Wednesday: More Tuck Pointing, Concrete Block and Band, Measuring

On Monday, 200 people checked in the medical tent for heat stroke and
a little less that Tuesday. Bumrungrad, the largest private hospital in Southeast Asia, is a huge donor. Saudi Arabians go there to receive to quality treatment.
We receive exceptional treatment. Medical tourism is yet another emerging business in Thailand. In addition to heatstroke, our fingers have alkaline burns from the portland cement and dust from the concrete lingers in our lungs. We work with bandaged hands.

As we continue, it is as if this is our house too, not just the homeowners.
There are no specialized crews: roofing, tuck pointing, cleaning, door hanging, windows. There is just our little group of 12 on House 12, lead by Danny from Dallas, building Our House with the homeowners. Kiwis from New Zealand. HFH from Twin Cities. HFH from Dane County. Kelly and Kathy who were on the India Build.
Dan not only manages the work quality, but looks after our hydration and meals, encourages us, and makes us feel appreciated. He wears a hard hat shaped like a cowboy hat.

Tonight we eat another buffet style Thai meal for 2,000 people in the parking lot of a restaurant. The Americans want hamburgers and fries by now. Afterwards, we send off 4 ft tall lanterns heated by kerosene into the sky, hundreds it seems.

Thursday: The Roof

Today was the first day there power was on the job,  a squeal not heard before.
The American Consulate sends over extra people to help us with the roof and some stay to help, to our great relief. They clean the mortar off the floor before it hardens, move scaffold and help finish the tuck pointing.

Tonight, to my surprise, I have dinner with the homeowner and meet their children at an affiliate appreciation dinner. The older daughter is not shy and proceeds to touch and unravel my knitting yarn which facinates her.

-Homeowner Profile: Boonsong and Karagate Thongwee and Family-
Karagate Thongwee goes by the nickname "Grace." She and her husband have two daughters, 6 and 3 years old. Grace recently began working full time for Habitat for Humanity, and her husband is a construction worker. They live with five other people in her older sister's small house. Grace says there are too many people living together, and she thinks the environment is bad for the children. Grace plans to sell food in her new community, and her husband plans to help people add extensions on their houses. "I'm so happy to live in this new neighborhood, my mind has already moved in!" Grace said. "I'm excited to get to know everyone in the neighborhood. I want to watch the trees grow big and live here forever!"

Friday: The Last Day

My hope is Boonsong, the homeowner, gets enough work to come visit the United States with his family, if that is his inclination. Other long time Carter build volunteers have seen their homeowners come to a US Carter Build. I wear socks I had already knit and show them to the older daughter of the family.

The Carters take photos in the morning with each of the 82 families and their crews.

We work a light day. Cleaning, landscaping, installing the front walkway.

The closing ceremony includes an amateur show of swords by one of the homeowners, dancing, and popping party favors. We leave hoping to come back someday to be a witness for the growth of this community.