I'll have a F for Freezing please Bob

Home again! We have come from the heat of an African summer to the cold of a damp British winter. The first day we were back, we went into town with mum and dad, and Sharon looked at me and said (and I quote) "I think my brain is freezing...." And she had a hat on. They bred us Yorkshire lads tough. We spent a few days with mum and dad, and some time with Kate and Daf, and are now in Harrogate. Then we go to London. Then the Lake District. Then Scotland... Sharon! This white stuff is snow

I'll have a U for...

U think they would know better! This police car came down our dirt road far too fast, fishtailing passed our gate ready to turn over and crash into ASM wall and gate down the road. It had bald front tyres too. Tsk Tsk Tsk.

Not long till I am back in England now, and it is getting hot here. A couple of weeks ago I went to Zambia in that red bakkie. Got there safe, but smoke coming up through the gear stick gaiter, and total brake failure with 190k to go made it an ....interesting drive. It was good to be there, but it was good to be back at hands in a real bed, clean and with real electricity.

I have spent today with Musa, with whom I spent my first weekend when I came out last year. There is no water in their township, and I had to drive nearly an hour with him to find anywhere with running water to put in a container. He has lived on his own since he was a young child, and is still full of hope and optimism. He has a radio alarm, hi fi, PA cab... but no electricity. He is a sharp dressed man!

The other picture is Musa with mum when mum and dad came out, and we went to visit him.

Not long now...

until I am back, although at the moment I am in Zambia. I have been working on one of their bakkis, and it needed a lot of things doing to it! New bearings and suspension parts, plus clutch and general fettling. It was a heavy vehicle to work on. Good job I am a strong lad.

The other picture shows an intruder we had earlier this week. We have had power cuts, following heavy rain. I was up at 05:00 working on the generators to power the fence, freezers, offices and accommodation blocks. The fence alarm elctronics got hit by lightening too, so I was glad I wasn't working on that.

A couple of days later the fence alarm went off, and I expected it to be a fault. And what did we find? One dead cobra! Don't know if he was trying to get in or out!

Thanks for all your continued support, and keep praying for us all please, not least for safe journeys over the next few weeks.

Not long now...

until I am back in England. I shall be back by 1 December, and Sharon is coming with me. I am really looking forward to seeing people back in England, and showing Sharon the sights. She has never seen snow, so it had better be a cold winter, otherwise I shall have to go and find some. This is a rare picture of me all dressed up, when I went with Sharon to her matric dance. They even had a red carper for us to walk down. How posh is that. The other picture is some of the lads cleaning out the water tank. Foot thick mud and leeches!

I'll have a W for why no pix Bob?

Call it a glitch. More to follow. Probably...

I'll have a V for visitors please Bob

I have had some visitors over the last few weeks; firstly Clare Turner from Warrington, and then my mum and dad. I am very pleased they were able to come out, as it is always difficult to really describe what it is like out here. I can tell tales and share pictures, but seeing it for yourself is different. All visitors welcome!

Mum and dad flew straight out to Swaziland, and I met them there. We had a few days holiday and then went to stay with Nomsa and her family. You may remember that I wrote about Nomsa, and shared a picture of her in van, which I had converted into a minibus by putting seats in.

Nomsa runs the Swaziland project, and supports a network of care workers in the community. Nomsa’s husband died 15 months ago, and she has been in formal mourning ever since. The few days we were there, she was preparing for a family and community weekend to mark the formal end of her mourning period, when they would burn her black clothes and dress her in colour.

They had prayers every evening, and mama was asked to give a “word from the Lord”. Singing was unaccompanied, and prayers enthusiastic. As more and more people turned up for the weekend, prayers were moved to the kitchen building, and was interrupted at one point by the children chasing the chicks to put them away in a box in the corner. God is very real for them.

We all helped with preparations, and mama planted some squash in the garden. They grow cabbage, onion, spinach, beetroot and a number of other green things.

