July 4, 2012
-
Looking forward to the unkown
Its already July! Can you believe that? Happy Independence Day fellow Americans!!!
For those of you who are reading just to have an answer to our predicted return, I am going to write this early… we still do not know when we are coming home nor what we are doing as our next step. So please be patient with us. Please continue supporting us with prayer and encouragement!
Well I am sitting here in a bed and breakfast in Johannesburg, South Africa. I am now on day 17 of my 15 day trip! The airline of whom we booked our travel through apparently does not care to actually fly. Surprising considering they own PLANES! They have cancelled the last two flights getting out of Joburg. And apparently it is not an option to put us on an alternative airline. So instead they have paid for our extended stay at the Sun Rock guest house in Kempton Park, Johannesburg. For the record, this place is really nice. It has a B&B atmosphere, very friendly and family oriented. However, being stranded in one place kind of requires some friendliness. I am a big fan of the dogs. I have come especially attached to Fatty. He is a Jack Russel and Bulldog mix. He is just a fat happy dog. He is ADDICTED to chasing lights, like a cat. If you have a reflection off of your watch on the floor he is in seventh heaven. Similarly, I am just as intrigued by this fat dog running all around as funny as can be. So we are peas in a pod! I mean, come on, his name is Fatty! Who doesn’t like a dog with that name?
The training here was really good. I absolutely cannot wait to get the block making machine now! It seems silly to be excited about making blocks. Simply irrelevant to me two years ago! But now, we are bringing the opportunity to build using eco-friendly building materials. In Uganda, they are soon to ban ALL means of cutting trees down. The government has had little control or restriction on deforestation. So now the country is desperately trying to stop the last 3% of the remaining forests from being cut down. And this is relevant because the method for strengthening the traditional brick is firing. That means they build a kiln and burn wood for 24 straight hours to strengthen the bricks. So not having wood is a bit of a problem. Don’t you think?!?
So this gives us pretty good opportunity… though the blocks have an up front cost of production (cement is used to stabilize the blocks in lieu of burning), they are bigger and “green.” So we will be able to produce them when no one else can. And they will be cheaper because there is NOT limiting resources to produce them. The main ingredient to these block is SOIL, a little bit of sand, a tiny bit of cement, and some water. So even if we do not have funds to start constructing, we could sell these block to start raising funds. The ONLY restriction is the startup money for production, but the Lord has provided and will continue to provide. So I am not worried!!!
Not only did we learn how to make the blocks, we also learned how to build with them. In fact, we build a small house in the slums for a faithful church goer in the neighborhood. We experimented with different building techniques to see how best we can use the blocks and to see how versatile they are. And when we were all said and done, a needy person had a house! I would say that was a productive training, wouldn’t you?
So now my great anticipation is to get started on our first project with these blocks. We have made a friend (well actually a group of friends) from Nebraska who are divinely determined to build an orphan village and school. They are vigorously trying to raise funds for construction. They have a very expedited hope of building before we depart. Coincidentally, I am just as ambitious and hopeful! So pray for these folks!!! They are faithfully attempting to raise a bunch of money to get started building this village for the KINGDOM. I am praying daily, and I am asking you to also pray for them. The spearheading couple, James and Dianne, spent some time here in Uganda back in May. They spent some time with us, even staying at our house a couple of days. We have become friends and faithful servants together. Praise God for this crazy coincidence and meeting even though we are 9,000 miles apart!!
Returning back to the topic of being in South Africa… Pray that we in fact get on a plane today. Scott and I have been away from our family 28 of the past 34 days. Needless to say we want to be back with our families and get back to familiarity. Our families equally want us home as our children miss us horribly. Praise God that they have been managing thus far, but it is exhausting for our wives, as most of you can imagine.
Continue also praying for the last bit of money to come in for the finishing of the construction of the Palissa clinic. Though I dread going back to living in the village, I am desperate to get this project finished. This area badly needs this clinic so that healthcare is available to the people.
So until next time…
Chad Neeley
Volunteer Construction Coordinator – WWCS USA/Uganda
