01 Apr Field of Dreams

Formerly an abandoned, trash-littered patch of land, one now sees two beautifully appointed all-purpose fields filled with delighted children at play.

What was once a wasteland is now a vibrant field of dreams that came into being through the tireless commitment and hard work lead by Nick and Denise Bordieri, MERCY’s on the ground leadership, generously funded by the Wong Foundation whose mission is to support practical, high-impact projects that directly benefit the lives of our least advantaged children around the world and here at home. We call it “Love in Action.”

With great vision, proper planning, the winning team and necessary funding supplied by the Foundation, Mercy Worldwide was able to commence construction and fulfill on Phase One of this ambitious build-out. Not an easy makeover.

First, the trees had to be removed. The team began chopping and rolling the sliced sections of large trees off the field, and hauling out smaller trees in their entirety. The children of the orphanage were excited and willing to help in the process! Older and younger students alike volunteered to help the team remove trees and lay down bricks for the perimeter.

With the area cleared, the construction professionals were able to start leveling the ground. Additional soil was bought in to fill the holes before being flattened and smoothed into a level surface.

Large sections of turf were rolled out and aligned evenly onto the area, creating a large field in the front and a smaller field in the back. The turf was nailed down at its edges and throughout its center to keep the artificial grass in place, before tucking in the fringe around the perimeter to create a solid border.

Once the turf was secured in place, the team then sprinkled sand and rubber pellets as filler across the field. The filler helped the artificial blades of grass stand upright for a more natural look and feel.

With the finishing touches of nets and goals, the All Purpose Playing Fields were COMPLETE!

The construction was a success! What had previously been an uneven patch of dirt, is now two All Purpose Playing Fields for the 56 children of the Cambodia Social Welfare Orphanage! The children have been loving the fields and like to play soccer, run around, and stretch out of their new turf!

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