Morecambe Bay Village

Hi there folks,

I have had an eventful couple of days, some success, some setbacks too. That’s life I guess!

Frank……. He’s living up to his name! I had a burst fuel pipe whilst out and about with him……. A lot of walking, buying a length of hose and clips…… a hacksaw blade to cut the factory fitted unions off…… three hours of burned and bashed knuckles later and I had performed a good quality “African” fix! High pressure hose replaced with a low pressure one! Hope it lasts?!

SLANGO meeting was a great success in my opinion, fed back to Katherine about all her work I’ve done!! lol Hoping to be officially registered by next week….. then we can sort the finance ministry registration and once that is done…… the elusive official government recognized NNGO status (which will get us the duty free tax status the we desperately need!!

Polkas registration……. not quite there yet, but I’m waiting on a phone call to confirm that shes ready to work!

Housing, we have a contract ready to be signed…… there are some small issues that need to be ironed out, but nothing daunting, so I am hopeful to be in within a week. I just have to “fit out” an entire 6 bed house with furniture then!! I so wish I had all my carpentry tools here….. I’ve made loads of beds, I could make some nice ones very cheaply with my tools. It honestly feels like my arms are tied behind my back without them!! Oh well, patience, I guess. I’ll look out for some whilst on my travels. It will be a fantastic Head Quarters for Home Leone once its sorted. Great view too. Not that that’s the only reason to have selected it?!

Today I was privileged to be invited by the church that I have been attending (The Regents Road Baptist Church) To Morecambe bay village, where they have been building a multi-use building for five surrounding villages to use. It will be used for a church at the weekend, and a school during the week. the children aged 5-10 currently walk in excess of 4 miles each way to get to the current nearest school……. many so poor that breakfast would have been unlikely! So a fabulous project, funded entirely locally by the church. Very brave too as this is a predominately Muslim area so a seed church will be a challenge for them. I have attached photos (Please Rachel?!) for you all to see. A lovely setting, but such poverty too. The children probably hadn’t seen a white man before…… one young lad was so frightened when I got out of the church bus, he immediately burst into tears and ran away!! Bless him. They all got curious in the end and all wanted to touch my skin……. I think they thought it might burn to touch it!! It was a fantastic experience for me and i felt privileged to go. If polka is registered for Monday I said I’d go lend a hand raising the footings….. It needs to be roofed before the rains which they predict will come early this year.

I hope you enjoy the pictures when they are added. I certainly enjoyed the experience. looking forward to Skyping Open Book tomoro!

God Bless

Ian