Building

We've been a little busy around here. Since we got here a little over 6 months ago, construction has been constant. We were sharing a bathroom and kitchen with the rest of the people living here on the property. (2 families and 2 other single missionaries- about 20 other people) So, those were the first things to be built.

Bathroom - called the Pit Latrine

The ramp facing our house
going up to the Pit Latrine.

Outdoor bathrooms aren't the most pleasant...
and you're never alone!
(frogs, lizards, and every bug imaginable)

It doesn't look so bad right?
 It's a composting latrine, so there are two seats.
 We use one side for 6 months, and then leave it
to compost while we're using the other seat.
Kinda gross, but it is what it is...

That's a scale in the forefront of the picture.
We buy a lot in bulk, and then we're able to sell it
to our friends at the bulk price... or less.
We shoot to break even, but we usually lose money.
 It's ok. We're pretty against handing out money.
An extra 1/4 pound of rice is ok though.

We have the coolest Ugandan kitchen you can imagine. It looks lacking by American standards, but it's AMAZING here. A few weeks ago, we went away for the night, and I invited our friends to use our kitchen while we were gone. You'd think I invited these people to my royal castle. They were so nervous, but took us up on it. When we came home, they said they've never cooked in a "white man's kitchen" before. It's shocking how much divide there is between Africans and Americans. By God's GRACE, we're knocking that wall down slowly.

We brought some nice pans with us.
Pretty thankful for them.

The next project was a laundry room. Catherine spends about 4 hours doing laundry every day just for our family. That's why we have "house help". There's no way I could get anything else done if I washed our laundry. Women traditionally do laundry with water pumped from the borehole, basins on the ground, scrubbing in the hot sun or pouring rain, bent over in half. Tyler had his construction man Bismark build a ledge for the basins to go on, a roof, and a bamboo wall to protect from horizontal rain. They set up a water tank for the solar-pumped water, spigot, and a trench to dump the dirty water in. Luxury.

Abigail adores Catherine!

Catherine and I in the Laundry Room.

Our latest project was an "Eating Hut." This is what our family looks like at dinner:

Elisabeth is in a borrowed high chair that I am forever grateful for. The kids find a spot to sit, and Tyler and I usually stand at the kitchen counter. A bit scattered, but we all get fed. The Eating Hut is not just for us. It's for all of the workers that come every day and try to find a shady spot to sit on the ground to eat. Also, Caroline and Julius live on the opposite side of the Eating Hut. There's a door on our side and on theirs. Now they have a place to eat, and their baby will be able share the high chair with us instead of climbing all over her momma on the ground to eat. Dining tables are not used here by really anyone we've seen. And napkins? Unheard of. So... we have a built-in concrete bench all along the inside of the hut, and you just sit with your plate on your lap. A little tricky for toddlers, but when they're hungry, they make a way.

There was one problem when the men were building the hut. The night before the concrete went down, we had the worst storm yet. The whole hut shifted, and the roof needed to be PICKED UP in order to fix the problem and straighten the beams holding it up. After a slight panic when the storm cleared in the morning, Bismark rallied up about 20 random guys sitting around town to come and lift the roof! It took a few different attempted strategies, but they finally got it.

After attempting to lift the whole roof, they came up with a better plan.

They lifted sections all along the edge of the hut.

(The man said, "Micah is learning very fast.")

And now... for the most exciting construction! We are going to be starting on Catherine and Bismark's huts next. We are TREMENDOUSLY blessed to have them and their families come join us on the property. We've been pouring into their lives. Basically, they are in Bible college and don't even know it. I guess this is how the Lord wants us to disciple these people... live in a fishbowl. We've sacrificed much privacy to live this way. Basically, every conversation, every spanking, every school session, every minute spent on the computer, every song we sing, every meal we make, EVERYTHING is heard and seen. How's that for "Follow me as I follow Christ" living? (1 Cor 11:1) Humbling and terrifying really. It makes us "walk circumspectly" in a real way. (Eph 5:15) I'm pretty thankful there's no perfection here in this house. We don't have it all together. Only a bunch of needy people trying desperately to move out of the way for God to work in and through them.

Lots of building around here. Physically and otherwise. I need to do an update on what Tyler has been up to with his farming ministry. It's pretty awesome. Maybe that will be the next blog. For now, it's nap time. Lilah is calling from her bed, "Could you pray for me Mommy?" Even more important to the Lord than any other outside "ministry" or construction is that I love my husband and train up these six little moldable hearts for Him. So, until next time... Oh! By the way! Did you know Jesus is coming back??? It's true! Look for Him, and live like it's in the next 10 minutes!