When I look at the buildings in Nepal, I often consider where the building materials came from and how they were made. Maybe it's due to my architecture background. But there's something much more…. it's the reason why I go to mission trips in the very first place: the people whom God loves so dearly.
Who made the bricks? How were they made? You'll find this out soon in the new photobook that we're busily working on.
Aside from bricks, concrete is the next most common building material used in Nepal. It certainly is the most vital for the strength of their buildings. However, in my quest to learn more about these building materials and how they were made, a pattern has emerged from the painful reality. It is the widespread practice of child labour.
When I look at this little girl whom Violin met at a construction site in 2010, I wonder how young she was. The shovel was up to the height of her shoulders! I also wonder how many hours she spent per day working and how physically demanding the tasks were. In first-world countries, we make concrete by simply mixing cement, sand, gravel, and water together in large concrete truck mixers. But as you see in the picture, it was up to this little girl and many others like her to do the job. Look into her eyes... do you see a glimpse of what her life was like?
- Joe