Day 2 on site

An excellent 2nd day. Many of us up at 5.30 to see the sun rise over the lake.

An early start on site with local builders led by Steve and Solomon and joined again by Wise and Holyfield from the Community Based Organisation (CBO). They are the people who select the families which deserve a new house and they negotiate with the local villagers to ensure that everyone understands why and no arguments are caused. Site Supervisor is Thousand who makes sure everyone does things correctly and is a fantastic source of technical help.

 

We started off fitting door frames and building internal walls and finishing getting external walls up to shoulder height.

Then it was erecting scaffolding and the usual work around getting matope and bricks on to the scaffold so that we could continue building. A lorry load of bricks arrived in the afternoon which gave us a better choice to work with and watching the guys throwing 6 bricks at a time to each other with bar hands (and bare feet!) took our breath away.

 

We took a walk round the village at lunchtime with Dan from Habitat for Humanity Malawi who introduced us to more families and the entourage of children grew and grew. John's choir numbered about 25 on the way back - all joining in with the Malawi national anthem - thankfully in English. We went to the local school, which was closed today, but the children told us what grades they were in and helped us use the pump at the well.

 

We bought a football yesterday and the kids were ecstatic when we gave it to them to play with. They even found a pump to pump it up - really surprising as they have so little.

 

A very sad afternoon. A villager in the house next to the build died at lunchtime. A victim of HIV AIDS and very young at 37. So the team and the whole village very subdued. We carried on working, but very quietly. We will call at the coffin shop in the morning to buy flowers and John and Margaret will go to the house to pay respects on behalf of us all. We will work until 11 and then stop whilst the funeral takes place.

 

Still on target for completion by Saturday with the handover ceremony on Sunday. All the team are well, thoroughly enjoying the trip and don't want to come home!!