Building bridges is a theme we’ve often heard in relation to missions, mnistry and cross cultural relationships.  Developping relationships is a way of building bridges of understanding so that people of different cultures may more readily accept the gospel message. 

And sometimes building relationships means building actual bridges, which is right up Ron’s alley.

This bridge is on the road that most students and staff travel going to and from Rain Forest International School (RFIS).  The area around RFIS is seeing more construction, and that calls for more trucks loaded with sand, gravel, and bricks.  Such heavy loads and increased traffic is taking a toll on this bridge.  (Pun intended)

It’s gotten so that nearly every day a car or truck has difficulty crossing – boards break, the support boards underneath bunch up, and it has become quite dangerous to cross. Parents and staff have been advised to take a different route to school.

So RFIS Administrative Assistant, Mr. Norbert, contacted leaders in the community to discuss a solution.  Someone in the area donated a tree which was cut by chainsaw into lumber, as all lumber here is cut.  So sorry we don’t have a picture of that process.  Ron took a picture on his phone, but we don’t have a cord to transfer it to the computer.  I tried to take a picture of the picture, but it turned out looking like a Bigfoot sighting in the forest. 

Ron and the guys went out to the forest with a truck to bring the cut lumber to RFIS for planing.  At about 200 pounds a piece, the boards are tough to move around.

Then they laid the boards out at school the way they will be on the bridge.  Ron has done a lot of research to figure out a repair that will make a durable bridge to serve heavy trucks, cars and motorcycles.  These boards are 3 times as wide as the boards of the original bridge, so they should do well.

Stay tuned for updates as the bridge is built – hopefully next week.  The road will have to be closed for a couple days.  We hope this will not only be a functional bridge, but that it will build relational bridges with the community.