Adam is arriving

As the construction project continues Adam Boe will be joining our team to take over the position as Construction manager as my time in northern comes to an end.

The foundation for the Health Center is coming to completion. The base of the concrete floor is a layer of medium sized stones laid out flat side up. This is a very labor intensive task, as the stones are split by hand (with a sledge hammer) and installed one by one in the compacted dirt backfilling. The voids between the stones are blinded with sand. As the blinding has been finished today we began pouring the concrete floor.

I recently had a chance to visit the quarry from where we have been purchasing the gravel. The conditions of the workers are brutal. They remind me of scene from the movie "Les Miserables" where Jean Valjean is working in the quarry. Breaking stones without machinery. With hammers and chisels. Woman bring their children to work because child care is not there. Fires are made on the stone to bake it as it is to hard to break without cooking it first. It is heart wrenching to see the conditions the people endure, day after day after day under the African sun, for a few dollars per day (not per hour).

The definition of gainful employment varies from region to region, however human rights don't.

More pictures coming soon.

Prayer requests:
-Peace and unity between our workers as recently two of them tried to have a fist fight.
-Smooth transition for Adam Boe. He has spent many months in Africa before, however the transition from Jersey to Adak is still ... extreme.
-GUTS trip from TTW we have visiting. For the effectiveness of their ministry while in Adak. Health and safe traveling.
-Well drilling situation.
-Overall safety of the construction project for the workers.

Alive and well…despite my drivers best efforts.

Howdy everybody, I have finally made it out to Adak and have been given a kings welcome by Jordan and all of the locals out here. If you are trying to understand what its like here, picture Ridgewood...then remove the paved roads, electricity, running water, traffic laws, and any sense of urgency. Then add a sprinkle of blistering heat, cooked goat on a stick that always ends in nausea, and several metric tons of children FASCINATED by white people. Thats just about Adak in a nutshell. And what better way to start my time off then learning the ins and outs of killing chickens...the logical first step to veterinary school. I LOVE AFRICA! And finally, I must apologize for my terrible punctuation. The keyboards here have a whole slew of symbols on them but none of the correct ones come up when I hit their corresponding buttons. Its been a little game of battleship just to get this post out. Im sorry to say the computer beat me more times than Id care to admit, so we can forget about apostrophes and parentheses for a while!

Computer is up and running (walking really)

We have now moved on the possibly the most exciting part of the health center construction: backfilling. That is filling the inside of the foundation with solid earth. Hours and hours every day for maybe 2 weeks of wheel-barrows shovels and dirt. Not to much fun but very important. Enjoy the photos

Mean while we have still been pumping out bricks everyday. Each day (depending on the weather) yields between 400 - 500 Bricks. We need around 17,000 bricks for the Health Center alone.

Just like every other construction site I've been on we build OSHA approved ramps and accesses. Whatever is necessary to get the job done. In reality I found them building this sketchy ramp and wanted to see it in action. After two failed almost successful attempts I convinced them to take a different approach.

A special thanks to the donor of our solar panels. They get used every day to power the laptop, camera and phone that make my job possible. Thanks.

Living in scarcity

Scarcity is the fundamental economic problem of having seemingly unlimited human needs and wants, in a world of limited resources.
Abundance (economics) the opposite of scarcity [thanks wikipedia].
Coming from a land flowing with milk and honey (that is ice-cream) to live in a region running in subsistence mode I can vividly taste the difference between scarcity and abundance. What continually baffles me is how we live in response to the situation we face, be it scarcity or abundance.
Those who live in scarcity are expected to use resources sparingly and with the utmost efficiency. Waste is not acceptable and left-overs are uncommon. Every thing is accounted for to ensure that nothing is lost. Also freely giving and sharing would be out of place. However those living in abundance are free to share with others, not just those in need but everyone. The life style should be one that is not entirely but almost care-free since after all there will be more for tomorrow.
This is what the "Rich fool" (Luke12:16-21) planned to do: "Eat drink and be merry", that would be an extreme case of living life in abundance.
No one would argue that life in the USA is more on the abundant side than life out in the African bush. However the life styles in each situation defy logic. Since I have moved to Adak TTW staff has been given 4 goats, four chickens and a pig, all on separate occasions, some for specific reasons but most of them as gifts without any strings attached. Mean while I squirrel away my granola bars that I have kept secret so that no one will bother even asking for one. Unrefrigerated beans and rice take about 48 hours to go bad, however it is common practice to take left overs to neighbors , travelers or bystanders rather than to keep them. Most of the Africans I know live paycheck to paycheck (because there will always be another check), which is a clear example of living abundantly. While in the US we are taught to save and even diversify our investments. We have refrigerators and zip-lok bags to keep our food good as long as possible clearly living a lifestyle of scarcity.
I find this extremely odd. I am learning to give more freely without expecting in return, it doesn't come naturally. But in view of the resources that I have been blessed with ... how could I not?

