Over the last 3 weeks, we have completed 14 houses, 13 were renovations and one was built from scratch. 12 of these were made possible by Canadians sharing with the Ugandans.  Yahoo! We are trying to average 3-4 new reno projects per week at an average cost of $200 Canadian per house. We think that amount is pretty awesome considering one can spend that much on a new kitchen faucet or coffee table at home (and probably only an Ikea coffee table at that – oh Ikea, I miss you). We have started with the neediest little shacks of the widows and caregivers of the children and orphans in the school and church but have quickly figured out that we cannot allow this program to be strictly for the church families but needs to be an outreach for everyone. After all, what better witness than to show the poor who don’t know Jesus how much he loves them by caring for them and their children. So many have come to the church because we took their children into the school, what a great lesson! Ok, now the details. 

 

Tim hired two great unemployed guys from the church to help him build full time. Paulo is a construction worker by trade, and Wycliffe (love that name) has his degree in veterinary medicine and is now able to save up to start his own little vet clinic. He is also Tim’s translator. Why did Tim hire a vet you ask? If you read the Killer Piglets of Uganda article, you will see. Each of the renovated houses, usually an 8X8 or 10X10 foot space for 4-8 people, got a new tin roof with overhangs so that the rain won’t wash away the mud walls. Each house got a concrete floor poured over the dirt so that now it can be swept and washed and the children don’t get skin infections and bites from the fleas and parasites. It allows them to keep their clothes, mattresses and any other possessions clean and dry. Any mud walls with holes or big cracks (read rat entrances) were patched and new doors, hinges and locks were added if needed.

 

Once a house was completed, the families (some are widows with children, others are ladies from the church that are looking after several orphans) received mattresses, warm blankets and mosquito nets. Tim hung the nets for them in a very clever way so that they can slide them against the wall during the day. Otherwise, the net takes up the entire house!   We recycled absolutely everything, any scrap piece of old tin roofing taken off was used as patch pieces for neighbouring or joining houses, any papyrus mat roofing that was taking off was given to neighbouring children to use as sleeping mats etc. One of the ladies husbands just died and she was left with a land debt of 60,000 shillings or about $40 Canadian and was caught in an endless cycle of paying 10,000 shillings a month in interest payments, so we were able to pay off the debt and now she owns the land free and clear. 

 

One of the houses was built from scratch because her landlord said he would raise her rent if we improved her house (nice eh?) so a kind lady from the church donated an 8X8 foot piece of land on her property and she got a brand new little house, all for about $350.  Tim even built a wooden door and put a padlock on it, the ladies all gathered around giggling as they each took turns trying to open and lock it. There are issues with drunk men in these areas, so safety is a concern for these women and children. 

 

We are planning to distribute mattresses, nets and blankets to the other school children whose homes do not need fixing up at this time. Some of this need has been taken care of already on the ‘Help the Kids’ page. Thanks!!  If anyone would like to be a part of “Extreme Makeover – Banda” please visit the ‘Help the Kids’ page for more details, we have itemized the costs here for you and don’t forget to watch the “after” video. That verse in James that says the only religion God will accept is to look after widow and orphans in their distress and to not become polluted by the world has taken on deeper meaning to us now that we are here. Especially the words “look after”. See the picture page for all of the homes we have finished fixing up.