We got the exciting news today that more $20,000 houses are going to be built this spring, through now work of our own but through the work of Pam Dorr, the ex-outreach fellow setting up the housing office in town. One will be built by the family of a man whose house burnt down and who's currently living in a cockroach-infested trailer, and one will be built by three thirteen-year-old boys! They came up with the request for some kind of after-school activity and were keen on buliding things, and their parents were keen for them to learn some new skills, and so it came about, in the health-and-safety-less world of Hale County...they will of course have supervision, and possibly some adult volunteers. A fourth house may be built by prisoners through a scheme being set up by Habitat by Humanity.

So suddenly things seem to be moving fast. It's great to have the opportunity to test out different versions of our prototype, and Lowes have agreed to give 50% off all the materials we buy from them, with the remainder of the cash being raised by churches and other donations. We're pretty psyched.

Meanwhile, our competitor the double-wide passed through Newbern today, complete with its carpets, pelmets and furniture already in place...