The Franciscan Spirituality of Work
The two acres that make up the compound of Na Pua Li'i Hermitage
consists of a 600' driveway leading to a fairly regular quadrilateral whose east (rear) boundary is Hapahapai Stream.
To the north it looks out on the Pacific (a view obstructed by distant trees);
on clear days we can see Haleakala on Maui.
The quadrilateral is evenly divided into three large flat areas
—
a ridge, where we are building our barn;
a middle area, where we will build our house & cottage;
a lower area that provides a large field for our crops and orchard.
(To see the present views of our agricultural activities, please click on
Farm.)
Our Franciscan spirituality is rooted in prayer and physical labor.
We do not hire contractors, therefore.
We build Na Pua Li'i Hermitage, its buildings, its farm, and its infrastructure ourselves.
The selection of pictures below depicts our work to prune back the rain forest,
to install a 600' driveway,
to lay > 600' of conduit containing 1-1/4" water line;
to prepare the ridge building site for the barn;
and,
finally,
to pour a perimeter concrete foundation for same.
Pruning back the rain forest:
Before we began pruning back jungle
The lower clearing
Upper slope, before
Upper slope, after
Chipping:
A Sister bringing 'Br Mule' to work
Chipping operation
Our industrial chipper
Our second most productive 'Brother'
Grading and installing the driveway:
Scraping off mud & grading
Side view of crushed stone driveway
Spreading crushed stone
Trenching and laying > 600' of conduit and water line:
Laying water line at gate
Overview
Trenching up from the road
Laying the Caution tape
Laying water line at gate
Our meter!
Digging & pouring the barn foundation:
Site stick & transit
Grading on a slope
Cutting into basalt slope
Building forms
Sideview of slope from north
View from above, from southwest
Our rebar is laid and tied.
Our rebar is laid and tied.
Our slab is poured.
Installing the barn cesspool:
Stacking concrete rings after hole is dug.
Capping the cesspool.
The waste line to the cesspool.
Waste line from inside barn.
Installing the septic system for the cottage and house:
The 8' rings were heavy!
A 16' X 12' weeping pit.
Packing drain rock around weeping pit.
Capping the weeping pit.
Leveling the septic tank.
Line from septic tank to weeping pit.
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