During the week there’s a women’s conference at the church in the village with over 100 staying in the houses, just behind where we are sleeping. Each day they have a meeting and then they cook together before singing into the wee small hours.

I say with a difference because of what they do during the break. They all come out and help us with the road work by putting the ant hill dirt on the road for us to run over with the JCV. I wondered if this is something we could import to Scotland. At the next conference the women could go out to do something interesting like say wash the cars or similar important task. I appreciate this may prompt some balanced comment at the appreciation of my humour but what else is a blog for?

We had a really busy and long day today with probably our warmest day of our trip. Stewart B added welding to his skills which was impressive bearing in mind just how hot is was. 1st half of the football pitch was completed by Gareth & David. Jamie sorry Thiago was up really early and during the day was brick making/plastering & labouring to Jonathan. Jack was helping with hole digging for the football pitch and then spent the whole afternoon with the kids playing football. At the end of the game they asked him for his shirt, shorts and trainers – must be a tradition in Angola. Stewart W and I were involved in road building the whole day.

We have caused a bit if a stir with the women at the women’s conference for another reason. The shower which we use at the end of the day is just behind our house. Which is fine but it happens to be in front of the cooking/social area for the women’s conference. As we wash off the dust and grime of the day’s work in a cold shower we have about 70+ women looking on. Tonight as Thiago was showering the some women came along screwed open the hose pipe for some water and left him with soap running all over.

I think because of the heat, cramped sleeping conditions and that fact that we are thousands of miles from home some of us were tired and a bit grumpy last night. We were reminded in our reading this morning from David what Paul said from a roman prison cell. “In all things give thanks”. Once again God brings perspective when sometimes we have lost it.

I just wanted to say thanks for everyone’s comments and responses. They are a real encouragement to all 7 as we work 5000 miles away from home. Please keep them coming as they really brighten our evening as we read over them.

Jim A

I am conscious that our blog is full or superlatives but each day we come across some amazing sights. Before I go over some highlights let me summarise what we did today.

Jack painted the bell frame – honest Pamela he used a brush and we have the photograph. Gareth/Jack & David - finished the volley ball courts. They then started the football pitch which will also involve us all tomorrow. Jack and Jamie also hung a clock for the school. Now we can all tell the time. Stewart finished off the mossie nets and moved to legs for the fusbol. Although judging by the number of kids playing the game he has no chance. Stewart W moved to brick making and Jamie\Gareth & moi were road making again.

Jamie has been complaining that there is not enough in the blog about his brick making. To be honest nobody cares – it is hard to get excited about making bricks. Especially after your 15th brick. What is more exciting is Jamie’s new name. The Portuguese for James is Thiago. Jamie has taken to this and thus from henceforth he will be known to all who love him as Thiago. Maybe his mum will still call him Jamie. You will be glad to hear that this will be the last I personally write about brick making.

Jonathon asked Stewart & me to go to a neighbouring village to fix their water pump (known as a RAM). It was an adventure from start to finish. We went to the village and the land rover got stuck on the way down to the river. All our mobiles were out of signal so someone needed to walk for help. Jonathon and me went with the folk in the village to fix the pump. I should clarify here that Jonathon fixed the pump. I took some photographs and switched the generator on for Jonathon to cut the pipe. Stewart walked from the village for 40 mins with 2 children to get help. Eventually we got the landrover pulled from it’s hole by a lorry. As we fixed the pump we were standing in beating sun for about 3 hours. Big hand to Stewart for his long walk.

You maybe wondering why Starlight and amazing singing? Let me explain. Just before we came into Saurimo from the school, the school children joined some of our group as they played guitars. They then stated to sing to us and, for me it has been the highlight of the trip so far. We have it recorded on Jack’s IPhone .

Lastly – as we were just about to get into the land rover to leave the school, our torches were off and there was no artificial light and no light pollution. Someone noticed the sky and we all looked up. It took our breath away. Then I remembered – “He made the stars also”. As we gaze at God’s handywork I was reminded that at the end of the 4th day when he had already made the sun and the moon, He finished off his perfect work with the stars that sparkle in our sky.

