August Update from Maranatha Gateway

Since John & Sue returned to Uganda and the Ssese Islands in June much progress has been made. The second accommodation block has been plastered and painted outside, fascia boards and guttering put up, the glass put in the windows, the doors painted cream on the inside, the floors of the 6 bedrooms have been annealed, the beds have been made and the outside steps completed.

MG1

 

The plinth for the water tank is waiting to dry before the tank is put in place and pipes from the gutters inserted. The solar panel is ready to be erected on the roof but we have the wiring in place with lights in every room connected to the battery and inverter.

MG2

Most of June was very wet but July started fine and dry for 3 weeks but we have had much rain again these last few days. This has hindered the last work that still needs to be done – paving the pathways for easy access.

Thank you to all our sponsors and supporters who have enabled us to reach this far.

End of Year News From Maranatha Gateway

Our time spent in Uganda since August has been very busy.  We held our first 2 week carpentry course in September, which produced some excellent stools and tables. We hope this skill will enable these young men to supplement their income.
We then started building the second accommodation block and we are pushing up to get the roof on before Christmas.
At the end of November we held a craft course for ladies – making paper beads and weaving baskets.  We then went down to the lakeside resorts and sold most of what they made to the tourists.  The ladies are continuing to meet together here at Sozi once a week, making craft souvenirs which can provide an income for them. It is exciting to empower local people for whom there are few opportunities. We are so grateful to supporters in the UK who sponsor these courses so we can provide them free – accommodation, food and training.
This month we have enlarged the family in Sozi by one piglet – called Cyclops, as he only has one good eye!  and 3 laying hens. We still have one big pig ( who we hope is pregnant) and 3 younger pigs – but we expect to slaughter 2 of these to provide meat for Christmas for us and our friends.
We can only continue to develop here through the generosity of our supporters, we thank you so much for believing in us, to help us make a difference here in the Ssese Islands.

Building Carpentry WeaveBeads

John and Sue in Uganda

Bridge of Hope

John and Sue Gasston joined Mike Norbury in Kalangala on Wed 16th October. This is the latest report from them.

We have visited the Bridge of Hope  School and we plan to start on the roof of the nursery block in the next couple of weeks. The photo above shows one of the primary classes hard at work…….well except for certain distractions!
We have had the surveyor and the exploratory team of diggers on the land at Sozi today looking at the best position of the well. Work on final positioning of the well should begin next week. The plastering of the  classroom /dormitory should be underway this week.
One of our pigs has just had 9 piglets and we pray they will all survive.
We have spent a few days in Kampala collecting the brick making machine which will be shipped to Kalangala tomorrow.
We are moving forward and making progress already.
Many challenges still to overcome.
John and Sue