Did you know that Pastor Stevie Roy can do a passable impersonation of Shrek? If you ever meet him ask him to do it for you - he will be pleased! "Whit are ye daein in my swamp!"
We split into teams again today and one team went back to finish off the playground for the school. It was a more leisurely pace and not so hot after yesterdays broiling! Poor Stevie took the brunt of the mishaps today. When we arrived in Sofia he had managed to walk into a glass door that he just couldn't see and bent his glasses, and today he kept bumping his head on the climbing frame! "What numpty put that bar there!" He already had a headache so we let him drive to take his mind off it. "I canny find the right gear!" Some folk are never happy!
I have a great photo of the man from the council who tested the playground for safety...
The other team visited two pre-schools, one on the valley and one in the mountains. They took them filing cabinets, cabinets with pull out drawers for he children to use to store their work, hexagonal tables and other stuff. These places are not well supported by the government and in one school especially, the director and his wife invest a lot of personal time and money in the school so it's great to be helping people with that kind of spirit.
They also re-vsisted the school for disabled children and brought them more equipment. They couldn't use all of it because of space considerations but we will re-distribute.
It is interesting that in these towns the local muslim teachers teach that christians should be chased out of town but we are welcomed. In other towns christians are actively run out of town regardless of whether they evangelise or not.
Because Chuck and Bobby have been in different teams, they have been uncustomarily quiet until they meet up again at tea time and breakfast. Never mind lads, maybe tomorrow you can go out to play together!
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Tuesday
40 degrees outside today and for half the team that's where we were - installing the playground equipment in the school grounds. Happily there was a tree and a pylon near where we were working that gave us some shade but it was hot work. It was also like putting together a 1000 piece jigsaw when you thought you were going to be doing a 20 piece jigsaw! The dismantling team had had to reduce the frame to much smaller peices than we thought and it was a challenge to work out from the pictures what went where. We also got a shock when we arrived and the Directort of the school suggested we install the playpark onto the tarmac surface. We would have need jackhammers to get through that! We were able to persuade her that, for safety reasons, we should install it somewhere softer. Locals asked us why we wanted to help this school - 'It's the worst school in the whole area' one said - 'All the more reason to help' them said Doug. Nuff said. The construction was mostly finished and we should complete it this morning.
The other team stayed a bit more local and sorted all the equipment for delivery and then started the deliveries later on. They visited a day care centre for disabled children (although some of the 'customers' were a bit older). The team were all struck by the sparse nature of the building. Basically, all the children were in one big white room. There was no stimulation at all and nearly all of them were just staring off into space. The staff were good people with little or nothing to work with and when they saw the materials that we brought, such as various noise making things like tambourines etc as well as visually stimulating things like the vortex (a tall pipe that's filled with water and small toys that swirls and stirs when the cildren a bid button on the floor, they were really excited. They knew that this would help the children to develop and to have fun.
Mark & Tim lost their room key and had to get another one made (not as simple as keycards in the UK!) and Chuck and Bobby keep getting into trouble form the Laughing Policeman. (We cannot always be as expressive as we would like, as the south Bulgarians especially take exception to shows of outward joy - I wish they would tell that to the delivery man who comes to the hotel at 5:30 AM every morning and shouts and laughs with the staff for half an hour!)
Need to go as the team have assembled ready for Wednesdays outings, more soon...
The other team stayed a bit more local and sorted all the equipment for delivery and then started the deliveries later on. They visited a day care centre for disabled children (although some of the 'customers' were a bit older). The team were all struck by the sparse nature of the building. Basically, all the children were in one big white room. There was no stimulation at all and nearly all of them were just staring off into space. The staff were good people with little or nothing to work with and when they saw the materials that we brought, such as various noise making things like tambourines etc as well as visually stimulating things like the vortex (a tall pipe that's filled with water and small toys that swirls and stirs when the cildren a bid button on the floor, they were really excited. They knew that this would help the children to develop and to have fun.
Mark & Tim lost their room key and had to get another one made (not as simple as keycards in the UK!) and Chuck and Bobby keep getting into trouble form the Laughing Policeman. (We cannot always be as expressive as we would like, as the south Bulgarians especially take exception to shows of outward joy - I wish they would tell that to the delivery man who comes to the hotel at 5:30 AM every morning and shouts and laughs with the staff for half an hour!)
Need to go as the team have assembled ready for Wednesdays outings, more soon...
Monday, 29 August 2011
Monday
Beofre I start on Monday, I forgot to mention Bobby's other faux pas yesterday. We could see him being searched at the security bit of Charles de Gaul airport and the guard seemed especially vigorous with his checks. He even seemed to be checking in Bobby's mouth! When Bobby came through we asked what had happened he looked a bit sheepish and admitted that when the french accented security guard was patting him down, Bobby thought he had said 'tongue' so he stood there sticking out his tongue like some demented St. Bernards, waggling it around to the left and the right. Needless to say the security guard stopped the search and looked at Bobby like he was daft and said 'Turn' more clearly.
