Reformation Christian Ministries



	SURINAME FIRE REPORT #6 1st Floor Shell Complete (Nov.-Dec. 2003)

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SURINAME FIRE & REBUILDING REPORT -- Main Page Latest Financial Needs
1. THE FIRE--BEFORE AND AFTER March 2003 Fire Update	2. CLEAN UP AND REBUILDING April-May 2003 Fire Update	3. NEW SCHOOL YEAR PREPS June-July 2003 Fire Update
4. REBUILDING BEGINS July-August 2003 Fire Update	5. THE WALLS GO UP September-November 2003	6. FIRST FLOOR SHELL COMPLETE November-December 2003
7. INTERIOR WORK ON FIRST FLOOR January-April 2004	8. SCHOOL DURING CONSTRUCTION January-April 2004	9. THE SECOND STORY May-August 2004
10. FINE-TUNING THE FIRST FLOOR September-October 2004	11. FINISHING SECOND STORY WALLS AND CEILING September 2004 to January 2005	12. PANORAMA COMPARISONS February 2005
13. MORE SCHOOL SCENES March 2005	14. THE FINAL WORK & GRADUATION 2005 April-August 2005	15. THE FINISHED PRODUCT September 2005

CEILING OFF THE FIRST FLOOR AND LAYING THE FLOOR FOR THE SECOND STORY:

November, 2003


The corrugated steel sheeting is delivered for placement as the ceiling of the first floor and the receptacle for the cement for the second floor.	A crane is used to lift the corrugated steel into place on the crossbeams.

Closeup of the corrugated steel from the underside at the front entrance to the school.

	Miss Fareza Kahn, a Guyanese teacher who lives with Rev. & Mrs. Poettcker and fourth grade teacher is seen in front of the building as the supports for the second story balcony are set up in preparation for pouring cement on the second floor. .
Meanwhile, stairs are built to the second floor enabling the workmen to lay out the steel reinforcing bars and all the other basics for a solid second floor and first floor (leak proof) ceiling. I say leak proof because until we can get the money to begin the second floor roof, we will be dependent upon the first floor to stay leak proof. So far so good.
	A side view of the second floor balcony overhang which is necessary to shield students waiting for rides after school from both the sun and the rain, though a driving rain will still require them to wait inside.
Steel reinforcement rods are tied individually across the whole floor in preparation for the pouring of the cement. Between this steel and the beams underneath, once the cement is poured, there will be a very strong structural unit securing the walls, the beams and the pillars. An interesting anecdote is in order as a testimony to God's providential oversight. We were in the process of planning a second floor for a portion of the the old building that was burned. Engineers came and told us that the pillars in the old chapel area were strong enough to support a second floor because they had steel in them. As it turned out, we discovered after the fire that they did not have steel within them and so would probably have not supported the weight of a second story. God is good and saved us through this fire.
	Rev. Asgar Hamid, bringing his children to school walking past the construction trailers which serve as the school administration offices while the rebuilding goes on.

The picture below is a composite of five different pictures taken panoramically from the top of one of the construction trailers on the site, showing the completion of the first floor shell. Though there is some distortion (as with a wide-angle lens), it still gives a good perspective of the property. The picture below is an old panorama shot from across the street from the school (not possible now because of all the construction trailers hiding the view from the street.

BEFORE THE FIRE (October, 2002)

Far left: House of Rev. & Mrs. Asgar Hamid, also served as Rev. Poettcker's school office.
To right of house with first red roof: Junior High School building (built 1992). Senior high met under trees or under roof overhangs or doubled up in the classrooms while the school was being built.
Far right: Kindergarten classrooms (K-4 & K-5). Built 1998.
To left of Kindergarten: Elementary school building built in 1982.

AFTER BUILDING FIRST FLOOR SHELL (December, 2003)

Below is the plan. The picture above can be compared with the first floor on this picture to see what remains to be done.

To continue, click here to go to the next stage of the building process. While you are waiting for the new page, please pray for God to provide the finances needed to complete the rebuilding process.

7. INTERIOR WORK ON 1st FLOOR
January-April 2004

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