Update Thursday14th June

Busy couple of days. Yesterday we went to the agricultural college at Tsumas to visit Dr, Singogo. We were made very welcome and he was able to give us many ideas by showing us the techniques that they have developed there for arid zone horticulture. It is amazing what can be achieved with minimal drip irrigation.

Today was another busy day. We were at the Ark at 9 and then having collected a trailer we headed for Windhoek where we went to get advice and to buy the pumping equipment for the borehole and low pressure irrigation systems. We were very blessed to have the attention of one of the experts there who went through most of the requirements with us and having decided on the type of submersible pump we need we sorted out all the pipes and fittings for connecting up the pump, the two 5000 litre storage tanks and the low pressure pumping system for the irrigation system. This took quite a time to sort out but we did get to have quite a pleasant lunch in between. We called back at a warehouse in order to buy stocks for the Care and Compassion programme and so arrived back at the Ark quite late around 6. It was a very successful trip, we had lots of good fun with George and Anne Marie and achieved the main goal. Now the pressure will be on to get the pump installed and the system connected to the irrigation system. It will be quite a tricky operation to get the submersible pump with pipe and cable down a 100 metre borehole but knowing George we will work it out.

Today Marcellus, his wife “Handful” (something like Anchifol in Afrikaans) and their small son Michael were discharged from hospital and taken back to block E wher they live with their extended family. It must be so hard to have to leave the relatively good facilities of the hospital, poor though they may be by our standards, and return to a makeshift hut with no water, electricity or toilet facilities. In spite of this and in spite of the fact that all three have HIV / AIDS we are still so impressed that little “Handful” is always smiling and happy in spite of the circumstances.

We got back to the lake late and rather tired and just missed the end of the England World Cup match but all of that seems to be a world away …….

Flash and Madge