The Final Chapter

Tuesday 12th Jan
After a lot of days working very hard, today the team took some time off for well deserved R&R. Well R anyway. We enjoyed the magnificent Victoria Nile from the vantage of a raft as we paddled 31 km over some of the world's largest rapids. It was an exhilarating experience, as was the time spent drifting along as we swam beside the raft. One of our guides came off a little worse for wear courtesy of a stray paddle, but his temporary replacement was more fun anyway.

Wednesday 13th Jan
Only two days to go and much still to do. Nurse Judith finalised the recording of her health checks on the children, Sarah found some mobility at last and completed some recording tasks also. Emily climbed up on the roof of the brick making shelter to install the capping along the ridge and others made sure that the last of the trusses were made up for the roof. Before retiring for the day we managed to lift one truss up and into place.Dinner tonight was our last restaurant trip as we went back to "Two Friends" for some familiar cuisine.

Thursday 14th Jan
Last day at the village today. The major task involved getting the roof trusses up onto the roof and secured in place. We managed to do this and attach all of the battens as well so that it should all stay in place. People not directly involved in this made sure that the village was in a fit state for us to leave. Anne-Marie and Emily can get a job sorting out my shed any time based on their efforts in transforming the shed. The container was also put into some semblance of order.
At the end of the afternoon we arranged photos of the team and all of the village residents.After our final dinner of Posho and Split Peas we headed back over to farewell the children, Lois and Agnes, and Ivan and Robert who have been such a help to us. The children performed several songs for us and were very appreciative of the gifts that the team members had brought for them. It was a difficult time of letting go, but also we had a sense of achievement in having completed the building tasks that we were given. No-one really wanted to leave, but our need to pack before catching a bus at 6:00 am tomorrow meant that we had to.

Friday 15th - Sunday 17th
The 3 week sojourn in Uganda ended with a trip north west to Murchison Falls for a safari. The bus trip takes approximately 9 hours so it is with great relief that we were able to peel ourselves out of the bus and into the swimming pool on arrival. A scrumptuous meal had us all prepared for the boat ride on the nile and game drive in the park on Saturday. We saw Hippos as plentiful as the rabbits behind the vineyard church and had some elephants and giraffes put on displays for us.

Jackson's Hartbeest

There were many other animals to see as well, but unfortunately no lions or zebras.

Monday 18th
After overnighting in a guest house in Kampala, we left for home just after lunch.
The team worked exceptionally well together, and despite the lack of trade skills amongst us, we think we did a pretty amazing job doing the things we did. As we shared together on the last night of the safari trip, pretty well everyone talked of the ways in which they had been blessed, far beyond what we expected to be. We are all thankful that we have had this opportunity and want to encourage anyone else who thinks they might be able to help, to give it real consideration and prayer and join one of the teams that will be coming in the near future.

This sunset over the Nile river farewelled us from a wonderful trip to Uganda