Gratitud

One of the odd things about Ugandan culture is the absence of politeness. When you sneeze ... no one responds. Excuse me, thank you and your welcome are uncommon.
Today while ridding to town on a Boda-Boda we got stuck behind a dump truck, one filled with men, probably 35 passengers, it was loaded even by African standards. My driver tried and tried to get around the dumper but there wasn't a good chance. The worst place to ride a motorcycle is behind a large truck on a dirt road. Then out of no-where the driver pulled over and stopped. On the ground there was a wallet. Without words I picked it up and he speed off to catch the truck. The man who dropped the wallet got the truck to stop, as we pulled up I handed the man the wallet (in silence) and we drove off without ever exchanging a word. The man was indeed grateful, but never said thank you. The Boda driver would do it again if he had to, but there was no 'you're welcome'. It is all implied, I guess.

My Laptop is down with a virus and thus photos aren't available right now.

Construction: We have finished the plinthwall and plan to begin backfilling the foundation next week. As the land we are on has a slight slope we will have to make some design adjustments that we are reviewing with the Architect (Matt Wolfe).

Please keep the workers safety in prayer as well as the ongoing purchase of a small dump truck. To date we have been hiring a truck per diem and would like to put that to an end. There are no dealers in Uganda, almost all the vehicles come from car bonds filled with the retired vehicles from Asia. It's kinda like a box of chocolates.

thank you for your prayers

At first it was odd , but now it is normal.

I remember

I remember buying my first car! Oh the freedom, the independence! A chance to get away the house without having anywhere to go. Life was going to be much better from then on. It was too good to be true, maybe even unbelievable. One day I hope to buy a house, I suppose the same emotions and feelings rush in. The magic and sense of achievement must well be worth the debt, I'm sure.
But somewhere down the road the car lost its magic, maybe when I go two blow-outs on route 1-9 by Secaucus during rush hour. One day the bills for the house begin to pile up and we wonder is it worth the cost? The magic, awe and most of all gratitude begin to fade away and are less appreciated, or worse a sense of entitlement creeps in. My car shouldn't break down! I paid good money for this house why is it falling apart? Everything becomes less and less special as we get accustomed to having it around.
Yesterday my Co-Worker Marti reminded me "Jordan, we're in Africa". I forgot! In only 3 months I have become so comfortable here that I forgot what a privilege it is to serve God period. I forgot how exotic it is to be living in Africa. I remembered thee first day I arrived, the wonder, the fear of the unknown, the excitement! Where did they go? Who stole the Joy I had to serve the Lord?
Today I'm examining my Christian walk. Is it as exciting as the first day I believed? Am I still in awe of God's forgiveness, grace and mercy? Am I still repenting (of the recent sins)? Who stole my joy ?
I invite you to Re-Engage with our creator through the author and perfector of our faith, Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:27 "...God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory"
Am I still living as if thou Christ is glorious riches ?

Construction update:
The Health Center construction is still moving along one day at a time. We are currently building the Plinth wall (part of the foundation). Things seem to move along at a snails pace in comparison to the USA, mainly because here there are NO power tools what so ever. Cement is mixed by hand, with water pumped by hand and rocks chipped by hand to create concrete that we then pour into trenches dug with a gardening hoe to form our foundation. It's actually fascinating to think that most of the world builds without power tools.

Well: The drilling is taking second place to the Health Center on the priority list. However we have been squeezing in a few days here and there. The rock is slowly chipping away. Our depth isn't increasing however when we bail water we have been discovering chunks of granite the size of keys on your keyboard in the water. We have about a handful of them!
The recovery rate (how long it takes the well to fill when emptied) is exceptionally good. We aren't able to get all the water out, it pours back in before we can empty it. From above you can see the water flowing into the well by ripples on the surface. However the water table (depth of water in well) is less than 3 feet, we would like about 15-20 to have a "good" well.
The diagram above represents what we think we are dealing with, without ground radar it is hard to know. But we are hoeing for clean water under the layer of rock if we can get through it!

The Foundation

After a few weeks delay by the Health Department we are now allowed to continue construction on the Health Center. This week we have been pouring the foundation and the line columns (the ones not on a corner). Hard to capture in a picture.

This week many of us have been sick. Robert, my immediate boss, a few workers and myself have missed a few days due to colds and fevers. Marti Johnson (TTW staff) came up this week and seems to have contracted Malaria. Moses daughter Priscila (photo) also has malaria. Please keep us in your prayers.

My relationships are growing with Opiyo, Kilama, Okello and Inyansio. To me they aren't "locals" of ministry opportunities but people that God loves dearly. As we grow closer they let me in to their lives and homes. I was utterly shocked to see where some of them (or rather their wises and children) gather their water.

