We are still alive!

Hey guys!!!

We are so sorry we have not posted in so long!!! Things have been hectic at site so have not had chance to sit and write.... But now we can connect at home so hopefully we can keep you all up to date!

So lets think what has been happening here...

So we are now up to 90 full time construction workers, that's 8 internationals, 3 Kingdom Hall Construction Groups and the rest local volunteers from Barranquilla. It's an amazing atmosphere to be in, feels like a really really big RBC project. Everybody is super friendly and all are willing to try and listen to our very bad Spanish!! The plumbing team is now up to 7 all are great. 2 brothers from Kingdom Hall Groups and the others are local brothers doing plumbing for the first time. They are all willing to learn and get stuck in, hopefully we can keep them for the next two projects!

We have just about completed first fix for the office and guest apartments and are moving onto the baptism building!! The rainy season has started here so makes laying pipe work fun. We have to dig the trench, lay the pipe and try and fill the trench back in all in the same day so the rain doesn't fall and fill it up for us.

Work has also started on the main auditorium, the foundations are being made. The plan is for the roof to be on by August, lets wait and see!!

Our congregation is just about getting used to us and our quirky ways. We have made some great friends even though we speak Spanish like babies. It's amazing how it doesn't matter in Jehovah's Organization that we come from all different backgrounds but yet we instantly feel like family! We have been put on the Theocratic School and we both have talks in 3 weeks in Spanish!! Nothing like being thrown in the deep end!

The ministry isn't the easiest here and takes some getting used to after Africa. Our Congregations territory is mostly apartment buildings which won't allow you to get inside so usually can only preach to the door man. We have both learnt a little presentation with a scripture and most are really impressed at our effort and willingly listen.

Our Construction Overseer and wife have been given a new assignment in Brooklyn as a Project Overseer so they leave in July. We have a new Overseer arriving in June sometime. Our assistant overseer and wife has now returned from their holiday so they have joined us in our apartment. Now we are 6 so makes it a bit more lively at home!

We managed to squeeze in a little weekend break to an amazing beach just near Cartagene. We left straight after work on Friday and returned home on Sunday. We camped right on the beach, the sound of the sea at night was perfect to send you off to sleep. Nothing better than a morning swim to wake you up. On the Sunday Ferg had the public talk in the English Congregation so we had to wash in the sea as there were no showers. It wasn't the best feeling sitting at the meeting feeling sticky and having sand in places you didn't want! All good fun. After the meeting we had a little walk around the Old Town in Cartagene, wow it is so beautiful. Can't wait to go back there and spend a few more days looking round.

Can't think what else to write, I know there is much to say but I can't quite think of it...

Anyway here's a few pictures!!

So the weekend!!!! Well Friday was my (Asher's) day at home to clean the apartment and do all our laundry. It was actually very nice to have some quiet time in A/C. Friday night we had a well deserved relaxed evening, spent some time chatting to our new Spanish friends in very broken Spanish/English!!

Saturday we went out on the ministry, we have just about mastered a very very simple presentation to leave the memorial invitation. It's really funny when you give your presentation they just give a big smile and say thank you. I think they are quite impressed that we are trying with our very bad Spanish!! We had a great time, nobody declined the invitation and a few said they would come.  Our meeting is on Saturday at 4pm so we spent a few hours at home before the meeting. Ferg helped Erik (who we live with) build a flat pack wardrobe, oh what fun!!

Our congregation is hilarious. Full of characters that just make you giggle. One sister greets you with a handshake full of sweets, I'm not complaining!! We did our very first Watchtower comments in Spanish. Mine caused a little confusion as the brother thought my hand was a sister in front of me so when he heard my very bad Spanish he just stared at me!!! Oh dear!! Ferg said he would rather give a Public Talk at the convention than give a 30 second comment at the meeting in Spanish!!! Think he's being a little dramatic but it was very daunting!!!

