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