This whole project centers around the fact that we believe in order to be effective in reaching tribal people with the Gospel we ought to be a part of their community, learn their language and culture, and build relationships with them in daily life. For most tribal missionaries the best way to do that is to go live with them in the village.

The last several months we have been consulting with our team members living in the village already and with other missionaries here about the many aspects of building a home in the tribe that meets our basic needs without become a burden or distraction from ministry. Like most other missionaries here what we have come up with is a fairly simple but functional house.

Below are a few questions and answers:

What will the house be built out of? What sort of construction will you use?


The short answer is it won’t be quite like a “Western” home nor as simple as the houses the Agta build. Because of our location along the coast high winds and heavy rains are a big factor to consider in house construction. We are so thankful to have an experienced Australian builder here who is well acquainted with building homes that can stand up to strong typhoons. The house will be elevated up on stilts with an office for Jared and a small guest room underneath. The main structure of the house will be framed out of wood, cut and milled (using chainsaws) by men in the village. The roof is corrugated tin and the siding is a tough concrete fiber board that stands up well to the elements.

How long does it take to build?

Our building project is broken up into two big steps. The first step for us is to secure a site to build on (DONE AUGUST, 2011), lay a foundation (IN PROCESS MARCH, 2012), frame up the walls and then roof and side the house. Timelines and schedules are fairly fluid here so we have to allow for that but we hope to have the house done between now and early September.

Will you have electricity? How will you get it?

There is no “town power” out in the village so we will have to produce our own using solar panels. The system that the mission tech center has designed for us can run a refrigerator/freezer, laptops, some lights and fans, and a few basic kitchen appliances with a small generator for long rainy spells.

How can I help out?

Much in the same way you can be a part of the larger missions endeavor. Pray, Give and Go.

Pray!

Please pray for us! This is a great opportunity for us to start building long-term relationships in the community. Where possible we are hoping to hire some of the men to help in the construction and as you can imagine that can be a blessing and a challenge. Please pray for good communication up front with the various workers in the tribe. Also please pray for wisdom in the planning, safety and for God’s provision in the timing and finances.

Give!

We have been saving throughout the past year towards the first step of the building project, the thermometer to the right shows our progress in saving towards this aspect of the construction. This first stage, the main structure of the house, will cost between $8,000 and $10,000. Praise the Lord these funds have already been raised! This covers tools, the concrete and rebar for the foundation, all of the lumber, roofing, and siding.

The second part, the interior construction and the solar electric system costs a bit under $15,000. The bulk of that expense is wrapped up in the solar panels, batteries and other components of the system that will produce electricity for the house. The total estimated cost of the house is between $23,000 and $25,000.

If you would like to help out with some of the expenses of the project click here.

Go!

Having the help of some skilled people willing to come for a short time and lend a hand would be great. If you would be interested in coming to help out with the building process please let us know! You can email us at jared@majortribe.com

If you have other questions please ask! This is a big and exciting step for us and we would love to share more about it with you!

In Him,

The Major Tribe