After coming home from the meeting Erik and Karen asked if we would like to go to Santa Marta. "NOW" was my excited response to which they nodded. Yipppeeeee some that are as crazy and spontaneous as me!!! Karen's parents have a little holiday home there where we could stay the night. We quickly packed a bag and headed out the door. Unfortunately when we arrived at the bus terminal  the next bus was in 2 hours at 11.30pm!!! At least we were allowed to use the VIP lounge, well a tiny room with an A/C. After 1 and half hours bus ride we arrived in Santa Marta. We were all up bright and early for the beach! After a little bus ride we arrived at a beautiful little beach. Now this is more like it! We spent most of the day relaxing and swimming in the Caribbean ocean!!! I think we may be  going there again, was a perfect place to relax for a day. We headed back and returned to Barranquilla in time for an early night.

So now it's Monday back to work, Ferg sporting a very red and blotchy stomach and that's with factor 50 sun cream!!

Hope you are all well. X

Finally in Colombia!!!

Sooooo sorry we havnt wrote for ages!!!!

So we flew out to Colombia on the 1st March after spending a few nights with the Parkers in London!!! We were greeted after a 13 hour journey by 2 brothers from bethel. They had great big smiles on thier faces, we knew we would be well looked after! Had fun with our 10 bags, getting them from the airport to the car, the poor brother lost control with the trolley at one point, all the 5 bags falling off!!! Poor guy, poor Caffitiare that got smashed!!!

After about an hours journey we arrived at the branch!!! Wow!!! Absolutely huge and beautiful!!! It houses 300 bethelities and also backs a program called Global Health, this is where brothers and sisters in special service can go to Columbia for health care, operations etc. the branch ferries them to appointments etc and cares for them whilst they recover! What a loving organisation we are part of? During our 2 week stay we met many in the program from Panama and a few places from the states!

Whilst at bethel for 2 weeks we sorted tools etc to take from the city to Barranquilla, we even got to go into the city shopping (for tools) Ferg was in Paradise, I would of much rathered jewellery shopping! We also worked for a few days with the maintenance department, oh what fun, they didn't speak English and we didn't speak Spanish!!! Lots of acting and a dictionary were the life savers!! We made some great new friends!!

Goody basket waiting in our room!

On the 14th March we flew to Barranquilla, it's about an hours flight. This is where we will be working on the Assembly Hall Project. We were collected by a local brother who took us 40 minutes down the road to Galapa where the site is. Wow was our first impression, it's huge. There is already a per existing Assembly Hall and the plan is to make a new one parallel so they can run both at the same time. The old hall is being used as a kitchen/dining room, tool kribs and offices. There are around 40 working on the construction team (8 internationals and the rest Colombians) also another 50 volunteering from the local congregations. The atmosphere feels just like a quick build, all the willing brothers and sisters and you can see how happy they are to be volunteering their time for Jehovah! 

We are living in an apartment in Barranquilla. We are sharing it with an Australian couple and a Colombian couple. It's a nice apartment and is very secure which is good. We have a little room and our own bathroom, we all share the kitchen. It's 40 minutes away from site so we usually leave the apartment at 6am and usually arrive home around 6pm, Mondays it's around 8pm after the watchtower. It would be nice to live a bit nearer but at least this way no over time working for Ferg, we leave at 5 on the dot.

That's all I can think of for the minute but I promise I will post regularly from now on!

Well the party was great!! Very relaxed and chilled evening was had by all. Some yummy food and good company, what can anyone else ask for?!

Me and Fergus hard at work!

So that's the cake made by Fergs mum! Isn't it great?! 

Today a day of washing and last minute packing! Can you believe it's even trying to snow, yes not a very good day for drying washing!

Asher xx

So crazy morning of finishing loose ends... We have a surprise party that is not a surprise this afternoon to look forward to. We even have a cake!! Yum yum!

Thought some of you may want to see our little bedsit we have been working on since we returned from South Sudan. It's very nearly finished, the rest will be finished when we return back to England on our jollys.
Here's a few pictures...

The beginning!

So here goes, I have started our blog... I am not promising that its going to be amazing but I will try and upload some pictures and tell you all a little bit about what we are up to! Please comment and let us all know what you are up to.

So it's now Thursday, we have just returned from Lancashire visiting all our amazing friends, visiting our old congregations and saying Bon voyage to most. We had a lovely time but now it's time to finish all our packing.

Our flight to Bogota is on Friday 1st March, we leave London around 7ish land in Bogota at the branch around 5 their time (which is 5 hours behind).

Ok that's it for now, see how this goes!

Ferganash xxx