Today we woke up from the coldest night sleep and entered probably the hottest day of the trip and started the day with our staple breakfast of Rolex rolls (An omelet wrapped in chapatti), bananas and plain chapatti with a spread of choice. After our tummies were full, Grant (I) led us in today’s devotion. He reminded us of what worship is and why we do it and then we sung some songs. After a refreshing time of singing (in Grant’s opinion) we headed out of our accommodation and walked up to the Village Of Hope to continue building. It has been great to continue building relationships with the builders there and grow stronger as a team (physically and in team ‘cohesion’ (yeah… I know some big words). Some of us spent most of the day wheeling the dirt from the top of the village to the building site, others continued with bricking and filling.

After a solid morning of building it was time for lunch, consisting of fresh rolls of avocado, cucumber, egg, lettuce, etc. Then we headed into Jinja for a spot of shopping. Some took a Boda Boda ride of a 1000 shillings, to experience the sights and smells of the markets with some shops selling not just the tasty bits of the meat we westerners are used to, but everything the animal has to offer… Yum yum! Others also strolled down the main street viewing the local shops selling heaps of touristy items, with some shopkeepers insistent on selling us things. Our bargaining skills we’re definitely put to the test, but I think I got a good deal with my snazzy new blue Ugandan shirt.

With our shopping bags in hand, we headed back to our home for a relaxing afternoon of card games and music. Dinner was a lovely lasagna and bread (yes, we are eating a lot of carbs!). And now we are all letting our stomachs settle with some more card games.

Personally, I am learning a lot. Anyone who’s been here will know that the Ugandan’s are such a friendly people. How often do you go into a shop at home and the shopkeeper will greet you and introduce her to you with her name. And some of the school kids come running up to us and give us hi-fives and hugs as we walk back home. But also, in speaking to some of the workers at the Village, my life is a walk in the park compared to what some of them have been through. For some, just to eat everyday is a struggle. And that, for me, was a great reminder to me to not take things for granted and be as thankful as I can be to God for how much he provides for us.

Anyway, we are doing well, no major sickness or injuries and we are really enjoying our time here.

Thank you God!     Grant!!     Oh, and as usual.... pics below!!

Hard at it..

'Happy' to lend a hand!!

THIS.. is the start of a great house!

Door frames (flames as the Ugandans say) are in!

Doing the heavy lifting

Up-skilling Sue to steel cutting

Afri-Grant in his element

Tuesday 8^th July

Today we had breakfast on the roof consisting of Rolexes, chapatti and Juliet’s home made loaf. Daniel then led devotion on allowing God to show us our gifts and how we can use them here, and encouraging each other in our own gifts. We headed down to the Village and began laying the fourth course of bricks. Today we added morning tea (Smoko) to the daily schedule as a chance to reapply sunscreen, have a drink and some biscuits and take a much needed rest from the hot sun. We got back to work and then headed home at midday for lunch. While we were there the sky got dark and rain began to fall. Not enough that we couldn’t work so we headed back to the village. After not even one course it began to rain heavily so we covered our work and we all, including the builders, headed under the main hall for shelter while we waited for the rain to stop. In the meantime, Ronnie and Nicholas (builders), Cyrus and Owen (village kids) and Dani, josh, Nat and Kase played a small game of soccer while the others rested. The rain eased up and we were able to finish a sufficient amount of work and then we headed home. We showered and then were treated to a classic African meal of matoki (a savoury banana, mashed like potato) with rice and chicken. Tonight we had our first of many team meetings to come where we spent some personal time reflecting on the past few days and the weeks ahead. We then broke into groups with people we don’t know very well and discussed some things we wrote down and then prayed for each other, which was an awesome way to finish the day.

Check out todays pics....

                                                                                                Michael & Kasey

Shifting bricks again!!

Help is at hand!

These girls can dig!

Checking the quality!

Morning tea time..

Them walls are growing!

Well here we are at the end of our first building day. We managed to complete a few rows of bricks on house no. 11 already. The team is working well together and there are a lot of laughs on the building site, especially as we work together with the Ugandan Builders: Ronny, Emma, Ivan, Charles, Nicholas.  We lay bricks in teams and form chains to get bricks to the right areas and do lots of manual stuff. It’s challenging, especially for those of us who are only used to working indoors and more than likely behind a computer all day everyday! The sun is warm, but not too bad. A few of us got more sunburn than we had bargained for, but overall it was a good day. I think we will sleep well tonight! First we get to eat spaghetti bolognaise, made by our lovely cooks Juliet and Elisabeth. We can’t complain about the food here, that’s for sure!

                                                                                                         - Sue.

Morning devotions by Anna..

Starting at the ground level..

The brick chain...

Look at how far we got!!!

