Well, not yet a crowning glory because the house top is still bald. But it’s getting there.

What is delaying the roof job completion?. It is not inclement weather or tardiness of the workmen that’s causing the delay.

$adly, at thi$ moment, it i$ becau$e I $hare the $ame problem a$ $ally $oo who explain$ her$elf. It i$ $tuck becau$e I need to $ave $ome more dollar$ to buy the roof $heet$.

In the meantime, work is plodding along with whatever can be purchased. As you will see, since the last update, there has been added progress accomplished for the roof. It’s moving along; a baby step at a time.

Before I display the images, interestingly so, I learned a few technical terms about a house roof. These are just a few. The more complex a roof design is, the more terminologies for every elevation, joint and shape.

You know, it not simply saying, “Let’s get on with the roof job” and the roof will unfold like magic.

The roof will need various sizes of wood, chemical to treat the wood for anti-termite protection, nails, screws, iron plates for major wood joints, sealant, anti-heat roof insulation and roof sheets. Right now, it is a $hortage of dollar$ and cent$ for the $heet$.

Taking the simple design roof for Heavenly Home, it was interesting to learn that the roof has terminolgies, such as:

It has a Side Gabled Roof, meaning the home locates the front door on the non-gabled façade. Gable is the “^” (peak) section.

The Rafters form the structural members that support the roof is installed.

The Purlins or Tails are horizontal members placed across the rafters to sever as the nailing or connecting members for the roof is installed.

The Fascia is the flat,horizontal band around the roof perimeter is installed.

The Eave is an overhang enclosed that runs horizontally from the eave edge to the side of the building.

(a: the Roof | b: the Fascia | c: the Eave)

The Roof Gutter drains the rain water run off from the roof top via pipes to an outside drain.

So, I have learned that building a roof is not as simple as how roofs are seen from the ground.

That’s all for now on the progress of Heavenly Home till I proudly show you the Crown. Ha! Ha! Ha!

G L E N N

With humility, I write about Star from A Maiden’s Testimony whom I also know as Ate Vilma.

She defines a four letter word as ACTION.

Nothing connected with Camera! Lights! Action! kind of thing. Not one bit of play action. She personifies real ACTION.

You know… LOVE is ACTION.

How much more precise can LOVE be defined as?

Here is a lady whom I befriended through an introduction from Lainy. Soon after, I found that she has an unbelievable kindness.

Despite having suffered as an abused wife and most piteously left as a single parent with a daughter, she gladly adopted a baby boy who was literally left in her arms. Nosiree! I am not talking about Mother Teresa.

If you remember the Biblical parable about the Widow’s Mite, Ate Vilma reincarnates that parable when she donated to Project Heavenly Home. She already has problems to make ends meet each month and yet what she has donated is not a mite by her standards. I know that the amount she donated is relatively a big sum for her.

I kept refusing to accept her donation but she insisted saying that she would not accept a refund.

Elsewhere, Lainy published at her other Blog, Our Journey to Forever, at “All The World’s A Stage, And We Are Mere Players” , about Ate Vilma when she believed that I had an illegitimate baby named, Vincent. It is a long hilarious story that I concocted with Lainy’s permission of course.

Ate Vilma fell for the entire story, hook, line and sinker which Lainy and I played on her. To make that story short here, Ate Vilma without batting an eye, openly accepted to adopt my illegitimate son, Vincent. Furthermore, for the days after Ate Vilma agreed to adopt Vincent, her family kept asking Lainy at her Office when Vincent would be sent to their home. Can you fathom the magnanimity of Ate Vilma?

There you are my friends, there be “angels” such as Ate Vilma who fear not to tread this miserable Earth and shine their love unto others.

The Vincent saga inspired me to create and present to Ate Vilma a special Golden Heart Award. At that time I was actively blogging from Windmill of the Hill.

The Golden Heart Award

I was out having my dinner less than an hour ago. As I sat down to begin with my meal, the shop’s tv had a re-run of Walt Disney’s production of “The Jungle Book”.

By the time I had almost finished my meal, the Movie was at where Baloo (the bear) and Mogwli (the “man cub”) meet their first time and start to frolick. For those who have seen this entertaining animated cartoon, this scene begins when Baloo explains to Bagheera, (the black panther) how he would be an able guardian and educate Mogwli.

