Sunday, 26 April 2015

Kotu Kingdom Hall and Assembly Hall






This was my first view of the new site.  It was impossible to imagine how it could be turned into something so beautiful.  At this point the brothers had hired a company with a huge tipper truck and removed NINETEEN loads of rubbish and topsoil.  This site is much bigger than Ebotown, some serious work and a LOT of volunteers would be needed.



Where would they all come from?  Everywhere.  Gambia, Senegal, Sierre Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Austria, Canada, Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, UK, USA.  I've probably missed a few.  Some were already here of course, some came on holiday, found the site and gave up their poolside to shovel sand, some heard about the build and traveled especially to help.
Psalm 110:3



 The work started in October, the hottest month of the year. This was on the verandah of our house.  It was a little cooler at the site as it's nearer to the sea but you get the idea of the heat. What this doesn't tell you is the nearly 100% humidity. 






Once again we learned new trades.




















Some learned how to dig a well, but, sadly, not how to find water. 



Some just couldn't keep up the pace.

 Of course our personal lives had to be fitted in somewhere.  Our family adopted a street kitten who was too weak from dehydration to even walk.  His name is Bryniog.

Slowly the weather cooled and the Kingdom Hall started to take shape,


and we made a start with the Assembly Hall.


Some were a little eager to start using it.


Work stopped in December for the District Convention.




And two weeks later for some of us who had the privilege to attend Pioneer School.












We made good progress with the Assembly Hall and plans were made to hold our first meeting there, the visit of the Zone Overseer on 1 February.






The Hall wasn't finished at the time of the visit but it was in usable condition.





Part of the construction report showing the very Assembly Hall we were sitting in!



Then the work continued.











Well into the dry season there was a LOT of dust! 








The gardens started to take shape.





By March the project was nearly finished and we were able to enjoy our first Circuit Assembly.