Monday then. We drove from Sofia to Kardjali and ate lunch at a restuarant we had frequested last year. We heard that the man with the van that we were going to use had heard it was for 'foreigners' and added a mileage charge that meant we would have been cheaper buying our own van! So were potentially stuck with no transport. So we asked the owner of the restuarant if he knew someone who could help. He did and after a few phone calls we picked up a minibus that had it's seats removed to give us a big van. (He had been impressed last year when we had told him what we had done and he was happy to help this year)
We then drove to our final destination further south and Tim (I) drove the van. It was another day of travelling and inactivity and I think we are all glad to be starting on a more active day today. Willie, Tim and Gordon got up early this morning (6am) to pack the van ready for an early start on the road and afterwards we had breakfast at the hotel. Four of us plus our contact are are about to embark on the trip to the school to install the playground the rest are staying behind and sort the equipment into piles for each of the destinations. Hopefully we will be able to cover some of those today using the smaller vehicles. More news later...
Monday then. We drove from Sofia to Kardjali and ate lunch at a restuarant we had frequested last year. We heard that the man with the van that we were going to use had heard it was for 'foreigners' and added a mileage charge that meant we would have been cheaper buying our own van! So were potentially stuck with no transport. So we asked the owner of the restuarant if he knew someone who could help. He did and after a few phone calls we picked up a minibus that had it's seats removed to give us a big van. (He had been impressed last year when we had told him what we had done and he was happy to help this year)
We then drove to our final destination further south and Tim (I) drove the van. It was another day of travelling and inactivity and I think we are all glad to be starting on a more active day today. Willie, Tim and Gordon got up early this morning (6am) to pack the van ready for an early start on the road and afterwards we had breakfast at the hotel. Four of us plus our contact are are about to embark on the trip to the school to install the playground the rest are staying behind and sort the equipment into piles for each of the destinations. Hopefully we will be able to cover some of those today using the smaller vehicles. More news later...
Sunday, 28 August 2011
We have arrived!
It's half past 10 in the UK and half past midnight here in Bulgaria. We have been travelling since 9 this morning. Admittedly, the last couple of hours we have been in a resturant eating, but that's the first real food we've had all day!
Can I just say, Charles deGaul aiport is rotten for food when you are connecting flights? There were only two shops where we could buy food and all there was in them was a posh pot noodle (pasta in a box) or hot paninis (at a place called Berts of all things!).
Bobby's bag came open during transit and it arrived on the conveyor belt in a large plastic bag - it was a right sorry sight. Add that to the fact he thought he'd left his glasses on the plane (they were actually hooked onto his shirt under his chin) and he spilt some kind of chili sauce all down his front in the restuarant, it's not been a good day for him so far.
Tomorrow we have a five hour trip with a stop in the middle to visit our friends we met last year and also to view the school grounds where we are going to install the playground equipment.
We are getting a lie in tomorrow as we don't have to eat breakfast until 9 - oh wait ...that's only 8 hours away! Better get some sleep! Hotel is nice and caters to us soft westerners well. Tomorrow will be another adventure!
Can I just say, Charles deGaul aiport is rotten for food when you are connecting flights? There were only two shops where we could buy food and all there was in them was a posh pot noodle (pasta in a box) or hot paninis (at a place called Berts of all things!).
Bobby's bag came open during transit and it arrived on the conveyor belt in a large plastic bag - it was a right sorry sight. Add that to the fact he thought he'd left his glasses on the plane (they were actually hooked onto his shirt under his chin) and he spilt some kind of chili sauce all down his front in the restuarant, it's not been a good day for him so far.
Tomorrow we have a five hour trip with a stop in the middle to visit our friends we met last year and also to view the school grounds where we are going to install the playground equipment.
We are getting a lie in tomorrow as we don't have to eat breakfast until 9 - oh wait ...that's only 8 hours away! Better get some sleep! Hotel is nice and caters to us soft westerners well. Tomorrow will be another adventure!
Saturday, 27 August 2011
1 day to go!
Ok so we leave tomorrow morning - Wait...did i say tomorrow?
WE LEAVE IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS!
But I haven't begun to pack yet, I need to do shopping for the family, I need to make sure I have everything I need... panic panic ;b
I discovered yesterday that all the nuts 'n' bolts (eventually sourced through multiple places thanks to Grace) plus the other stuff that could not go in the container, weighed over 10 KG and my total baggage allowance is only 23KG so it's buying clothes in Bulgaria for me! For the ladies reading this that would be an opportunity, for the men, what a hassle! Especially as we will be busy every day and stopping to shop is not really on the agenda. Maybe I can squeeze some more into my hand luggage?