Baloo the bear, philosophically sings about “The Bare Necessities of Life”

I remained seated and listened intently to the lyrics of the song. There is in it a few good pointers. It was a needed respite from all that I have been busy with, building the house for the widow and her children.

As I walked home, Baloo’s words kept ringing in my ears with regards to Project Heavenly Home.

Just thought I’d share my lighter moment with you.

Heavenly Home First Donors Proceeds

Donations Funds via PayPal

On Mar 1, 2010 at approximately 7:30 pm (+8 hrs GMT), I received a PayPal email which notified me that an amount of USD220.00 (U.S Dollars Two Hundred and Twenty) was sent by Lainy from her PayPal Account.

The above screen capture image attests and refers to the PayPal Transaction.

Listed below are the thirteen Donors, namely as follows, randomly and not in any order for the amount donated:

1. Janae of Janae’s Jewels
2. David Funk of Basic BLoganomics
3. Ally of In The Eyes Of The Beholder
4. Recel of My Written xPressions
5. Lira of Tasteful Voyage
6. Twerlyn of Twerlyn’s Way of Thinking
7. Bregie of Reveiling Oneself Expressing d Real Me
8. Rosile of A Closet for Limitless Adventure
9 Lainy of Lainy’s Musings
10 Jenn of My Sweet Haven
11. BK of Symphony of Love
12. Eli of Business Sphere
13. Liza of Moms… Check Nyo

How will the USD 220.00 be assisting?

At this stage, the house roof is half done. The wood trellis has been installed and awaits for the roof sheets to be mounted on top of the wood trellis.

At USD19.00 a piece, the USD220.00 is good to purchase : 11 pieces of roof sheets.
To cover the roof area of 770 sq. feet : 40 pieces of roof sheets are needed.
Balance roof sheets needed : 29 roof sheets.

We hope that the combined support from other Donors will help to purchase the balance sheets.

My Heartfelt Thanks

Once again, I am ever so grateful to these 13 Donors who have contributed towards this cause. Every single donated amount has collectively in turn made 11 roof sheets available.

My sincere gratitude to Lainy for having expended so much of her personal time and her tireless effort to help me at Lainy’s Musings for this project.

I shall keep publishing updates on the progress for the house here at Lainy’s Musings.

God Bless you Always!

S A N D Y

Mainly owing to Windy not having a Blog since he stopped blogging several months ago, Lainy’s Musings will adopt “Heavenly Home” as an ongoing featured article here until its completion.

- HH Breaking News – HH Breaking News – HH Breaking News – HH Breaking News – HH Breaking

• Last night, over discussions with Windy, I understand that Windy intends to have a metal plaque to be displayed at the house. Windy himself shall pay for the cost of the metal plaque. The plaque will display the names of all who donated towards building the house.

• Windy also informed me that he will submit a full Expense Report for purchases made from the proceeds of Donors.

• I shall publish the Expense Accounts here at Lainy’s Musings.

Here again, for all those who wish to donate towards Heavenly Home, the PayPal button is displayed below. A full list will be duly published here for Blogger donors and their Blog links.

At Lainy’s behest (you do know how persuasive Lainybelle is, hahaha!), I have been asked to write an update to keep my wonderful donors abreast of the progress on the house that was earlier published at “A HOUSE THAT NEEDS CARING HEARTS”

Let me first begin by saying how thrilled I am that there are kind and gentle people who have joined me in this journey, to provide a sturdy shelter for a defenceless widow and her three children.

Yesterday, I had her three children to deliver a message to you Donors, their house “foster” parents.

Here it is:

From out of the Mouths of Babes

What else?

Thank you so much for transforming this journey into another reality. At first I had visions of just a small house. You cannot imagine how “monstrous” this small house became as the blocks and the cement bags and the wood seemingly enlarged. That is when my personal funds started to shrink.

This left me gasping!

Recel Remoroza Duarte who blogs from My Written xPressions, rang her clarion at Facebook with this:

In this world, nobody can change somebody. It is HIM alone WHO can do miracle in a person’s life. Everything starts from the heart. The helping hand, the caring heart, the thoughtful mind– they’re all products of a good soul. How about extending some little help to finish a house? Your penny and more are gladly appreciated! Click this link that I got here if you’re willing to spare a cent ot more!!!

Recel held me speechless. In the twinkling of an eye, her inspiration and script has made this journey larger than life. Facebook it, this is something that the late Mother Teresa never thought about.

