Over the last three weeks Alice, Gill and I have been meeting at the farm where the donated school furniture and books etc. have been stored . Our first task was to clean the 120 chairs and tables which had been collecting dust . To do this we had to bring them all down from the loft space in the barn and wash each chair with the hose before carrying it back upstairs again. None of us was suitably dressed for such a messy job and we were soon soaked through. On our second visit we checked all the boxes of second hand children’s clothes, bedding, toys and books that had been donated and to started to prepare an inventory of everything we hope to squeeze into the 20 foot container.

 Gill had managed to source a load of strong cardboard boxes and we packed the computers and monitors into these, using second hand clothes and towels to fill the spaces and protect the computers. We have over 75 boxes now and 14 bags of clothes, bed linen, towels and toys and games. We have also dismantled most of the bases for the large wooden desks but kept one intact to let our friends see how to put the desks together together. Now that these are dismantled they will take up less room in the container. We have only 11 monitors  still to pack and then the complete load will be  packed, checked and  ready for the container. Our aim was to get the container on its way before we set off for Tanzania at the start of July, but it is looking less likely as we only have a fortnight left and we still need the  official customs paperwork to be completed.

This coming weekend we are meeting up with Ralph and Noreen to discuss what we hope to acheive on this coming visit and this will be the last time we meet in Livingstone as they are moving house soon after. I know that I am not alone in finding the new town of Livingstone difficult to navigate. I have got lost inumerable times in the past trying to find Ralph and Noreen’s house so I for one am delighted that they are moving.

I am hoping to find time over the next two weeks to work on my Swahili. I have found a website which teaches you through traditional songs – so I will give that a go.