We also visited in the community, and gardens and hens are very much a part of their life. One farmer showed us his 500 chickens, and was very amused when mum and dad said they had six. Swazi is much more rural and although beautiful, life is hard work for people. One of the ladies commented on the seats in the van, and said it was much more comfortable than sitting on the floor!

We spoke to man who had walked 11 kilometres to and from his primary school every day; try telling that to the traffic jam around school gates in this country!

Six days after we left Nomsa we heard that her eldest son had died suddenly, and it is another example of how hard life can be for them. He will be buried next to his father.

I then drove mum and dad back to White River. We had another trip to Kruger Park, and I saw more elephants in one place than I ever have before. We also went for a boat trip in Blyde canyon, and dad got stopped by the police on the way back. All part of the Africa experience. As is the big freezer in the supermarket full of frozen cows heads...

Dad helped me with some work in the village, which meant hanging on the back of a loaded buckie (pick up truck to you English folk), for the 6k off road drive up to the farm. He didn’t fall off, so that’s alright then.

Mum and dad also spent time in the community, and visited an old lady who is 2 years younger than granny. She wanted her photograph taken (with her medication) so that we could show the “English lady”.

No Zim or Zam, but a Swaz and a Moz

No trips to Zimbabwe or Zambia, but have been back to Swaziland a couple of times, including today when this update was posted. Gone with Dan, Sam, Tommy, Cat and Levy. Please pray for our safe journey there and back.

Among other things I have serviced a buckie that has gone to Zim and Zam and going back again. Many miles on (sometimes) dodgy roads

I have also had some time off. Pictures are for time off, but there has been lots of work too.

My friend Clare from Warrington (via Paris) came over as a volunteer. We had some time off and several of us camped in Kruger game park overnight. Is that a snore or a roar?

We also went to Mozambique and toasted marshmellows on camp fire on the beach and snow boarded down the dunes.

Something to remember for ever.

Never a dull moment

It’s been a week or so of contrasts. Firstly there is Bentley the recording artist. Jonno booked a studio and I went in with him to record two tracks, with me playing my African drum. It was a real eye opener as to how long it all takes, but I am very pleased with the result.

We also have a team over from Birmingham, and I have been taking them around and about, and explaining what I do. I took them up Legotate, as we stumbled on a local ceremony, which surprised us all. They were concerned that we had been taking their pictures, so we left our cameras with them and I went to see the Masoyi village chief the next day to get them back!

No problem and all part of the African experience. Have a look at the Link 4 Life blog to share the experiences of this team many of whom are out here for the first time.

See http://link4lifeproject.blogspot.com/

My friend Clare from Warrington is over with us, and this weekend several of us are camping in Kruger, which should be good.

We all went to church in the community last week – 2 hour service with lots of singing and dancing, and I was asked to say a word. Unexpected but went well, but so different from the Church of England!

I also mended our lawn mower, and have been back to Swazi.

Another S for Swazi please Bob

I have been back to Swazi to finish the minibus, and also visit schools to see what we can do for the children. We have been to provide uniforms because uniform means access and access means education, and education means a route to independence and self sufficiency. Gardens also mean self sufficiency and music is good too. Pictures of the bus, school and music

...and a bit of wild life too

...and other important things too

I'll have a B for busy, building and breakdown please Bob

It's been a busy few weeks with a lot of repairs and building work on the new admin block. I have had the fuel tank out of one of the chilrens' mini buses, to repair the fuel tank sender so they don't get stranded with an empty tank.

I have also been playing with big boys toys, and laying utility supplies and lots of concrete for the new admin block on site. The eagle eyed among you will notice I am wearing shoes in some of these pictures.

It's not all work, as I have been with a local football team, and established a link with the young people's group I led back at Harrogate St John's. They are going to be sending shirts out, and I hope it will have a reet Yorkshire logo on it, with a bit of proper Yorkshire to put the lads right tha knows.

I have also been to Swazi again with a small team who went out to train their care workers and I serviced the vehicles. We took some sacks of maize with us for the orphanage and got held up at customs for 3 hours. SA "You don't need an export licence, off you go" Swazi "...but you do need an import licence, stay there". All sorted in the end.

