This past week I employed four Mozambicans to complete Caterina's House. I would love to have used more visitors but we only had one (and Mark you ROCK!). We agreed on a pirice to do the whole house (which means walls and Roof and not the mud that goes on the walls) and it came out to $16 per person for four days work. Which is a very good wage here in Pemba. Just think about it, you could move to Pemba and have a house built for $64, plus materials which is about the same.
My first crew was interesting. 30 Minutes after we started one guy disappeared, then two others wanted his pay, and then they said we only agreed on a price for the walls and not the roof. So we talked back and forth for about an hour. Every time they took a break they wanted more money. So after an hour I told them they were finished because they didn't want to work. Then the main culpret said he wanted to work, but I had made my decision. So I paid them a good days wage and sent them on their way.
I hired the three guys standing watching us the whole time and they jumped right in. The best part is when I was walking back to the base I saw the one guy who was complaning the most and he wanted to give me his business card (not really) but he did say that if I had any other jobs he would work for me. I had to laugh, and then laugh again when he showed up the last day and wanted to work. I could see he realized the power of staying with the job, he looked a bit depressed when I paid our wokers and he knew he could have been paid also.
So here is the almost finished house and the mud should be put on this week. Caternia is very blessed and you can see, the smile is proof. Help the orphans and the widows! It has been a ride getting this house finished and a huge learning curve for me but the reward is worth every frustrating drop of sweat.
Of course there are many widows and many who need repairs or a whole new house. So we pray, "who is next Lord?"
Heath
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