So day 2 in Uganda was pretty sweet!! We began the day with a delicious egg breakfast before joining as a team to do devotions, and discuss where and what we want God to show and challenge us, and what we are looking forward to through the trip.  Then we headed off to church.  Church was very lively and a huge buzz! So much dancing, singing and passion for God! Even though at times it was a back burning 2.5 hours it is just a great experience to hear and see the love these people have for Jesus!  We then had a maizy lunch and walked down to the Village of Hope for the first time as a team.  It was so good to see the mammas and the kids and just to hang out with them.  For some of the team it was their first time ever at the VOH and for some it was great to be reunited with old friends!  Sports, games and hair braiding was definitely a highlight for the kids and for us. We then said our goodbyes and headed into town to have a quick walk around and see the main street of Jinja.  We all then hopped into our tight van and went to ‘All Friends’ for dinner.  There was a lot of laughs and extremely full stomachs but a real refreshed feel.  Now we are all just chilling and trying to get our sleeping patterns working before we hit the mud bricks tomorrow!

Check out some more pics below!!!                                                    Tiffany...

                                                                                      

                                                                                                                 

Devotions on the deck...

2 of our young girls singing in church

Our girls lead worship

Proud!!  - Our room!

This is where I live!!

The boys and Grant

Hair braiding.. Can never have too many hairdressers!

Dinner..  Yum!

Tiff and some kids..

Uganda Team 16 Update

So, we made it!!  After about 28 hours of travel we finally made it to Suubi house...
A little scare at the airport when they had lost 2 of our teams bags (along with many others on the plane) only to realise that they had 'misplaced' a container of baggage somewhere at the airport!!  All the baggage loaded we hit the road in the bus and headed to Jinja.
Oh and by the way, Sue, Stan and Andrew scored an upgrade to Business class for the leg form Dubai to Entebbe which made Daniel think he is destined never to get upgraded regardless of how much he prays!!!
We just had a great meal of beans, rice, Irish potatoes, and green beans, so now there are a bunch of bleary eyed, over tired people staring at their screens using the first internet for a 'whole' 28 hours...!!!
Please pray for the team as we settle and get into the program we have set out. Pray for health and safety as we don't want to take that for granted!
Anyway, its time to get shower and get some sleep... check out the photos below, and check in to see more as we go.

On our way in the bus

Ready to unload

Suubi.. luggage unlaoded

YUM...  Supper

Satisfied and ready to sleep

In just one week from now we'll be bringing a team of 14 to Village of Hope, keen to get involved in the life of HopeBuilders in all sorts of ways!!
Some of the team are 'returnees' unable to resist the urge and attraction of Africa (and our gorgeous kids and mothers at Village of Hope!), and some are brand new conscripts (well they volunteered really!).
We'll be joining with our ever faithful and talented HopeBuilders builders team in Uganda to build house 11.  Yep, you read it right... house 11!!  The Village nowadays is an absolute hive of activity and kids, and we're going to help that to expand and grow!
As well as that we'll be spending some time at Home of Hope where we take care of around 35 disabled children.  We'll love on the kids, help out to give the super dedicated staff a well earned mini break, and see if we can't do a few practical jobs for them too.
We'll spend a bit of time at a local aids orphanage, hanging with the kids and serving there too...
We're going to see what's up with Youth Support Uganda and all the work Luke & Agnes, (the newly weds!!), Farook & Beatrice are up to. We'll get to know the young ladies that have just completed their sewing training course and we'll meet the new group too. Fantastic!
And, we'll drop in to Jinja Christian school, to see if we can't make the kids there rowdier than they already are!!
BUT, it won't be all work and no play!!  Jinja is the source of the Nile river, so a visit to that site is a must, as well as a good lengthy hunt through all the souvenir shops in town.
Some time to rest and reflect, kick back and get to know each other over a milkshake in town will also be the order of the days at times.
We're going to max out the our local church there in Sundays, and encourage Pastor George in his work.  Might even discover a preacher or two among us!!

We're keen to see what God does with us as a team too..  It's always amazing to see how a team grows closer as we work, serve and play in a great mission context.
Watch this blog for regular updates and pics of what we get up to..
Pray for us as we travel there and as we are there.  Pray for health, safety, great team work, and that God will work in us AND through us...

Andrew..  Team 16 Uganda..

V.O.H Uganda What's on Ground..

Blessed greetings from Uganda Hope Builders International ,Village of Hope to all our blog readers out there.
As i report now everyone is fine, the children ,mothers, and other staff though there has been some sort of illnesses in children because of the weather but they are now fine. Children are in there 4th week of term 2 studies and are now doing the Mid term Exams in the different schools.
The mothers are also fine ministering in their different callings, endeavoring to cater for the children in a positive manner.
A lot has happened in the Village and in other projects under Hope Builders International. At the start of this month (June), we received a team of ladies from Australia under Global Development Group.The two (Fe.Luscombe and Peta Thomas) had come for monitoring and evaluation and to see the progress of our projects, like Village of Hope, Home of Hope ,and the Youth Support Center (Luke's Project).
The Posho mill shade is under construction, by the end of this week it will be finished, about the cattle shade, all the materials are on the site now and hoping to start on it by the end of this week. We had planted demonstration gardens at the Village but due to harsh weather conditions, the vegetables did not grow well and its only maize (corn), which grew up.
Our transport officer William graduated with a diploma in Business administration and he is so thankful for Hope Builders for being therefor him.
I once again thank all our donors, for helping us to go an extra mile every now and then.
BLESSINGS.