LOJ Community

Well, with little pomp the lab went live today.  I am in the lab with Alice, Herman, Rita and Margeret teaching them about computers and most importantly how they will support the lab.  Pastor Robert and I are taking steps to be sure that the computer lab remains in good working order and serves the kids well.  We have spare hardware and complete documentation so we expect the lab will be a significant addition to the King's Kid school.

Terry has now finished painting both the girls and the boys houses.  The bedrooms are an earthy cream collor and the common areas are painted green and blue (grass and sky) ready for trees and creatures to be painted on them.  It has been hard work for Terry but she can now enjoy the finer painting work in the common areas (assuming time permits).

We are starting to realize that time is getting short.  I am teaching Wednesday and Thursday and then Friday we head to Apoka Lodge on our safari.  We retur on the 18th (Monday) but then have only 4 days left and much to do.   Pray for it all to fit in.

The school still hasn't begun but I heard good news from Bob Chong about our CRA contact.  As some of you will know, the money is in the bank to complete the school building but we were unable to wire it until we cleared up a few details with CRA (Canada Revenue Agency).  We heard this week from CRA that they are reviewing the documents we submitted and we hope for a verbal (if not formal) approval this week so we can complete the school.  Note: Don't be alarmed by this, it is simply a formality of our society agreement with CRA that we do certain paperwork when we do international charity work.

After several Sundays here, we are starting to get to know the community here.  Terry and I are meeting with 2 families this week and Terry has been invited to lunch next week.  It's great to meet people and to get to see them in their own homes.

Blessings from far away !!

Well, imagine my suprize when the MTN installation team decided to show up today (grin).  It was amazing because they were so quick and eficient and very professional and within 4 hours (OK, not so quick I guess) we had a blazing 256kb connection to the Internet via WiMAX.  I jumped onto a computer and tested it out and it felt prety good for a small connection.  So I setup the Firewall and got it conected and then BOOM .... another multi-hour power out age all across Mityana (grin).  Ah well, the feed is in and I still have dial-up for tonight.  This was an awesome birthday present and Monday the lab will be fully up and ready for use.

Staff training starts Tuesday and just in time as we leave for our safari Friday.  I will train several teachers including the head master to manage the lab and then the computer teachers (Margeret and Rita) will teach the others how to use the lab computers when they want to.

300+ children left for home today after their 3 day kids camp.  I don't think much sleep took place because the leaders were prety wasted, but the children (including some from Muslim families) had fun!  Last night the whole crew watched the Jesus film on King's Kid new projector in their native Lugandan language.  Pastor Robert said it went very well.

We are finding this time useful.  We are getting lots done and scoping out how things work here so we can be a more effective team with King's Kid and Pastor Robert.  Blessings from he other side of the world.

Hello again from the other side of the planet :)

The computer lab is almost ready for use.  Things here take far longer than they would normally but we are making progress.  We are hopefull that the Internet feed will be in today but it's 1:PM and still no sign of the installation engineer.  If you think of it, please pray for this to happen very soon! They have been paid for the install but things move slow and they don't even answer the phone most times we try to call.  As pastor Robert would say .. this is an oportunity to cultivate patience.

There are several hundred extra children here at King's Kid today for a Children's camp.  I am at the oposite end of the property in house 3 where the lab is but I can hear the party going on with singing and dancing and horns blowing.  Ugandans sure know how to party.  They slept here last night in the sanctuary and they have done drama and worshiped.

I had a great video prepared for you of the King's Kid choir practising for the camp but my laptop power has died and I will not be able to use my laptop until the 18th when the next crew from LOJ arrives.  Sorry, but it will be stories only until then :)

Blessings, Andrew