Day 3

Build day 3 was excellent for both teams. Team one has external walls finished including gables. Windows to fit and internal walls to finish tomorrow and the roof goes on on Friday. Team two is about a brick behind - so massive and excellent progress! Continued support from the contractor team which is really appreciated.

Highlight of the day was a visit to the local primary school. There is not much development where we are, it is several kilometres up a dust track but there are many scattered clusters of homes and this means that the primary school has 925 pupils aged from 6 to 16. Only 8 classes, so each class has over 100 pupils although some are lucky enough to have 2 teachers. No electricity, no computers, very few books, exercise books or pencils. When 15 year old children were asked what they really wanted they said "books". That wouldn't happen the UK!!

We bought a football last night and at 3.30 today threw it out of the bus. The kids went absolutely mad with joy. They don't have footballs and were just ecstatic. We will take it back with us to avoid jealousy with adjoining families but bring it back tomorrow.

We will send a photo of the village shopping centre which stocks very little - but did have a needle and thread to deal with John's ripped trousers and Stacey's missing button!

The children are even more confident today and are helping us learn their language. They think that looking at photographs of themselves is absolutely the funniest thing ever.

We all worked really hard today and really proud of what we have achieved. As I write, the the kids (about 30 of them) are singing for us to say thank you. We have loads of photos and videos but struggling to squeeze them through some pretty restrictive WiFi.

Stacey's cold is getting better. Brad's hair still looks immaculate!! Rachel is now a professional scaffolder. We all want to stay and not come home!

Off to shower. More tomorrow.