St Ignatius - Batam Update

The landfill works is part of the plan which is one of the most important works that we must do in our school and dormitory. The reason why it is important is because our location is quite low, during the rainy season all the water comes onto the site and the river behind our site can not with hold that much of water and it causes flooding. The flood can reach up to the entire kitchen area and water closets.

So, our objectives are :
1. Increase the land elevation at the back
2. Widen the river and dig another channel
3. Eliminate the curve of the river by digging up a straight channel so the water can run smoothly to the sea.

In addition, the excavators to be brought in from Batam across the Batam Bridge , incurs a toll which adds to the cost of the works.

The alternative to lowering the cost is to do it manually, which the first mission outreach team from OLPS in June 2005 has shown it can be done when they dug out the stream to clear the choke. If we can find enough men and women to take this on, the Parishioners of Tembesi and local community are ever ready to work alongside with us, like they did in our trip last year.

I agree that will really put us outside our comfort zone but it allows us to answer the Church’s constant reminder to put our faith into action and to really show God’s Love in Action!

Edmund