Built to Last - The Vinyl Classroom Project

Built to Last

The fairy tale of the three little pigs can tell us a lot about the schools in rural Congo. The schools are made out sticks, mud, and palm fronds. The big bad wolf just huffs, puffs and blows them down.

Some things, you do not forget. It may be a fairy tale, a nursery rhyme or a song. It may be a Bible verse or a Bible story. Or it may be an event or image. For me, it is the blown down school classroom in Bulape, Congo. It was during our April 2005 mission trip to the Congo.

The classroom was not demolished by a tornado. But it caused by a rain shower accompanied by a strong wind. It was an event that I will never forget.

The classrooms at two of elementary school are built in the traditional rural Congolese fashion. They are made out sticks, mud, and palm fronds. It was destroyed by nature’s big bad wolf.

We were moved to build better, stronger, and longer lasting elementary schools. Bricks, as used by the third little pig, would withstand the winds, rain, and the big bad wolf. But we quickly found out that bricks and cement are expensive commodities in Congo. They were even more expensive in rural Congolese villages like Bulape. We were determined. So, the school renovation program would take a decade to complete instead of just few years.

Last fall that was all changed, another building process was revealed to me. After seeing a news story about the plight of roadside vinyl billboards in our landfills, I thought of win-win situation. A solution to getting rid of or use the unneeded vinyl billboards and a solution to building better, stronger, and longer lasting classroom. We would use the vinyl billboard as a light-weight, durable building materials. It would be like a big vinyl camping tent with a wood frame.

I found a local source of vinyl billboards. They donated to us two and a half billboards. The missing is another part of the story. Also, we need a way to produce large amounts of consistently milled lumber in Congo. A small portable sawmill came to mind. We even located another local dealer. Now, we just needed some extra funding. Faith’s Mission Ministry Unit and its Enduring Gifts Foundation agreed to fund the sawmill. The final step, designing a vinyl classroom, may be worked by Purdue University’s Chapter of Engineers Without Borders.

For more details, please review a copy of recent message delivered at the Hartford City Presbyterian Church, download a copy of my Powerpoint Presentation, Download Built To Last - sermon.

Jesus answered the Jews saying: "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." John 10:25-30

Thanks to Faith Presbyterian Church generous donations, our school renovation program will take a few years instead of a decade.

Written by Woody M. Collins

President, Congo Helping Hands, Inc.