Launch day – Martin Downs’ diary
Launch day: As we flew in on our final approach I stuck my head out of the chopper door and looked down at the waters of the lake 5,000 feet below.
Boats were lined up and pillars of orange smoke ascended, indicating wind direction, so we could land our parachutes in the right place.
I caught a glimpse of the house sitting proudly on the banks of the dam.
My mind took me back to June last year, when I had sat at the bedside of my father in hospital – what turned out to be his death bed.
We would pass a notepad back and forth for several hours as we sketched out the design of the house I was now viewing – a house he never got to see.
I still have the drawings in my office. His sketches looked like they were done by a child; his body was being pumped with chemotherapy drugs as he drew.
As I left the plane I smiled and knew he would have been proud today.
My happiness was mixed with sadness. I wished he was there to see it.
‘This one’s for you pop,’ I said as I leapt into the South African sky.
On landing I was greeted with a carnival atmosphere.
Hundreds of locals were singing and dancing and a BBC director and five cameras were covering the day. National and international press had gathered. All were there to cover the official launch of the world’s first zero carbon footprint children’s home - the building my dad had designed before his death.
A CEO from a top Durban business said to me that day: ‘This is the most exciting thing to have happened here in 30 years.’
This is just the beginning, though. We have the capacity to build 100 of these unique homes each year. This is not something that could be a reality – it should be a reality!
Remember this is orphan capital of the world and there are countless children waiting.
My dad is no longer here, but what a footprint he has left behind.
We are in position to build 100 of these homes per year.
We have a BBC production coming out in the next few months so keep your eyes open for that.
This is hopefully the very beginning for project O and the children of South Africa!
The goal- 100 homes per year!
Help us do just that!
Email martin@projecto.org.za
January 3rd, 2010 at 10:42 pm
hello there and what a inspiration this project is. im was given the site details of a friend who know Julie and Mark from plymouth christian centre ( p. c. c)
i write in regard to any voluntary positions you may have, i am a carpenter and joiner by trade and hold many other skills as i have worked in constuction for some 20 years, i have been looking for long term voluntary projects and have so far come across quite a few , but the problem is that they all want 3 - 4.oooo pound for a six week experience. i am looking for a long term project as i want to give my self to a cause and help others. ( i know this sounds like a clche but its true) i have been praying around this for about six months , have been getting frustrated as i believe that God wants me to be used in these areas, I have mannaged to save £3.000 for flights and keeping myself in food. i am looking for a long term project, im am single no children and have been a christian for 8 years,
please can you get back to me as i am very keen to get involved in the right project.
sincerley Tristan Harper ( with love in fellowship)