Volunteer Reports

My Story
October, 2007

by Lynn

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Ready to go inspect area
bridges

Having known Jack for several years, since we have been on the Board of Directors together for Mission Builders International, I was pleased to accept his request for Civil Engineering help in starting the design/construction phase of Opportunity Foundations Campus located in the beautiful city of Nang Rong, Thailand.

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Buying som tam (papaya
salad in Nang Rong

My name is Lynn and I have spent 22 years helping to develop projects for non-profit ministries around the world, most of them being associated with Youth With A Mission (YWAM). Before this I was a civil engineer working on various large projects both in the U.S. and foreign countries for twenty years starting in 1966.

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Control room for Nang Rong
concrete (CPAC) batch plant

Opportunity Foundation has a big vision to serve "Girls at risk and grandmothers" with a place to live and be loved into the Kingdom of God. Jack and Anita were great to work with. I assisted them in beginning to design, contract and construct this major development of 28 acres on the edge of the city. The property presented some immediate challenges since it has been a working rice farm for many years. With an irrigation canal on both side of the land it naturally is flooded every year in order to plant rice. Our development challenges were great fun, working with Jack and Anita and several Thai business men and the board of directors.

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With surveyors on the
Opportunity Village site

We did the following during the 2½ weeks I was there

  • Located the property boundaries
  • Determined several bridge options and entrance road designs
  • Contracted for the road and bridge
  • Looked at fill- material source, batch plants for concrete and asphalt
  • Determined how much fill material was needed to make the site work
  • Where the best place to have morning coffee and cakes is located

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Checking the required length
for the new bridge

Nang Rong is a wonderful city about 4 hours drive east of Bangkok, the people are very friendly and hospitable to "farongs" and it was a joy to work and play with them. I should like to return again one day, if I am needed.

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Relaxing at a shop just outside
the entrance to Opportunity
Village

The food in Thailand is very good and nutritious though it can be spicy at times. There are a lot of sights to see when you have a spare weekend to visit local shrines and temples. There are also a variety of Christian churches to visit and very friendly brothers and sisters in Christ.

Oh yes, if Jack asks you to come and serve at the Opportunity Foundation, it will be a wonderful adventure in "serving God by serving others." GO FOR IT!

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