Let there be light

Okay a little Sappy but! We started Friday out with shelf building and then 5 of Moses' classmates arrived by taxi-bus from Kampala to get the power up. A quick overview and ideas and off we went, they wanted to work as a team on each segment of the task so started off with getting the panels on the roof. Roofs here are corrugated tin that is so light they roll it up and take it to the site on their bicycles. Support is 4 foot on centre top to bottom and trusses spaced between 6 and 8 feet apart. Now put 6 - 22 year olds and one 50+ up there and you can imagine the sounds. Not to mention the ladder is 2 tree trunks about 3 " in diameter with whatever for rungs. So I pointed gave the plan then got down to assist in cutting the wood etc for the braces. About an hour later panels were installed, wires run through the roof, caulked and sealed. Sue and I left as they were finishing up to order wood for more shelves. Upon return they were all over the attic and walls following wire runs and testing switches. I asked that they install the controls first so we could get the inverter installed and charge the batteries. So the "team" got to it, all of us in a storage room that is 5 feet wide and 12 feet long. A little cramped as everyone wanted to see! All connected I found a problem with the panels not charging the system so Moses got to it as I was on the phone with the company. Moses was quicker than the rep as he found the panel had been wired wrong from the factory, not bad for a guy that has never seen one before. Fixed and the panels were charging at 5.4 amps. The lights were a bit of a problem as we had one major problem - we cannot locate the tool box with all the pliers and electrical connectors so our solution was once again the multi-tool (thanks Chris). Six worker bees and one pair of pliers, one hammer, and a pairing knife. It was very humorous as we are saying it is in the box instead of the container.  Unfortunately the tools and computers are missing so far and we are not holding out much hope of finding them. I guess they were found at customs and not only did we have to pay extra because they were on the packing slip but they were taken to be sold. - I really hope I can retract this comment once every box is unpacked there are only a few left and definitely no tool box.

After the electrical was all done we had a little 3 on 3 basketball game to the delight of all the kids and parents watching. Pictures handshakes and everyone leaving with a book for themselves and one for their families it was another great day but it wasn't over. I wandered out to the adult section and there were 3 - 4 men at any time reading books before they even made it on the shelves. One child came by and said he was supposed to ask when he could sign up to learn here, and Henry our contact with the district health council, was all set to send his staff down to sort and he wants to get going on the lecture/presentation series as it is just what he needs. We ate dinner under our new outdoor courtyard light and after I headed home the girls stayed up watching the lights (not the stars) imagining the power of the sun. Apparently they saw 1 am which was quite a novelty, they even went and got water as a reason to stay up. However, they were a little tired for school and church Saturday morning.

I was really looking forward to my shower but once I got to the guest house apparently 20+ women drained the tank before me so I had to use a Jerry can and bucket.

I forgot to mention yesterday as we were unloading the container a 8 - 9 year old boy stopped to help and he was quite the trooper for almost an hour. When he said he had to go Sue offered to buy him a drink or food, he said he would rather have a book! Can it get any better than that? I asked Sue who he was - she didn't know and no one else did apparently he lives outside town and was passing through.