I was at the Birmingham airport on Thursday and I watched as the staff made all the customers push their hand luggage into a small box which was the guide for how much you could take on with you. There was a wailing and gnashing of teeth moment when a family were told they couldn't take all the stuff they had, most of it baby paraphernalia, on the plane. The father was almost in tears as he ranted and begged but he was made to leave stuff behind! I thought some kind person in the queue would have said "I could take something if it helps" but they all just seemed at the delay. I must add I wasn't going on that flight or I would helped of course! At least I like to think I would!
Anyway, I don't want that to happen to me! I will have small hand luggage containing a book, a jumper and some gluten free snacks, but, of course, no drink as I have to leave that behind in case I threatened the staff with it(!) (Not that I am inherently threatening, it's the rules you know!)
We will be checking in online this morning and that's when there will be no going back. Can't wait to leave though - I've had enough anticipating!
The next blog should be at the airport or in Bulgaria!
WE LEAVE IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS!
But I haven't begun to pack yet, I need to do shopping for the family, I need to make sure I have everything I need... panic panic ;b
I discovered yesterday that all the nuts 'n' bolts (eventually sourced through multiple places thanks to Grace) plus the other stuff that could not go in the container, weighed over 10 KG and my total baggage allowance is only 23KG so it's buying clothes in Bulgaria for me! For the ladies reading this that would be an opportunity, for the men, what a hassle! Especially as we will be busy every day and stopping to shop is not really on the agenda. Maybe I can squeeze some more into my hand luggage?
I was at the Birmingham airport on Thursday and I watched as the staff made all the customers push their hand luggage into a small box which was the guide for how much you could take on with you. There was a wailing and gnashing of teeth moment when a family were told they couldn't take all the stuff they had, most of it baby paraphernalia, on the plane. The father was almost in tears as he ranted and begged but he was made to leave stuff behind! I thought some kind person in the queue would have said "I could take something if it helps" but they all just seemed at the delay. I must add I wasn't going on that flight or I would helped of course! At least I like to think I would!
Anyway, I don't want that to happen to me! I will have small hand luggage containing a book, a jumper and some gluten free snacks, but, of course, no drink as I have to leave that behind in case I threatened the staff with it(!) (Not that I am inherently threatening, it's the rules you know!)
We will be checking in online this morning and that's when there will be no going back. Can't wait to leave though - I've had enough anticipating!
The next blog should be at the airport or in Bulgaria!
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Nuts 'n' bolts!
You may think I am describing the team but I'm not! Who new how hard it would be to source a few measly nuts, bolts and screws to replace all the rusty ones from the playground equipment? Today is the day of trawling round the local builders merchant (Screwfix, B&Q, Builders supply co.) to get a few from each place. It's good job I'm going there for other things for my house at the same time!
All plans are in place now and we are patiently(!) waiting for Sunday to come around. No news from the team to share with you - hopefully they'll be more talkative when we are away!
All plans are in place now and we are patiently(!) waiting for Sunday to come around. No news from the team to share with you - hopefully they'll be more talkative when we are away!
Thursday, 18 August 2011
The container is unloaded!
The container finally arrived in it's proper location on Monday (Thank you Lord!) and immediately our contacts started to unload it into the storage area. Our contact said:
"Things seemed in good condition... maybe a little scrape here and there- but these things look great!"
Now they will decide where the items are all going and working out the final itinerary - I think we are going to be busy!
It looks like our base will be in a town we visited for the day last year. Lovely hotel in a very historic little town not far from the Greek border and the food was great! I remember some of the guys asked for a kebab and we got huge swords skewering large chucks of meat like something from a medieval banquet! They served a mean Trout from the local river too (at least, that's what the menu said but the river through town was more of a burn so It must have been from somewhere else)! We'll need to watch we don't come home a stone heavier!
"Things seemed in good condition... maybe a little scrape here and there- but these things look great!"
Now they will decide where the items are all going and working out the final itinerary - I think we are going to be busy!
It looks like our base will be in a town we visited for the day last year. Lovely hotel in a very historic little town not far from the Greek border and the food was great! I remember some of the guys asked for a kebab and we got huge swords skewering large chucks of meat like something from a medieval banquet! They served a mean Trout from the local river too (at least, that's what the menu said but the river through town was more of a burn so It must have been from somewhere else)! We'll need to watch we don't come home a stone heavier!
Saturday, 13 August 2011
Two weeks to go!
Even more ARRRGGHH!
Only two weeks to go and most of the items on the 'Three weeks to go!' blog post are still outstanding!
Although our mission to Bulgaria is humanitarian rather than evangelistic, we do come into contact with people from local Christian churches who manage to exist alongside the almost totally dominant Muslim people. We also had the great pleasure, last year, of speaking to interested people about God and also praying for folk for healing etc.
