Monday, July 22, 2019

NOLA: The power of perseverance

Debi blesses the labyrinth space--and clear skies!

At long last, the first pavers are going into the Essence of Chartres labyrinth at the Louisiana Children’s Museum in New Orleans’ City Park. The skies have finally cleared, and the flood waters have receded. The sun is shining, and we are enjoying the perfect amount of overcast and a nice breeze. Even the clouds have silver linings! Since we arrived in the Big Easy, though, we have been facing unbelievable challenges. Some projects are like that, requiring extra effort and a lot of perseverance to get the job done. Fortunately, grit is our way of life. That's why our clients trust Labyrinths in Stone to do the highest quality work even in the toughest situations and under the most difficult conditions.

Marty carefully measures the placement of the Essence of Chartres labyrinth design features.

For starters, we had trouble maneuvering our long trailer through the tight city streets. We finally made it to our Airbnb and got settled in, but then someone broke into the driver-side window of our truck and ransacked our belongings for valuables. It had rained all night, so the interior was soaked by an inch and a half of rain. We were on complete hold for hours while we waited for the police to show up to file a report, which delayed our arrival at the job site by almost a full day. Time to redouble our resolve!

This Angel Card is a helpful reminder that it's all about Love!

Once we got to the job site, we had logistical problems: no running water to prepare the base and no electricity to run the saw. We also had no easy access to our tools or supplies because we had to park our truck and trailer so far away from the work zone, resulting in time-consuming and exhausting trips back and forth. Then came the usual difficulties caused by working with a multitude of other contractors who needed access to the same real estate and resources at the same time we did. To top it off, our brick delivery truck was hijacked and the driver was mugged! They both arrived safely, thank goodness, but long after our delivery window, setting us back another full day. Time to redouble our resolve! 

Torrential rain created a lagoon out of the containment ring!

Then came the weather. It didn’t just rain—it poured. It rained so much that the ground water actually drained
up through the center of the containment ring, creating little fountains everywhere stakes had been driven! When it wasn’t raining, the wind was blowing, which blew the carefully leveled base sand away before pavers could be laid. We were lucky that the tornadoes that devastated areas just north of NOLA went around us. We sent blessings to those who were affected and expressed gratitude for our protection. The torrential rain turned the work site into a mud pit, though, which sucked off our boots when we slogged through it. The weather conditions were so bad, a yurt had to be constructed to shelter the construction site. Finally, we could get some work done!
 We were so thankful for the great crew who built us such a solid structure and replaced the roof tarp every time it blew off. Come what may, the power of perseverance kept us focused on the beautiful design of the Essence of Chartres labyrinth that would grace the grounds of Louisiana Children's Museum for generations to come.

The yurt protected us from the elements and created some welcome shade during the installation process.

The labyrinth at LCM in City Park is our third project in New Orleans, so we were prepared for construction delays and severe weather. As usual, we called upon our Divine helpers along with our Labyrinth Angels, who kept us safe, harmonized relationships, and mitigated the weather conditions, which could have been much worse than they were. Fortunately, we could call upon our friends around the world to assist us throughout these ordeals. We are so grateful for all of our friends and family members, prayer partners, and Energy Keepers, who have been sending us light and love. We can feel it, and their support has made all the difference. 

Thanks to all of the Labyrinth Angels who are assisting us with this project!

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