Swazi power a bit dodgy, so heating water over open fires for washing, and some cold food, but hey ho, it's not everyday you pop out for a wee and spot a rat the size of a cat in the fading light of your head torch!

The combi CV joints let go (Again!) and got a lift back to base in a police car, then back out after dark to try and fix to limp home by light of same fading head torch.

Thanks for all your prayers and support - keep it up, and pray for all the work of Hands and the teams.

All quiet on the White River front

It's been a fairly quiet couple of weeks since we have been back. One of the Zambian party caught cerebral malaria and was in intensive care, so I guess it's not been a good couple of weeks for him. He is on the mend now, and we thank God for his healing. Many people have been praying for him at what was a difficult time. The rest of the party had bloods checked, and I am pleased to say that we are all clear.

There is more information on the Zambian celebration on the Hands at Work website at http://www.handsatwork.org/newsroom/2011/5/10/celebrating-in-zambia-zam-us.html

I have done yet more work on the combi we went to Zambia in. Guess what. More CV joints as the new ones I got were poor quality and snapped again. I have also done some more work on the Masoi children's minibus - misfire, losing coolant and defunct fuel gauge. Brakes are OK, so even if it won't go, at least it stops!

I have been up the mountain again with some people, and had a motorbike to play with for a bit - oh how I miss my Susuki bandit! My faithful (free to you if you can mend it) Mazda is on it's last legs, so I am selling it and buying a Golf from Sal. High mileage (?kilometreage) but stops AND goes.

And another big tonka toy to play with, as we prepare the ground for our new office block

Back safe in White River

Been to Steve and Boosie's wedding, and then had a few days away with Josh and other lads in Durban, St Lucia and back through Swaziland. I have also loaded pictures of the Zambia trip on my facebook pages.

Here is a picture of me being uncommonly dressed up and smart with Sharon, taken at the wedding.

Then there are some pictures of the Zambia trip.

Thanks for all your continued support

Up the Limpopo without a paddle

We are safe back from Zambia. 500 miles a day for the first two days, then another long day back from the Botswana border. We were stuck on the Limpopo in no man's land between the Botswana and South African borders, but no real problem. I had to weld the trailer up again, but that's what the mender man does - mend things.

A couple of pictures of the Zambian celebrations for you - including a very cheesy one of me!

Zambia is...

a long way from White River, but can't tell you how far as the odometer packed up. It must be more than 100k as it took us 3 days to get here. Travelled through Botswana, mended trailer when bits fell off, showered under stars, avoided donkeys and goats on the road, got stopped by police, saw 9 elephant, (8 more than the times we got stopped by police) slept in tents, queued for ferry across the Zambezi, had crocodile for tea, saw Victoria falls, put up mozzie nets.

I am here until 20 April (ish) but should be back for Aussie Steve and Bousie's wedding.

Will update as best I can.

Pray for the celebration and the safe arrival and return of all the people coming over.

I'll have a Z for... Zambia please Bob

We had a good celebration at Hands. Now I am off to Zambia for another celebration. It took me all week to get right spares for combie, but we left at 4am on Saturday, to drive through Botswana to catch ferry across the Zambezi into Zambia. Went passed Victoria Falls today, saw 9 elephants and got stopped by the police once. Had crocodile for tea, sleeping in tent and 11 hour drive tomorrow.

Pictures are on the celebration in Hands in SA website.

Keep praying!

Pictures to follow!

My God is an Awsome God

I told you about the lion eating the dead elephant. You saw it here first (unless you saw it on facebook)!

This week has been well busy with good conference to celebrate our God with 100-150 people attending. Marquee, dodgy electrics then big thunderstorm. I had to wear shoes to avoid electric shocks. Our God is an awesome God. Marquee flooded, 20 power cuts and generators plugged in. The power!

I might be off to Zambia next week for the next conference...