In addition, Polly of Random Ramblings also graciously extended her help with her Aricle “Home of charity“. The concerted display of support and encouragement has lifted my spirits. As I oped elsewhere at a Comment, this has been a long and winding road to the front door of the intended house. I have had my dark moments, searching for solutions so that the widow and her three children would have a place of their own to call HOME.

I am humbled by this experience and I am overawed by the response from Bloggers, one and all. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

How do I thank you Donors enough?

Collectively you have given a new lease of life for the work at the house. The roof wood struts have started to be laid.

and Bloggers Donors said: Let there be roof

Last but not least, I came up with this image, to honour the amazing care and generosity that Blogger Donors have given for this cause.

Blogger Donors made Heavenly Home

Here again, for all those who wish to donate towards Heavenly Home, the PayPal button is displayed below. A full list will be duly published here for Blogger donors and their Blog links.

Hopefully, most of my regular visitors would remember Windy whom I have never stopped describing as one of the most brilliant that I have met during his stint as a Blogger. His artistry, his punch lines and above all, his straight in the eye delivery. Ah! Those were the days.

This Article is in response to a request from Windy who most recently left a Comment H E R E. For those who remember Windy, he once passionately blogged from Windmill on the Hill. I hope that Windy will return to share with us so much of his talent, as he used to.

Most regrettably for me, Windy stopped blogging several months ago and I still believe that Blogosphere has lost a valuable contributor. He was a Blogger for all seasons, so to speak.

I was shocked out of my seat earlier this morning, when I found his recent Comment and some noteworthy pieces of information that he left here and I quote:

I devote much of my time to humanitarian work after I stopped blogging. Just the little that I can share to help other less fortunates believe that hope and love still exists despite their misery.

I met a widow and her three children living in the open. I made a spontaneous decision to build for them a very small house. With whatever savings that I could afford it paid for the walls to be built. The works-in-progress is now the roof. The roof job would not have been possible without a heart of gold Blogger who helped me with some money.

After the roof job is completed, there is the cement floor and the wall plaster that needs to be done. Right now, I do not have the money to buy the materials for the floor and the walls. Do I laugh or cry now? I have to believe that “who dares, wins” and that miracles do happen.

Over the time that I have known Windy, I also know that he travels to Indonesia where he provides some families whom he knows that live in dire poverty.

In a separate discussion later with Windy, I asked him about the house that he mentioned at his recent Comment. This is his reply to me together with photographs.

Here it is:

Lainybelle,

They live in this.

The first photo that displays a “nipa” leaves open sided shed is where a 52 year-old widow and her three children found shelter. That shed is at the rear of a house. Out of compassion, the house owner allowed them to occupy that shed.

How did I get to know them?

It was on a school day when I met two of the children. I beckoned them over to where I was having my meal and queried why they were not at school. I had them sit at my table and bought them a meal. One thing led to another. It ended me asking them to lead me to meet their mother simply because the children tore at my heart strings and I wanted to know more from their mother.

Getting permission

The idea of building them a small house sprung easily to my mind but the matter about building it on the same plot of land was another hurdle. That took me several visits to the house owner, at each visit, cajoling and attempting to get his permission to build a house in his backyard. My persistence finally paid off and after some basic arrangements with the house owner and the widow, the house could be built.

A month later

With some help from an old friend, a retired House Contractor who now runs a hardware shop, I managed to hire two labourers to build the house for a nominal wage and a very flexible on the job schedule.

A month and a half later

The house walls are now completely done albeit without the wall plaster. The wall plaster will have to wait till I have the means to buy more cement and sand.

The value of things.

While the house was built, each block became unbelievably precious. I could extend only whatever my personal savings would allow to buy the materials needed to build the foundation and the house walls.

As the blocks went up, one upon the other, these blocks took on such a value of its own. I admit the blocks had a greater meaning than the face value of money. This feeling extended to the cement, stones, sand and for everything else that the house needs.

The word frugality in a real and practical sense bore so much meaning with building this house.

God Bless you Always,
Windy

Having read all that, if you care to render assistance to Windy, add some cheer towards fulfilling his task and bring that home to the widow and her three children, I have added a PayPal Donation button at the bottom to serve this purpose.

Many thanks in advance to benevolent donors for this charitable cause. A full list will be duly published here for Blogger donors and their Blog links.