Africa Day 6

Day 6

We had to get up even earlier today so we could be at both services at the chapel - one at 7:30 and the other at 8:00. We had to have breakfast, then take the 20 minute walk there, and prepare. The services this day were the responsibility of MDUMC. That meant music and devotional. Our music was greatly enhanced by two of the young people who were on the trip with their guitar and violin. The people here have been so wonderful with their music and dance, and it was now our turn.

Afterwards we split into two teams. One team went to work on the AIDS orphans’ home, applying the battens on the boards previously done and starting painting with creosote – a nasty job, but they use it here to preserve the wood. The foundation is done by the local help and is ready when we arrive, so our team is responsible for putting up the framing and walls, doors, windows and painting. We are not allowed to do the roof either and the locals do that.

The other team went to paint the flats for the staff at the hospital. We had previously sanded the plaster walls and now we are doing the painting of walls, windows and doors. We applied 3 coats on one apartment and started laying stones with mortar for walls around the front and back doors of all the downstairs apartments. Quite slow painting with only brushes and no masking tape for window trim. All of the work we do is done without any power tools since there is no power. Even the cabinets are built with a hand saw, and what fun sanding all those walls with just a piece of sandpaper. We did find some small pieces of wood and wrap our sandpaper around it to make a sanding block. The scaffolding is made of branches and looks a little dangerous. So are the ladders. But the flats are quite nice – two bedrooms, living area, nice bathroom and kitchen, with closet storage. It’s really important to get the bottom floor finished this month because they have interns coming in Sept. and the hospital wants and needs to attract good doctors.

If you were working on the flats, you had to stop for high tea at 10:00 every morning, so you would lose a little time there, but it is their tradition and everyone stops for it. They refuse to work then, or let us. So you would go to the Savutos for this and also lunch, except for today, which was at the hospital with the staff. The team working on the AIDS orphans’ house was out at a remote spot accessed by more really bumpy roads, so they took snacks like energy bars and peanut butter sandwiches.

We also have our daily walk back from work through the village, so did a little shopping walking back to the hotel, and then off to dinner and devotional.