It really is amazing. Okello Moses explains to me how the keep the water source 'clean', uncontaminated that is. He took me there to see his sugar cane crop. While we were there we spent some time cutting down branches to block to water source from cows that roam freely through the country side. This spring is dammed off to make it deep, but once a week is opened to let the water run out and refill to keep the spring fresh. To me it just looked like a hole in the ground, but to them it is a source of life. I've never had an appreciation for CLEAN running water as I do now.

The End of the Line

In acts Jesus said that his disciples would be witnesses in Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. I have often wondered where the ends of the earth are. I suppose it's where one could find the socks lost in the laundry or the toys that young children loose interest in. In some way that is Uganda. People here are, sort of, living on the hand-me-downs and left overs of larger nations. The gas stations don't have different grades of gas. In fact in Gulu sometimes the isn't gas for weeks on end. There are no car factories in Uganda new car dealers are only found in the capital. Most vehicles on the road are imported from used car lots in eastern Asia. As I walk the streets I see worn clothes that also were not fabricated here.

The vehicles and the clothes are still have years of good use. I'm not pushing for guilt (guilt doesn't help anything), and the owners of the Japanese automobiles are certainly not seeking pity, they love their vehicles. Rather I'm at the end of the line, this is the last stop and maybe in Jesus' words "the ends of the earth". I assure you that long before my arrival His witnesses where here.
I am continually blown away by the eagerness of people who have so little to share the best food they have, while I keep my granola bars hidden away. Even Pastor Inyanysio's willingness to wash visitors cars, while he never has owned a vehicle. I'm not sure I could serve like that. It is a real blessing to find God's people all over the world furthering his kingdom. I stand in awe of His greatness.

Update on Construction: A few government officials have done all they can to put a halt to the construction of the Health Center. Their motives are unclear but likely are rooted in greed (they want a pay-off) or jealousy (they want us in their village. Either way the Health Center is waiting as we continue building the second hut which will serve as staff housing.

What's up ahead: TTW is sending a family up to Adak to help resuscitate the local nursery built in 2007 and closed the same year.
We have a college Team coming to visit for about a month.
Prayer requests:
- God would make a way for the Health Center construction to continue.
- Drilling of well, still hitting rock.
- Health, for myself and TTW staff.
- Discernment in managing workers who are consistently late or absent.

Basement

So rainy season is in full effect. It has rained every day for the last 10 days. Each day we get about an inch. It begins around 2 or 3 pm without fail and thus ruins the work day for the most part. This has shifter our priorities slightly as the basement for our office hut is better off dry than wet.

We have made significant progress. The 17 by 10 foot basement is over 8 feet deep and was excavated by the workers with hand tools. It took hours and hours under the blazing African sun. After leveling the floor we poured the concrete subfloor. Concrete is cement with gravel. Among the wealth of resources in Uganda gravel is not found, rather it is made with hammer and chisel out of large stones and is generally much larger than specified. Construction in the industrialized work is so vastly different.

So we have begun building the walls of the basement and next week we should be pouring the ceiling (floor for the hut). They are exciting times as we are not only building the only basement withing 20 miles but across the property we are erecting the Largest Building (The Health Center) within at least 10 miles. The village has great things ahead of them that would not be possible without your partnering, and they are deeply grateful for that.

My Three month visa is due to expire and I am on leave to Rwanda for a bit of sight seeing and to renew the Visa upon re-entry to Uganda. Please pray for my safe travel and stay in Rwanda.
Thank you so much for your prayers for health. Since the last post I have been diagnosed and cured of Malaria. It was not as bad as people make it out to be (when you have a whole army of people praying for your well being). So thank you, and thank God.

Breaking Ground

So it's been an eventful week and a half since we broke ground for phase one of the Dream Center, the Health Center (Clinic). The workers are real champs, digging a foundation by hand under the African sun is as tough as it gets.

By lunch they had almost finished the 300 foot perimeter at 3 feet deep, all with garden hoes and no shoes. Well they have shoes but they (we) don't wear them when excavating. The rest of the week was spent leveling the excavation and making the re-bar columns.

That is tricky, to bend the re-bar we have been using tree roots and ingenuity. I want to point out that not all construction in Africa is done this way. In the major cities things are just about up to par with western construction. However we are way way way out in the bush (country side). We made two hack saws out of re-bar, pictures coming soon.

Prayer requests:
-I'm currently running a fever which is not fun in 90 degree weather. I'm going for a malaria TEST this afternoon but I think I would be feeling a lot worse if that were the case.
-Discernment; people show up every day soliciting things; jobs, loans, pay increase, halting the project... Many are genuine, many are not. Distinguishing is a tough job.
-I have to leave the country by May 18th when my visa expires. I'll probably take a bus to one of the neighboring countries, suggestions?