First entry from Uganda!

We are currently sitting in Rev. Solomon Nkesiga's office waiting to go a bloke about a roof, an example of large thatch roof to be exact, in Kampala. Jon and I have been on site for two days, joining Jerram who has been helping lay the foundations for two weeks. The building work is progressing really well, half of the foundations have been laid and we are hoping to have the slab and column foundations laid within the week.Jon and I spent the morning of our first day  having a in depth design planning meeting with Fred the builder, Appollo the thatcher and Dan the sustainable brick technologist and civil engineer along with Phillip and Frances. The afternoon Jon and I had our first taste of brick moving via and chain of people just chucking the bricks along a chain form place to place; you defiantly need tough hands!  We also had a very enthusiastic attempt at using the mannual brick moulder to great the compressed stabalised bricks which will form the chapel's walls. These save a lot of energy as they do not need firing. Then I (tom) helped with brick laying for the retaining wall while Jerram and Jon moved earth. We have had a few challenges to overcome, the metal footings for the columns being fabricated incorrectly, but that is part of building here. The appreciation of health and safty is a thing of beauty, some great pics will follow. Rocks thrown over peoples heads and a 7 ft very deadly snake being killed at lunch yesterday by one of the workers, standard building site hazard! 

It's great to finally have arrived after 13months of planning and 3 years since Jon and I were last in Uganda. The centre is more rural and has fantastic views and to see the centre in the flesh finally has been brilliant. I understood more about the place within 5 minutes there than I did from all the photos I had seen previously. We have also enjoyed the lively and joyful hospitality of Solomon and Diana who live on site. It's great to be back! No photos this time as we need to work out how to upload them, will keep you updated...

Welaba!