📘 Diary Entry: April 23 || Rain, Readiness & Reflections

Rain, Readiness & Reflections

The day began before the sun had a chance to rise — not because of work, but thanks to the heavy rain that poured down in the middle of the night. I woke up at 00:44 AM with the sky still rumbling. Tried earplugs. Didn’t help. Sleep came and went. But when I finally got up in the morning, I couldn’t help but smile — everything outside was fresh, washed, and sparkling. Rain cleans more than just dust; it resets the mood.

The morning meeting felt particularly spiritual. After our usual prayer, I took a moment to thank God — for yesterday, today, tomorrow… and everything in between. Be it rain, sun, or winter, there's a plan and a rhythm. Like farmers who rush to prep their land with the first sign of rain, we too must prepare ourselves to receive opportunities. Waiting with folded hands never worked — effort aligns with blessings.

During the HOD meeting, I emphasized the urgent need to review safety provisions in all running equipment. I reminded the mechanical team that:

  • Every belt conveyor should be equipped with belt-sway switches, pull-cord switches, and zero-speed switches.

  • A screw conveyor should never run without a zero-speed switch.

  • And basic protections like local push buttons and correct overload relay settings in panels should be a non-negotiable.

These are not just electrical components. They’re silent guardians of safety and reliability.

The plant round took me through the Mechanical Workshop, Stores, and Security area. After the rain, water had collected in puddles — and what a sight it was! I couldn’t resist clicking a few photos capturing the plant’s reflections in the water. It looked peaceful… poetic even.

Production-wise, things were moving steadily.

  • Line#1 was running at its usual pace, no surprises there.

  • Line#2 was progressing according to the planned heating schedule, and by 5 PM, we took the kiln feed.

But then — a hiccup.
A feed blockage in Kiln#1. Luckily, thanks to the temperature interlock introduced a few days ago, we caught the issue early. Investigations revealed a foreign object trapped at the discharge of the Feed Bin. Now the question is:

“Where did it come from… and how do we prevent this from happening again?”

We’ll have to do some backward tracing tomorrow. Prevention, not correction, must be the approach going forward.

As for the weather — the clouds lingered all day, but the skies held back. No further rain. Just a grey, thoughtful blanket above us.

Reflections:
Today was about more than just running machines — it was about seeing the connection between nature, mindset, and machinery. Rain refreshed the earth; we must refresh our systems. Safety isn't a checklist — it's culture. And readiness? It's our responsibility — because blessings don’t always knock twice.




Key Points of the Day:

  • Midnight rain: 55mm, poor sleep, but a cool, fresh morning

  • Thankful prayer at morning meeting; thoughts on readiness and opportunity 

  • HOD meeting focused on safety provisions in all equipment

  • Plant round: Mechanical Workshop → Stores → Security

  • Captured beautiful plant reflections in water 

  • Line#1 running steady; Line#2 feed started at 5 PM

  • Feed blockage in Kiln#1 — interlock helped detect quickly

  • Foreign object found in Feed Bin; source yet to be traced

  • Cloudy day but no more rain

  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Respecting Time, Building Discipline, and Moving Forward: Diary Entry: Thursday, 6th March 2025

Image
This morning’s session started with prayer , attended by around 35 workmen . By the time it ended, the count had grown to 67, including me . I pointed this out to them, saying, “This happened in just five minutes. If we start a little earlier, we will always be on time.” I then shared a simple yet important message: "When we respect time, time will take care of us." I explained further: "At times, we wonder why unexpected or unfortunate events happen to us at odd times. The truth is, many of these situations occur because we fail to respect time. If we cultivate the habit of doing things in a timely manner, we will see that everything in our lives also aligns at the right time." To reinforce this, I asked them if they could come on time tomorrow . They agreed, and we all clapped in unison. Then, I posed another challenge: Could each of them bring one more person with them tomorrow? Again, they agreed, and we clapped once more.
Read more

Faith, Challenges, and Perseverance – A Day of Commitment: 11th March, 2025

Image
The day began with a soulful group prayer song led by Mensah. It’s my favorite one, even though I don’t understand the language. There’s something about the melody, the rhythm, and the way everyone joins in—it fills the air with an energy that words can’t describe. I recorded a video of it, hoping to capture that moment of unity and devotion. After the prayer, I shared a few thoughts: "God is Great. In God We Trust." These words are written everywhere—in India, in Togo—on shop signboards, vehicles, and walls. They serve as constant reminders. But in the struggles of life, we often forget. There are moments when we feel helpless, overwhelmed. Yet, when we truly believe that God is with us, that faith itself becomes our strength. It fuels us, pushes us to put in more effort. That’s how we move forward. That’s how we win. HOD Standing Meeting: The Final Countdown for Kiln#2 Light-Up The focus of our morning meeting was the final preparations for lighting up Kiln#2. Everyone ...
Read more

Barriers, Breakthroughs, and a Hattrick of Rain: Key takeaways and happenings - 18th March, 2025

Image
Morning Begins with a Blockade The day started on a frustrating note— OTR blocked all incoming and outgoing movement of our plant. I stood at the gate, watching. A plant must breathe—materials must flow in, cement must flow out. But today, everything was frozen. Let’s see how this unfolds. A Small Journey, A Big Question My driver had to go to Lomé for some vehicle-related document renewal. But with roads blocked, I wondered: 💭 How much fuel will be wasted today? Some losses are obvious—like shutdowns and breakdowns. Others, like unplanned fuel wastage, quietly eat into efficiency. Morning Meeting: The Power of Reporting Despite the roadblock, the morning meeting started on a positive note. I recited: "Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaha, Sarve Santu Niramayah..." ( May all be happy, may all be free from illness... ) I explained its meaning—happiness and safety are interconnected. Then, I spoke about Reporting—the 5th and most important cardinal rule of safety. 📌...
Read more