Team 23 Day 15

A short post today to let you know we're all alive and well.
Yesterday was church and the afternoon in town, followed by our dinner at All Friends..
So a fairly casual day.
Today was our last day the the YSU block. Rob was busy practicing his cement throwing skills while Jeremy and Luke got on the spray paint machine to start the colour on the walls. Our 'real' painters (Nat and Tiff)  did their best on the fiddly work on the windows, and did a great job.
Our boss (Robert) on the other hand was sending orders from his 'office' in the hammock!! 😛.
We had a special morning tea party with local chapattis and mandazi accompanied by a soda with our builder to celebrate a good partnership...
Tomorrow is our last day here. We're heading back to the slum in the morning to check in on some of the people we prayed for last week, then its party time at Village of Hope!!
We have bought a pig and a goat and will roast them up for all to enjoy along with some great chapatti and sodas...  Always sad to say good bye, but always fun to end with a party!!
We leave on Wednesday from Suubi house at 4am for the airport, then its off to Kenya for a few days of safari R&R.....
We still have a challenge or 2 with sickness, especially little Jeremy, so please pray for him for healing!!
Check out a few pics of today..

Team 23 Day 13

A few days of silence, but heres another update...

After the relaxing Wednesday afternoon, we headed back to work on Thursday morning, getting more and more done at the house on the ySU property. It's beginning to look more ready to love in and enjoy!!
The afternoon was set aside to go and visit the ladies in Jinja Womens Prison.  Arriving there we were taken to a room where around 60 of the prisoners came as well. They began by leading us in a great worship time, and we were all so encouraged by how, despite their circumstances, they passionately praised God and gave Him thanks. Humbling!!  Andrew shared a short message to encourage them and then we were able to break into groups with them to chat and to pray with them. This went on for some time and was very encouraging!  We had a chance to look at their craft and buy few items to support them. They thanked us for the gifts we brought of soap, food and other things and we left with them saying ..'please come back..'  An encouraging and humbling time for us.
After supper we had a team meeting and sat and processed some of the things we've been experiencing, finishing by praying with and for each other.
Friday, was the day many had been waiting for. RAFTING!!  Everyone out of bed by 8, into the Adrift truck and off to the Nile to take put he challenge..  A few of us stayed back to relax and enjoy the quiet.  The end of the day saw the rafters come back, weary, a few bruises (the river won!!) but full of stories of how much fun they had!!
Today, we worked at YSU, and began lots of painting. The wardrobe door frames are fitted, the railing on the deck is being done and we're helping with many of the touches that will finish the house...  It was a warm morning but good.
This afternoon we headed to YSU to meet the 'YSU Boys' and hear more about the work YSU is doing with many young men and women.  the boys danced for us, shared testimonies, challenged us to games (not sure who won in the end!) and we were able to pray together.  All in all, such and encouragement to see how these young boys lives have been changed and redirected by the work of HopeBuilders through YSU...
These boys have a passion to flow God and bring many with them....
A huge rain storm later this afternoon, sees us all playing cards and relaxing...
Church tomorrow and another few days to go..
Lots of pics today, (in no real order) - so enjoy!!
Keep praying, we need it and feel it!!!

Team 23 Day 10

Team 23 update time..
The last 2 days have have been pretty busy, with a visit to Masesi (the slums where some of our kids come from. Visiting homes, giving gifts and praying for them. We were privileged to be able to pray for a few sick and infirmed people and believe God moved with healing. We're hoping to be able to go back and check on those people and encourage them before we go. God was amazingly present and we would love to share more about Him with those we met.
The afternoon was spent backing at YSU beginning to clean for painting the 'almost complete' unit, and cementing the ceiling we'd spent the last days framing out. The evening was spent relaxing and chatting as the power was out (so no internet 😏).
Today we spent the morning finishing the cleaning and doing the first layer of undercoat on the walls.  It was all hands on deck and we even had the kids cleaning and painting (when they weren't on the hammock!)
For the afternoon it was a trip into town to relax and have a look around a bit further, check on our ordered paintings and have a milkshake or 2. Emily even had a boda boda ride!!
Home again to no power as it seems that the 'load sharing' means that Jinja area might be without power each afternoon until evening - good to know...
Check out the pics below, there are a few this time.
Please keep praying for us, especially for health as we are up a down with stomach viruses etc...

Team 23 Day 8

A few days without posting....
Saturday had us working on site again down at YSU, continuing our work on the ceilings and the cornice work. We're moving along pretty well getting it all ready for render and painting... Theres still lot to do, but we're certainly kept busy.
Half of the team went out to an African music festival out at the Black Lantern on Saturday night to enjoy music from a bunch of different African nations and of course to relax and have a meal. All reports were that it was good..
Sunday, we slept in a bit then headed to Abundant Life church to worship with the local community. A few hours relaxing after church then we headed into town to see the 'Source of the Nile', and have a boat ride out to the source and surrounding places of interest. We rounded out the day with supper at our favourite restaurant 'All Friends', and towards the end of our dinner our last team member, Tiffany, arrived.  It was nice to meet her and welcome her into the team. She was ready for a good sleep after the long journey.
Today, Monday was another day of work at the YSU building. Our master ceiling construction crew pretty much completed framing out the ceilings in the second unit, whilst Rob worked on the rendering of the eaves.  Tiffany proved herself keen and adept at wielding a hammer and tried her hand at render work too.
Relaxing now waiting for supper and happy to sit for a while.
Tomorrow morning we will go into Masesi (the slums where many of our kids come from) to visit homes and encourage them. On one hand we're looking forward to it, yet we know it will be confronting..
Most everyone is well again now, including the kids, and we're thankful for that. One or 2 still have aches and or slight fevers, but a vast improvement.

Please, if you read this, keep up your prayers for us, so that we can be effective and safe, staying healthy and well.

Check out some pics below of the last few days..

Our little forman/helper today on site - colouring is important!

Team 23 Day 5

Today was going to be a bit different... No work on the site but a visit to Home of Hope, which is a home for disabled babies and children that HopeBuilders, partners with and helps to support.  So that mean a bit of a letter start for us all.
After breakfast we sat together while Luke led us in a devotion that helped us see that whether we do big and important things or small and seemingly to us less important, that we do everything as if we're doing it for God and it all counts and is important in God's eyes. Hence we would always want to make our best efforts.
A few of the guys raced up to drop off some washing at Village of Hope (yep, even that gets done for us!), and just made it back before the rain hit. there were huge black clouds and the temperature dropped as the rain set in.
Rain was not going to deter us though, so we headed off in our van along the 'scenic route' which Andrew decided might be adventurous (we won't be doing that again!).  We arrived at Home of Hope to a bunch of very excited kids, but began by spending a little time hearing the story of how HoH started and it's vision form Edith who started it and leads it. A very inspiring story and God led!
Then it was tome with the kids.  Some wanted bubbles, some wanted to be wheeled around and some just wanted/needed to be held.  It was special to send time with kids that God so clearly loves and cares for, and it was a privilege to be a tiny part of that for a few hours.
Lunch time came so we headed into town and decided to have lunch together, where the boys (Jeremy & Luke) decided the double, double burgers sounded good. They smashed them, but are still feeling the weight in their stomachs now!  After lunch and a real, we headed into town to do our first bit of souvenir shopping for a few hours...
Home again late afternoon and a contingent went for a walk up Monkey mountain to see the monkeys and there were plenty!
Juliets chicken and chips for supper and its all quietened down now.....
Check out a few pics below, and of course, keep praying, we appreciate it!!