Let me finish with this. I found out from the comments yesterday that Pamela Beck is finding out about the blog each night because Ruth Brown is phoning her and reading the detail over the phone. This being the case I would just like to say – Pam – Stew loves you and he misses you very much. O and by the way he also snores!!!

Jim

Last night for pudding we were served Angel Delight which I have not had since I was a teenager. It was fantastic. Actually everything we have eaten thus far has been great - It must be something to do with all the work we are doing and the fact that the children round the school would never turn their nose up to any food.

It struck us today that there are so many things that go on around us that we don’t really notice. I have been around the school for 3 days and I have not heard one complaint from any child. When I think about it I have not seen 1 one child in a temper because they are not getting their own way! I will leave you this thought as I describe what we got up to.

We had a ball of a day. Gareth, David & Jack built a metal frame for a bell for the school and finished the first volley ball court – poles, nets and all. Stewart B finished the Mossie nets for our house (sorry lodge just in case Ruth & Natalie are reading this.) Jamie created another 241 bricks to today which means they now have 320. Stewart Welsh & I had a superb day. It started with driving landrovers with about 10 kids in each trip going for ant hill dirt to repair the road. Stewart W continued this in the afternoon while I got to drive a JCB to flatten the road. What a day!!!!

I am not sure how many people are reading this but I want to get serious for a moment. If anyone is reading this and they can help with the things we list please get in touch. If you know of someone who can help please pass this blog on? It would be great to help a fantastic school.

The school is in need of the following –

• Maths Exercise jotters – the books people do their sums on
• Worming tablets – It would be great to be able to help with a worming programme which would make so much difference to their quality of life. 

Two things, which I am sure you will agree we take for granted in the UK. Two things, which are relatively cheap and easy to supply! Two things, which make things so much easy for Ruth and the team involved with the school.

Just in case you think we are being too serious I will finish with this. David & Jack did turn up for the service this morning. When I get to the UK I will be paying a visit to the barbers and ask her to prepare her sharpest razor!!! One final point to this anecdote! Ruth Singleton told us that the service started at 5.00am. We all got up and arrived at the hall for the unearthly time. At 6.15am we heard a bell ringing which was the call for the church to gather together. Ruth conveniently forgot to tell us that they signal the start of the service by ringing the bell – we were 1 hour and 15 mins early. Thanks Ruth!

Jim A

Travel is pretty much the same when you go your hols irrespective of the mode of transport. You pack, you get your flight, you travel from the airport to where you are staying. That statement could be made for the 7 of us right up till we reached Luanda the capital of Angola. From this point on we have experienced something, the likes of which we have never witnessed.

The city of Luanda is just unbelievable. The smells, the driving, the contrast of the modern buildings and the plethora of shanty towns and the seeming endless stream of people wandering all over the street. It is like no other city I have ever seen.

Our mode of transport was 2 landrovers which were packed with our cases and plenty of food. We left at 8.30am in the morning and sat open eyed and open mouthed as we travelled through the city. As we headed from Luanda to Saurimo we saw spectatular scenery, poverty as I never imagned and driving from Mad Max beyond the thunderdome.

We arrived at Camundambala where the school is at 12.30am Sunday. We had been travelling for 16 hours in the landrovers and our rear ends were numb. The bumps and holes in the roads were huge.

Our first day was spent really planning our activity for the week. We did spend the morning making bricks for the workshop. Jonathon Singleton had a brick making machine and by about 1.00pm we had made about 30. Jonathon needs 3000 so a long way to go.

Tomorrow we help repair the road into the school and start the goal posts and volley ball posts for the school grounds.

The church has meetings in the school grounds every morning at 5.00am. Some of us are going to go along tomorrow. If Jack Beck and David Brown are there I am going to shave my head.

1st blog over. I will now have my sweet after my roast beef and yorkshire pudding at Ruth's.

Jim A