New Kingdom Hall 4

First of all I have to apologise for not updating you last week.  I was suffering from exhaustion.  I was doing too many long days in the full sun at over 35 degrees.  The problem was I was enjoying it and didn't realise how much it was taking out of me. 

 One day I arrived late after running some errands.  It was already very hot.  I asked the site overseer what he wanted me to do.  He lovingly asked what I would like to do to so I told him 'anything that involves sipping cocktails'.  He is French speaking and occasionally genuinely doesn't understand what I say.  He muttered 'sipping cocktails' as though he was deep in thought then brightened up and said "shifting rocks, is that like sipping cocktails?".  So I shifted rocks for the morning.  I'm here with Anna and Anna.  The Gambian Anna was on her first day on site after having her tonsils out.

I spent the afternoon shovelling concrete then wondered why I couldn't do anything for the next 5 days!

Compare this with last time, those blocks are really going up.

I spent a full day putting preservative on the wood for the roof.  It's going to be exposed beams which will look lovely.  After the preservative we cover them with black oil.

I was working with Susan and Tabby.  Susan is from Sheffield, UK and is spending a year here.  Tabby is from California.  She originally booked for 3 months but had so much fun she extended it for another month.  Now she half way through her last month she's regretting she didn't extend it for longer.If there are any single sisters (or brothers for that matter) who would like to move where there is a greater need please think about Gambia.  Check out the ratio in the Yearbook.  Look through my blog to see some of the brothers and sisters who have come to help and have had so much fun here. 

The worst thing about this work is all the protective gear we have to wear in the heat.  When I stop for a rest and take my gloves, mask and hat off I actually feel chilly.  The other nasty side effect is the amount of sweat that pours out of my gloves!

 

Sorry but you had to see that.  

 This is the inside looking from the platform area to the front door and second school.  

And on the outside we have some home made scaffolding.  It's not what I'm used to seeing on building sites coming from Europe but safety is taken very seriously.  We have safety talks every week and there's always someone around to remind us if we forget to use safety equipment.   

I went today to look at plants for the car park.  Planting seems such a long way away.