the actual cost of it all.  Therefore, we ask that you lift this need up to the Lord who is Jehovah-Jireh.

Due to Kent needing hip and knee replacements during the construction time, the construction crew may have taken advantage of the fact that Kent couldn't inspect the roof during construction. 

Symphony of Sound

There was a symphony of sound this past week...pounding hammers, electric drills, wood sanders, circular saws, a churning cement mixer and the welding of steel... music to my ears. On Saturday, this "orchestra" played "I can't believe my eyes" as I watched the construction men place the sheets of tin metal upon the roof!

Roofing Tins Over the National Office



Front Third Now Covered with Roof

Up, Up and Away to the Top!

What a thrill it was to see a HUGE crane placing four wooden roof rafters, each weighing 3 tons, over the office area  and the residence. Additionally, a MASSIVE steel beam was positioned over the training hall. This week, the contractor expects to put the actual sheets of roofing tin over the first third of the building.


Rafter Being Hoisted into Place

Hand-crafted Hardwood Rafters in Place











Steel Beam Being Hoisted into Place






Rear View of Rafters

Front View of Building
With the New Rafters

Rainbows of Promise

One of our favorite things to do in the evening is to walk around the CEF property to "ooh and ahh" over the construction progress made that day!  We also use that time to petition the Lord to finish what He has begun.

Last week, we glanced up and were stunned to see not one, but TWO, glorious complete rainbows postitioned right over the CEF  property.  We immediately thought of the lesson about Noah and how the rainbow reminds us that God  always keeps HIS promises. We are claiming Phil 1: 6 "He which hath begun a good work...will perform (or complete) it!"  Thank you, Lord, for what You have done and what You will do  to see this Moriah Project to completion!  We estimate that only need a remaining US $70,000 to do all of the finishing work!  Surely, God will provide, for He is Jehovah-jireh...the God who provides!

Estimated Date of Completion:  June 2011
Tentative Dedication Date:  Sat., Aug 20th, 2011  (To be confirmed as soon as possible!)


Double Rainbows: A Reminder that God KEEPS His Promises
The second rainbow is faintly seen in the upper right corner of the photo.



The "Roof Beams" in the Office Area are Complete!

"Roof Beams" for the Apartment now bind the walls together
and are ready to support the rafters.



The walls in the training hall go higher and higher!



The Roof Beams at the Training Hall will support
the roof which will go two feet higher than the other portions of the roof. 
It's going to be BEAUTIFUL!



The truckload of hardwood for Roof Rafters arrived on Friday, March 18th!
Work on building the rafters begins on Monday, March 21st.



Off-Loading the special-cut Timber for the roof rafters.  These timbers are heavy and huge! (2x12's)



The supporting Steel Beams for the Training Hall will allow for a high ceiling
and a refreshing flow of air!  Thank you, Lord, for ALL that You have done!

Seeing is Believing!

All exterior walls and columns of the new building are now complete.  Tomorrow (14th Feb), construction work on the interior walls begins.  The contractor estimates that the interior walls will be completed within two weeks.  We're now praying in the funds for the "roof beams" of which God has provided two-thirds of the funds required.  Keep watching and praying!

Walls of Director's Apartment at the back of the new building
went up this week ~ PTL!



Front View of New Building with Dorm Rooms
on Lower Level & Office Area on Top

Side View of Lower Level Dorm Rooms

Front View of Upper and Lower Levels of
CEF Fiji's New Building



Interior of Basement Dorm Rooms
Construction of Interior Walls begin this week!



View of Exterior Walls showing a L-O-N-G Building
What a wonderful gift from God it will be!

Walls of Faith ~ Going Up!

Blessed be the name of the Lord! We are ever so thrilled to see WALLS going up. The exterior walls of the upper level office space are done. Today, workers will continue building the walls of the training hall and our future residence. Pray that construction will not have to be halted due to lack of funds. Projected Completion Date: May 1, 2011  We'll let these pictures tell the stories!

Side wall of CEF Office with Large Window Provision



Front View of Upper Office and Lower Dorm Rooms



A Look from the Corner across the Street




Side View of Office Area / Main Door Entrance



Basement Level - Dorm Rooms and Sitting Room
with Kitchen Area

Side View of Office Area and Training Hall Area
in the far right of picture

Windows and Doors ~ How Exciting!



Another Milestone: All FLOORS are Poured!

With tears in our eyes and lumps in our throats, we stood under an umbrella watching the FIFTH and FINAL cement truck pull up. The wheelbarrow brigade began again. After SIX hours of hard work, the men celebrated the COMPLETED CEMENT FLOOR of the training hall. The flooring for the entire building is now done!  Praise ye the Lord!

Smoothing the Cement of the Veranda (Porch)

Wheel Barrow Brigade nearing the End



Completed Cement Floor : Training Hall





So Build We the Walls! PTL!

Despite a cyclone out to sea and torrential rain, our crew of dedicated men insisted on pouring the floor for the director's apartment on Thursday this past week. They worked SO hard under very difficult circumstances.

On Friday, January 14th, the master block layer, along with his crew, placed cement blocks for the wall between the office and the training hall. Another crew began preparing the groundwork for the flooring of the last part of the training hall.  This is SO exciting!

Pouring Cement in the Pouring Rain...
Such Determination!

Determined to Finish the Apartment Floor
despite the Torrential Downpour

And it is DONE!




Wall in Front Will be Between the Apartment
and the Training Hall
Wall towards the back is the Wall Between
the Training Hall and the Office



Going Up!

The fifth of January 5th was so exciting! Twelve cement trucks came pouring tons of cement for the upper floor of the new CEF office and front portion of the training hall. We rejoice with hearts full of thanksgiving!

The construction crew had initially planned to pour the cement flooring the next day for the Director's apartment at the back of the new building.  However, God had other plans. He sent five days of continual heavy rains.  Today, January 11th, the plumbing and steel rods for the apartment floor were put into place.  If it does not rain, the pouring of the cement will be next and possibly as early as tomorrow afternoon!

Pouring of Cement...Upper Floor



First Cement Truck Arrives
for Pouring the Upper Floor

The Finished Upper Floor of CEF's Office
and front portion of Training Hall

Becky Takes the First Step
Onto the Upper Story Floor



A Giant Step for Kent
and What a Thrill ~ Faith becomes Sight!




The Upper Level of Our Future Office ~
Blockwork Will Begin Soon!



The Lower Floor with its New Ceiling

LOOK at What GOD is DOING!

The First Wall for the Ground Floor Goes Up

The First Pouring of the Concrete Floor in the Basment

The Concrete Basement is Completed!  Ya-hoo!

Final Column Work on the Retaining Wall

Column Work in Preparation for the Second Floor

Work Behind the Retaining Wall which will eventually be Covered by more Concrete Flooring ~
We've Come This Far by FAITH!

Praise the Lord for His marvelous works!  He has graciously provided funding needed to complete the foundation, the flooring for the ENTIRE building and all BLOCK WORK including ELECTRICAL works that must be installed during the construction of both the interior and exterior concrete walls!  Oh, how we praise Him!

We are now asking the Lord to provide for the ROOF and RAFTERS.  PRAY for God's continued provision.  Construction is on schedule and is due to be completed by next April or early May if funds continue to come in so as not to halt the construction.

THANK YOU for praying and giving to this great need.  It will be so wonderful when this beautiful building is complete for His glory!