March 2024 Lusito Update
March 31, 2024
Most days the Lusito shop is running at full capacity! What a blessing this fantastic facility is to our work here at Project Canaan. Days
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Greetings from Eswatini and Project Canaan!
As we approach the end of the 2023, we are starting to see some big accomplishments come together. Let’s start with the building projects…
The building projects are ongoing and getting closer to completion with each passing day. The roof is on the new Lusito Training Center and the window frames are set in place.
Inside painting is taking place as well as the airlines being run for the new air compressor that will soon be installed. Wires are being run for the electrical connections that will soon power us up.
We are waiting on the arrival and installation of our roll up garage doors before we start to roll some tools in.
The guest house is also progressing well, with the roof on and doors and windows installed. The interior work continues with electrical and plumbing nearing completion.
And speaking of milestones with our staff and students, Zama Maziya received his Grade 3 competency certificate in Motor Vehicle Repair from the government this past week. We all want to congratulate him on his determination and accomplishments. Well done, my friend!
Editor’s Note: On November 27th, Mercy Tech Mission Director Rick Cogbill will be arriving at Project Canaan to assist Ross with the setting up of all the automotive repair equipment at the Lusito Training Center. During a 2-week period, Rick and Ross hope to install 4 car lifts, test out the compressed air system, and organize all the tools that have been so generously donated by Rotary International.
Ross will also finally be able to bring his Snap-on Tool Cab out of storage!
Stay tuned for lots of photo updates!
We have doubled the number of vehicles in our Black Diesel fleet by adding a Mazda Drifter. Both vehicles are doing well using our Black Diesel mix, which is waste oil mixed with diesel fuel. We are still interested in a centrifuge but after looking online it may make more financial sense to purchase a commercial unit over trying to reinvent the wheel so to speak. We will continue to investigate the benefits and liabilities of commercial versus homebuilt units.
One of our drivers reported one morning that we must have overfilled the engine oil in his truck because it was towards the top of the dipstick. We double checked his sighting and sure enough, it was overfull. We used this moment as a teaching time by asking why.
Everyone gave their opinion and then we removed the valve cover to see what was going on inside. It turned out to be a leaking injector return line that was dumping diesel fuel into the engine oil. It is things like this that make me thankful that our drivers are serious about checking their vehicle each day before it leaves.
As the weather warms up here we are turning our attention toward our air conditioning equipped vehicles. The next couple of months will give us opportunity to teach air conditioning to the guys as we search out and repair leaks and diagnosis system failures in preparation for summer.
So until next month, thanks for reading!
Ross & Laurie MacPherson are our Africa co-Field Directors in Eswatini, where Ross is head of maintenance at Project Canaan, the mission base operated by our ministry partner Heart for Africa. Each month Ross and Laurie will be giving up updates on their work with our students as well as the children’s work at Project Canaan.
Most days the Lusito shop is running at full capacity! What a blessing this fantastic facility is to our work here at Project Canaan. Days
We all know how fast lightning hits, then is over. So did February here. In a flash we are already into March moving forward
Almost to capacity shop this week! For starters… I’m still not sure where the time has gone! It’s been almost two months now that I