This is Africa

It's been a busy week this week with more work on cars, including taking the power steering pipes off an old Toyota Venture and on the cement mixer which is still over fuelling. I also looked at Aussie Steve's car and the crank has snapped! That will be a complete engine out and dismantle job, and I suspect a lot of internal damage.

When I left last year work had started on my new workshop, but this is now going to be offices on a temporary basis. I am going to get a concrete floor and a pit in my current workshop, so I am getting an upgrade.

This is Africa!

I have also been out collecting sand for some other building work. We live off the land when we can, there is no Jewsons out here!

I have been up the mountain again with some of the new volunteers, and saw a snake eat a frog this week. It was too quick for me to get my camera out, so will share my picture of a cow instead. They don't slither off so fast.

Back to work

It's good to be back, and I have gone straight back into mending things. I have been out to rescue a stranded vehicle with a flat battery, been mending our big lawnmower and today have taken a gearbox out of a buckie. The clutch was that bad you could pull away in 5th gear without stalling the engine. We were also broken into again this week, by bandits digging a tunnel under the fence! So I have also spent some time helping Herman dig in metal spikes fastened to the electic fence.

It has been the rainy season, so everything is very green here, and lovely and warm too. Very different from England.

I spoke in the team meeting this morning (the 18th) about my time back in England, the fundraising and how people are supporting me and the work of Hands.

Please keep emailing and bbm-ing. It's good to keep in touch.

love Dave

bentley is back

Hello from south-africa!!! All going well, had to remove wasps nest from mazdas engine bay 2day...its very hot, am sunburnt but all is ok. Am settled in at hands village 2, and its great to see everybody again

The boy has landed!

All safe and sound in White River with all baggage, tools and gadgets. I am tired and need a shower, but did manage to blag a shower in a hotel on the journey over, as well as get some sleep on the plane in spite of Mr Snore For England (or South Africa) next to me. More soon when I have slept and sorted out what I am doing next.

Quarts and pint pots

It's been a busy few days. Sue and Tim brought me down to mum and dad's on sunday, after lots of farewells at St John's in Harrogate. On Monday I got my last few things and started to pack. In the end I worked out a quart won't go into a pint pot, and we booked another bag in on line, so I had FOUR 23kg bags as well as my drum in it's boosey bag and my computer as carry on baggage. Why so much stuff you might ask.

Well... every African traveller needs...

1. Halfords professional advance 150 piece toolkit
2. Trident brake calliper re-wind kit
3. Draper 5 piece drain plug key set
4. Britool ½ inch ratchet
5. Mac Tools water pump pliers
6. ½ inch wobble extension
7. Circlip pliers
8. Claw oil filter remover
9. Wire strippers
10. Flexi brake pipe clamp
11. Sidecutters
12. Clutch aligning tool
13. Grinding tool, air powered
14. Impact shut off tool
15. 12v continuity tester

The run down to the airport was clear, and I was all booked in and going air side by 4pm

Goodbye England, hello South Africa!

Say hello, wave goodbye

I had my last sunday at St John's in Harrogate today. Thanks to all those who looked after me and supported me since I came back in October. And thanks too for the continuing support that will enable me to go back. Thanks particularly to Sue and Tim for having me to stay - they can have their shower back now. They are driving me down to mum and dad's and then we leave for Heathrow on Tuesday.

Then it is Hello Africa, and hello to all my friends who are excited about my return. Vivienne has been on to my dad, telling him they are planning what to have for my "welcome back" meal. It will be good to see you all again.

Excited or what?

This time next week I will be in the air and on the way back! It's been a hectic few weeks, but I picked up my visa at the end of last week, and spent the weekend at mum and dad's. On Saturday mum and dad had some people over who are supporting me from their local churches, and we had another pap'n'chicken evening.

On Sunday I preached at 3 services - 2 of them at the same time in different places! I spoke at Hopton at the beginning of the 9.30 service, then dashed to Hixon to preach at the end of their 9.30 service, and then on to Milwich for their 11.15, with a quick dash back home in between to fetch some cables as we had left a cable box at Hixon. I showed pictures of the people I worked with and the places I worked in, and played the DVD I made. People were really interested and receptive, and it's good to know that they will be praying for me and the work of Hands in Africa.

I am back in Harrogate now, saying my goodbyes and finishing off the last few jobs.

I am going to take some tools out with me, and have to convince the authorites that the proper name for my air gun is a "shut off pulse tool" Honest. See http://www.ingersollrandproducts.com/IS/Category.aspx-am_en-612

I am flying British Airways, who allow extra baggage allowance for aid workers, so a Halfords 150 piece ratchet set and a shut off pulse tool should just about scrape in.

My friend David Chase has done a photo album of the fundraiser that I can take and share with people in Africa to show how much support I, and they, are getting from people here. I can't upload all the pictures, so am just showing you the placemats we made. There is also one of my dad smiling!