Making Bricks

Bricks are a primary building material in this area.  Every structure has a framework of bricks.  Consequently, during the dry season, the process of making bricks is to be seen everywhere.  It seems to be an annual money making activity for those who have land suitable for manufacturing bricks.  It starts with carrying water and then mixing it with the soil to a mud pie texture using an African hoe.  Then they scoop it up with their hands and plop it into a wooden mold, then empty it out on the ground to dry.  After several days in the sun, the bricks are accumulated and stacked carefully  into the form of a firing kiln.  A fire is built in the holes prepared at the bottom of the kiln and is burned for two days.  The heat from the firing process hardens the bricks from which the kiln is made.  After the whole pile cools, the bricks are ready to sell or to be used for construction.

This brick making project was at Paradise Beach (Dickson's)

Mixing the soil with water.

Forming the bricks in the wooden mold.

Dumping the bricks out of the mold.

Beginning again.

The bricks dry in the sun for several days.
The framework you see is the beginnings of a shelter for rain protection just in case it rains.

The Elders had a service project one morning and helped make some bricks.

They didn't last very long.

The real crew.

Putting them in piles after they are dry to make room for more to dry. 

Building the kiln.

A pile of bricks, made into a kiln and is ready for the fire.

This kiln has been fired.  The holes have been plugged to hold in the heat.  While the kiln is firing, mud is plastered on the outside, sealing all the cracks to force the heat up through the pile to the top.  Dead grass is piled  on top and when it catches fire, they know the firing is finished.

Waiting for the kiln to cool.

Visiting Irene and Wabatabazi Hamilton Beams

Irene and Hamilton inside of her hut.

Hamilton, at three months.

A man in Irene's neighborhood digging a septic tank for a flush toilet.

Some neighbors hauling grass to fix the roof of their hut.  Notice the contrast of  the tile roof.

Some kids in the neighborhood. 

Driving from the neighborhood.  A very typical cluster of huts.

Gulu Community Park, the alternative

There was no water at the church to fill the font for the week's baptismal service so we went to Gulu Community Park where there is a small reservoir and a little park.  We had the place to ourselves and had a really great baptism.  The only problem was that the caretaker made us pay a lot of money.

New Year's Day 2012

Gloria and Lauries came over today after church to fix our dinner.  They loved wearing my two aprons.

They fixed meat and okra, and posho.  Good thing we love okra !   It was really good the way they fixed it.

They taught us how to make Sulu's ( a muslim treat that they make for celebrations).   It is also called Daddie's
It's made from flour, sugar, milk and eggs. 

Lauries making posho, which is corn flour stirred into boiling water.  It's  the bread part of the meal.

Daddie's after they are cut and ready to deep fry.

Frying the Daddie's

This is how they look.  They're very good.

We lost two of our favorite elders today to transfers.  Elder Chaya had been here a long time  and we will really miss him.  He's from Zimbabwe.  Elder Tyler is from Provo, Utah.  We'll get two new Elders in a couple of days.

Happy New Year

On New Year's Eve we cleaned the church building, something we do every Saturday morning and then in the afternoon, we had a baptism.  Five young men were baptized by Elder McNeill and Elder Tyler.  After that the Elders came over to our house to celebrate.  We fixed them beans, rice, okra stew and chapiti's.  Robert sent them to the store to buy their favorite soda's.  We ate dinner, played a short game and then it was midnight.  We live close to two big hotels and they both had big fire works displays. We had a great view.