When I moved into my current condo, I remember seeing a crack in the bedroom ceiling that is still there to this day. Occasionally, a bit of dust will fall from this crack, but it has never gotten worse or needed any repair. Perhaps when I sell, I’ll have cosmetic work done to cover it up. If only the building problems at the Compassionate Home in Umuagwu were so simple! To put it mildly, the Home is currently being invaded by a determined bunch of termites.
The termites come from the soil surrounding the Home, but they will go beyond their habitat if the opportunity arises. “Normally, the termites form anthills in the soil, but, in our case, they have accessed the wood rafters on the ceiling”, says Rev. Leo Okonkwo, Founder of HEAL. This is a common problem in rural areas, where the soil is not properly treated to prevent such infestations. If you live in a small hut in the bush, your home is highly vulnerable to being destroyed by termites. Homespun remedies, such as treating wood with used motor oil, provide only temporary protection, but are not reliable long term.
The rafters, being eaten away in the Home, hold up the ceiling boards. This causes major disruption in the life of the Messengers of Justice and the children. “Not only do ceiling boards unexpectedly fall in various places, which can cause injury, but the sawdust from the termite burrowing falls randomly onto the children’s food while they are eating or onto their beds while sleeping”, Rev. Leo explains. HEAL has responded by approving a budget to repair the damage and prevent recurrence of this situation.
We have hired contractors who are addressing the issue in two phases. First, chemical fumigation will kill all existing termites causing the damage. Second, carpentry work will replace all the damaged and displaced ceiling boards and rafters. However, this is not a one-time fix but an ongoing prevention process. Periodic chemical treatment of the wood and surrounding soil will be needed to keep the Compassionate Home termite free and habitable for our masters!
I didn’t expect 2016 to begin with a project fighting termites, but it’s the nature of mission work to expect the unexpected. With your dedicated support of our mission to form the African Child in the principles of servant leadership, we know that no challenge will be too great! We have great projects in store for 2016, which will improve our programs and advance our mission. Thank you for accompanying us on the journey!