DIOCESE OF AITAPE CHURCH BUILDING PROGRAM

	Project report No. 45 December 2005 Diocese of Aitape P O Box 179 Aitape Sandaun Province Papua New Guinea Ph +675 8572046 fax +675 8572056
Aitape Haus Lotu Projects

Introduction:

Welcome to the last report for 2005.
This is the forty fifth report on the Church Building program for the month of December.
In 2002, we established agreements with all of the sub parishes, and work started at Amu.
In 2003, we collected gravel for Arop1, Arop2 and Pou; began site work at Arop1 and Pou, and the welding of the steel frames for Arop2; at Amu we completed the roof and the concrete floor; at Barapu completed ground works; and began the design of Barapu and Sissano.
October 2005 was the opening of the Amu church in Malol. Followed by the beginning of work on another church in Malol at Areki.

This month of December at Areki, the tower posts were put up. They were braced, however not cemented because the new supply of cement had still not arrived on site. Therefore, work continued only with the ground beam formworks.

On 5th December, steel fixing continued with the remaining four (4) lengths of the reinforcement bars. Also carried on with backfilling for the main floor slabs.

On 6th December an elder of the community where the church is situated passed away and so the work ceased for two (2) weeks. The deceased was also a relative (brother) to the Construction Site Supervisor, therefore time was given for him to attend the funeral and other customary duties.

Work commenced again on 19th December. By this time, the new supply of cement bags had arrived and so the tower posts were cemented. Work continued for the steel fixing.

On 20th December, the ground beams were cemented and there was also steel fixing of reinforcement bars for the beams. Cementing of the beams continued. Only a little bit more to go before the end of the building, where the tower would stand.