The Pig in a Box ... not!

Yet another crazy journey! I am so looking forward to a smooth ride in a comfortable car on August 29th. At the most maybe we can expect some M3 traffic, but after our journeys here, I'll take it with no complaints! We set off for Magozi this week bumping along the pot-holed roads in the Land Cruiser with Mama Lucy, Amisadai and Tim in the front and Louisa and I balancing on the bench sets in the back, loaded with our clean bedding, litres of drinking water, carefully holding a tray of eggs and with a piglet in box. It had been a squealing hullabaloo of an effort to get the pig in the box, but we were all in and other than worrying about the awful smell (and the balancing eggs), we were glad to be off. Until the pig started trying to escape ... and it wasn't just the pig squealing then. I fought successfully for a while, but then it made the jump and it was loose in the back as we bumped and jostled along the dirt road. "Just put her back in the box!" Tim says to me from the drivers seat. Right. I'm not one for holding things like pigs and chickens that wriggle and squeal or squawk and flap, but I did catch her and managed to get her back in the box and tied it all down much more securely with lots of rope. Hero! For a while. Soon, the pig continued with her escape attempts and was managing to bend the box flaps out of the ropes despite my efforts to hold it all together and hold her in the box. She won. I couldn't believe how she did it, but she fought free and was now trying to open the back door. And I wouldn't put that pass her either.

Now I am very flustered and longing for this journey to be over and seriously thinking we should turn back now and leave the pig behind. Louisa is an emotional wreck, not entirely sure why, but she was definitely not wanting to share the back with this squealing, escaping pig. This time Tim climbed over and helped me (no chance of opening any doors, she'd have been out in a flash!). We got her back in the box and covered the top of the box with a bed and a big black bag (and locked the back door). Sorted ...we thought! Back on the road, and the pig started escaping again. She found a small crack between the bag and the bed and wriggled up. I've really had enough now. Lucy came back this time to help me lean on the beds and bags on the box on the pig. This pig should be in the Olympics, she was jumping with great strength against the box and bags! Amisadai prayed that the pig would go to sleep, and finally her prayer was answered. Peace at last! When we arrived in Magozi almost two hours later, the first priority was to find Ezekiel who had bought the pig from us, and with great relief pass the pig in the box to him!

Other than the pig episode, we had a good time this week in Magozi.  It was good to be back with Mama Lucy this time. She hasn't been since she came with the Canada team in March and it was her last opportunity to come with us. With Yuda and Ezekiel, we visited the Anglican pastor and his wife in Kimande, where we are looking forward to starting the next stoves project when we come back in January. We clamoured through the bush to a clay source Mama had found and collected a bucketful for testing.

Collecting the clay in the bush.
Yuda and Ezekiel are wearing Amisadai and Louisa's hats!

Making stoves with Mama Lucy

The stoves group is back to normal routine after the harvesting season which is a great encouragement to us, as it could have been difficult to regain momentum! The group met for Bible study and prayer before getting busy on the stoves, and they now have up to 65 to fire and sell. They are also keenly thinking about new initiatives with their profits ... as well as a rice venture investing profit, they are talking now of a pig breeding/selling venture (as long as we don't transport any more pigs, it's a great idea). And also encouraging was to hear that Mama Juliana has been enjoying her tomatoes and there is talk from some of the group to get planting trees! We met one night with the young leaders and Tim led the Bible Study on Saul and David; another evening was fun with Ezekiel and Mendrad playing "Golf" (card game). The journey home was uneventful, just the four of us and Lucy and three relatives of Lucy who happened to be on their way home and were stranded with car troubles ... and two bed frames, two large and bulky mattresses, a folding bed, bags of clay, empty bottles, bags of belongings ...

Louisa is offered a huge, slimy (stinging) bug to eat!!