This weekend we went for Aussie Steve's stag do. He marries Boosie (as in my mum's Boosie bag - hand made in Africa). Combie broke down with broken CV joint 15 mins from home. I'll fix it. Were're going to Zambia in in next week!

More creatures and 7.5ton vehicles

I have seen lion eating elephant, spiders and snakes. This week I was working on the Masoyi orphan's minibus with second hand parts and as I went to work a rat ran out the door!

We are in a important Hands at Work in Africa 40 days of prayer for orphans, which runs from 16 March to 24 April. This time of prayer will coincide with our two Hands at Work celebrations in South Africa and Zambia and we will post a prayer guide on our web site. Check out the Hands at Work website

I have been working with the crew today, and picked up stage and sound gear. The marquee crew used a 7.5ton wagon to erect the supporting structure, and I collected the stage and sound gear in the Izuzu bakki and trailer

Gather two or three (or more) people in a home or a church or anywhere, or pray on your own. The Lord will be with you and hear your prayers.

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. - Psalm 17:6

Dead elephants smell

Been a busy week, both in the village and out in the community. I have a better jack and a hoist now, plus my new workshop floor, so have been tackling bigger jobs, including a full engine out and strip down. I have also been out in the community, both working with the people, and going out to retrieve an Avanza that had broken down. Keeping the minibuses on the road is important too, as they support a lot of the work with children.

We have a big conference coming up at the end of the month, with 150 people from all over Africa and all over the world too. We will be holding it up at the farm, and are hiring in a marquee and PA system, so I have been working on that too.

It will be a good opportunity to hear what is happening in the other countries, and to meet more volunteers and supporters from all round the world. I know people back home in Harrogate, Warrington and Stafford, as well as my friends and supporters all over England are praying for us.

I have not been too busy to be out and about a bit, and have been swimming at Mac Mac again, and today (Sunday) I have been into Kruger National Park. We parked up 10m away from a dead elephant, and watched a lion have his lunch. And you know what? A dead elephant smells.

I have also seen these two beauties. The spider was a good 4" across.

Cold in Africa?

I've had a cold this week, so not been feeling at my best. How can I get a good old English cold in the warmth of Africa?

Been fetching more sand for building work, and had a surprise visit from my friend Josh, which was good.

Also been to Jaap's for tea, and guess what...

pap'n'chicken - except this chicken was a cow, so it was pap'n'cow. I have a picture of the empty plate, but that only shows the bones. Not as appetising as the full plate

T'internet is a wonderful thing!

I am at Dan and Jen's having a braai (BBQ to you foreigners) with the other volunteers.

Dad has just had a look at my blog stats, and I have had nearly 300 hits, including 9 from the States, 7 from China, 4 from Canada and New Zealand, 2 from Malaysia and a 3 billy no mates (as we say in England) from Australia, Germany and the Netherlands.

My mum has just got back from Vancouver Isalnd, where they were 8 hours behind England, and we are 2 hours ahead.

So "good morning, evening, g'day, yesterday, tomorrow" to all my bloggers

Keep coming back and see what Hands at Work are doing in Africa.

http://www.handsatwork.org/vision-mission-values/

Another busy week

We got broken into again by our phantom tunneller. With a kilometre of fence, is is difficult to protect the foundations all the way around. Poor Sam woke at 03:30 with an arm through her bedroom window, reaching for her purse and phone!

On a brighter note, we have been working on concreting my old workshop floor, and on Thursday I was working on Herman's bakki which needed a service and new front wheel bearings. First time on the new floor, and Herman has bought me a crawler, so it make it a lot easier to slide under vehicles now.

I have also worked on one of the Masoyi mini buses which needed new lower suspension arms. That's now back on the road and out working in the community. Smaller jobs have been a water pump on a golf and a bigger job was getting Aussie Steve's engine out to get to that broken crank.

My new tools that I took out with are good. Thanks to British Airways for extra baggage.

I have also taken some of the new volunteers up Logote mountain, and introduced them to local insect wild life, and been swimming at Mac Mac pools