| Can people with no construction experience erect a | | | | on which to attach galvanized sheet metal cladding. |
| hurricane-resistant building in a week? The answer is | | | | And there was evening and there was morning, a |
| yes - at least, when God is on their side. | | | | third day. |
| Scott Coulombe and a crew of seven built a light | | | | The roof, normally one of the most challenging |
| gauge steel church in Santa Rita de Copan, Honduras, | | | | aspects of a wood framing job, went relatively easily |
| Central America, in one week of March, 2004. Here's | | | | for the now-somewhat-experienced crew. They cut |
| how it came about. | | | | the roof rafters on the ground and moved them by |
| Coulombe is also a hands-on guy who happens to | | | | hand into place across the second-story framing |
| make a living designing, manufacturing and selling | | | | members. The light weight of the steel components |
| framing components for light gauge steel buildings. | | | | made it possible. |
| Missionary Clifton Bullock of St. Johnsbury, Vt., is a | | | | And there was evening and there was morning, a |
| Christian missionary in Santa Rita. | | | | fourth day. |
| On a visit to the mission in 2003, Coulombe noted | | | | With roof trusses in place, the crew affixed sheet |
| that the wet, termite-friendly conditions of Honduras | | | | metal cladding, enclosing the church. And, over the |
| were ideal for steel buildings. He also noticed that | | | | 1,050-square-foot open-air meeting area, they |
| Missionary Bullock and the local church congregation | | | | erected rafters to the top of the 3.5 meter block |
| started to build a concrete foundation for a pastor's | | | | walls. |
| quarters and church. | | | | And there was evening and there was morning, a |
| Coulombe thought of the rejected building | | | | fifth day. |
| components that lay around the yard back at the | | | | All that remained was installing the canopy over the |
| plant and thought, "I could build a church out of that | | | | open-air portion of the church. Crew members |
| stuff." | | | | moved confidently now, spurred by their |
| Back at the plant, Coulombe used a magnet to pick | | | | accomplishments and the prospect of a complete |
| up rejected screws after the work day was done. | | | | task in sight. |
| He knew many of the fasteners would be | | | | And there was evening and there was morning, a |
| salvageable. | | | | sixth day. |
| A generous donation permitted Coulumbe to ship a | | | | And the crew saw that it was good. |
| container of steel building components and | | | | On the 7th day, the crew rested - and rejoiced. At |
| accessories to the Honduran mission in November of | | | | the beginning they had been rookies, but now they |
| 2003. | | | | were accomplished builders. |
| Finally Coulombe, a member of Community Baptist | | | | Many in the congregation actually wept at the sight |
| Church of Gorham, N.H., recruited a work crew from | | | | of their finished church. They saw what had been |
| the church that supports the mission, Chester Bible | | | | done, and saw that it was very good. |
| Fellowship of Chester, N.H. | | | | Codes and safety |
| The days of the week | | | | "Honduran termites will eat entire support posts in a |
| By now it's March 2004. Coulombe, Bullock and six | | | | season," Coulombe says. "And the weather can be |
| others who'd never before built a steel-framed | | | | severe at times. Now these people can have a |
| building have brought their gloves, tools and | | | | structure that gives them shade and shelter for |
| enthusiasm to the mission. | | | | years to come." |
| It had taken the Bullock and his people 18 months to | | | | The crew doubled up elements for safety, even with |
| lay the foundation, make the concrete blocks and | | | | 16 gauge elements. It's sufficient to hold up against |
| erect the first floor church walls. Few could imagine | | | | hurricanes, termites and flooding. These are advanced |
| completing the shell in seven days. | | | | measures in a community that has zero building |
| Their materials lay in disarray about them. It was junk | | | | codes. |
| steel - twisted and white rusted parts rejected from | | | | Hands and feet |
| the manufacturing line. | | | | Scott Coulombe likes to see projects completed, so |
| The crew sorted and staged materials, and began | | | | this mission project was fulfilling on many levels. "You |
| erecting initial the framing. The missionary's children, | | | | can donate $500 and get your picture in the paper |
| Josiah and Micah, set to work sorting the good | | | | handing a big check to a worthy recipient" he says, |
| screws from the bad. | | | | "but you can also get out there, roll up your sleeves |
| And there was evening and there was morning, one | | | | and do it. |
| day. | | | | "You've got to put feet to the idea," he says. |
| The foundation measured 35" by 70"; almost half of | | | | God knows all about building something in a week. |
| that space was enclosed in the block walls, and the | | | | And now, so do eight New England churchgoers |
| other 60 percent was intended as an open-air | | | | who'd never before built a building of light gauge |
| meeting place. Coulombe and crew installed a second | | | | steel. |
| floor across the block walls using 18- and 16-gauge | | | | Postscript: American crew members in the raising of |
| joists and locally purchased 26-gauge corrugated steel | | | | the Santa Rita mission church were Tim Peloquin, |
| roofing. | | | | Bryan Moquin, Pastor John Ziemba, Jim Radzelovage, |
| And there was evening and there was morning, a | | | | Peter Johnson, Pastor Cyantano, Scott Coulombe and |
| second day. | | | | Missionary Clifton Bullock. Jane and Christina Bullock, |
| Standing on the second floor, the crew erected the | | | | Clifton's wife and daughter, kept the crew fed and |
| walls for the second story. They used 6-inch steel | | | | watered. |
| studs for the framing, running steel straps horizontally | | | | |