We have a baptism this morning in church and it reminds me about last years trip to Bulgaria where we ended up going down to a local river and conducting baptism for a young man that Bobby had been talking. This young man had been attending a small church, run by some of our friends, for some of the Romany people who are treated like outcasts by most Bulgarians. Now, I have been to open air baptisms before, but most of them have been in Scottish rivers and lochs where hypothermia is a real risk, but this was completely different! It was a cool day by Bulgarian standards and there was quite a breeze but, compared to Scotland, it was a beautiful summers day. The river was warm and, after the baptism, many of us went for a swim across the river. (Some of you ay remember the 'famous' picture of pastor Andrew walking on the water?) We were able to dry naturally in the sun and wind which is something you don't generally do in Scotland unless you fancy losing extremities to frostbite!
Really looking forward to going now! I ordered my Bulgarian currency (Lev) on Friday and will pick it up on Monday. That's when I know it will become even more real. The smallest denomination in Bulgaria has a great name - "Stotinky'. It even sounds like something small that chinks in your pocket. Imagine children spotting money on the round and shouting 'stotinky, stotinky' in the way our kids shout 'a penny!'
Hopefully I will blog more over the next two weeks as more news arrives about the container and the team start to discover all those things they have yet to do!
Only two weeks to go and most of the items on the 'Three weeks to go!' blog post are still outstanding!
Although our mission to Bulgaria is humanitarian rather than evangelistic, we do come into contact with people from local Christian churches who manage to exist alongside the almost totally dominant Muslim people. We also had the great pleasure, last year, of speaking to interested people about God and also praying for folk for healing etc.
We have a baptism this morning in church and it reminds me about last years trip to Bulgaria where we ended up going down to a local river and conducting baptism for a young man that Bobby had been talking. This young man had been attending a small church, run by some of our friends, for some of the Romany people who are treated like outcasts by most Bulgarians. Now, I have been to open air baptisms before, but most of them have been in Scottish rivers and lochs where hypothermia is a real risk, but this was completely different! It was a cool day by Bulgarian standards and there was quite a breeze but, compared to Scotland, it was a beautiful summers day. The river was warm and, after the baptism, many of us went for a swim across the river. (Some of you ay remember the 'famous' picture of pastor Andrew walking on the water?) We were able to dry naturally in the sun and wind which is something you don't generally do in Scotland unless you fancy losing extremities to frostbite!
Really looking forward to going now! I ordered my Bulgarian currency (Lev) on Friday and will pick it up on Monday. That's when I know it will become even more real. The smallest denomination in Bulgaria has a great name - "Stotinky'. It even sounds like something small that chinks in your pocket. Imagine children spotting money on the round and shouting 'stotinky, stotinky' in the way our kids shout 'a penny!'
Hopefully I will blog more over the next two weeks as more news arrives about the container and the team start to discover all those things they have yet to do!
Monday, 8 August 2011
The container has arrived!
I heard yesterday that the container has arrived in Bulgaria! It is still in the container port and there are some problems with the paperwork (who didn't see that coming?). Not sure if these are legitimate problems or if someone at the port just wants a bung. I gather we have been asked to supply all sorts of extra information about what is in the container. Red tape!!!! Our contacts will have to visit them to try and sort it all out.
It still looks likely that the container will reach it's final destination the week before we get there. I was involved in the final day of packing that container so, if you are in Bulgaria helping to unload, please be careful when you open the door of the container for the first time! I don't want you to be squashed under several metric tonnes of assorted children's toys and office furniture!
It still looks likely that the container will reach it's final destination the week before we get there. I was involved in the final day of packing that container so, if you are in Bulgaria helping to unload, please be careful when you open the door of the container for the first time! I don't want you to be squashed under several metric tonnes of assorted children's toys and office furniture!
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Three weeks to go!
Arrgh! We fly out three weeks today! Still to do:
Can't wait for the trip to start now!
- Order all the new nuts and bolts to hold the playground together (Chuck's going to see if the council have what we need before we hunt through the builders yards)
- Order the Bulgarian currency (Lev)
- Get an itinerary - apart from the playground at the school, we don't know where we are going. Our contact is working this out and we may never find out the whole plan as we will split into smaller teams when we get there! Also, although our contact has the full list of what's in the container, it will have been difficult for them to comprehend the sheer amount of stuff.
- Organise a hotel for night 1 in Sofia when we arrive.
- Organise hotels for all the subsequent nights (until we know where we are going, we can't book the hotels but there should be no problem)
- Organise transport for all of the team plus our contacts while in Bulgaria
- Organise a big van (or two) to take the equipment to the various destinations (you can't just go to a van hire company like you can here in the UK!)
- etc.etc.etc.
Can't wait for the trip to start now!
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