Lumela

Welcome to our last post of this trip. It’s hard to believe that time has passed this quickly. Our last four days have been wonderful. On Monday and Tuesday we worked at the PHCL mission site: a large series of villages. We constructed yet another playground—our best yet—and did more painting and planting. Our setting this time was much different than others. We went directly into the village— walking the dirt road for about a half a mile prior to getting to our site. Everyone in the group had the opportunity to help plant fruit trees for the neediest families. We broke into groups and walked the village with volunteers who directed us to houses and families in need of help. This experience was new to most of us. Going directly into the homes of the Basotho and meeting them face‐to‐face where they live was an eye opening experience for us. The families were so grateful and confirmed for us that even though what we accomplish each day seems little to us, the impact it has is great. The group agreed that this experience was best held for the end of the trip: Our understanding of the people and the culture and the marginal increase in our facility with Sesotho made this experience very rewarding for all of us.

On the flip side of that coin, however, was the very real, abject poverty that we faced. It was so hard for us to eat our lunches with many watchful and hungry eyes staring at us. Children asked us for our water, a grown man asked for our lunch. We’ve had many discussions about our feelings of guilt and about why we are here. We are not there for handouts: we are here to build sustainable projects. Many of us have come to truly understand the old adage: if you give a man a fish he eats for a day; if you teach a man to fish he eats for a lifetime. Nonetheless, it’s very difficult when it’s staring you in the eye.

Yesterday, Wednesday, we went into Maseru and did some souvenir shopping. We ate lunch at Nando’s, a Portugese chicken place (with great hot sauce that some of you will be receiving as gifts). Yesterday afternoon, we worked at the Leratong Community Center here in Roma. We finished up our work today—digging a pit latrine (it has to be 8 feet deep!), leveling an area for a patio expansion, and more decorative painting. The children were everywhere. Several of us had children braid our hair and are now convinced how beautiful Bo Derek was to pull off corn rows!!!! We taught the children Duck, Duck, Goose, which was a rousing success, and they continued to teach us their games.

This afternoon, we have to begin the process of loading the trailers for our long trip to Kruger National Park. We leave bright and early tomorrow morning. Current conversations are about which safari trip to take, and how best to get a shot at seeing the big five. We are excited about the trip and are beginning to talk more about going home.

This is the last chance we will have to blog, as there is no computer and internet access in Kruger. Thanks for reading and coming along with us. It has been a pleasure to keep you up to date and we hope you enjoyed it. We will see you soon!!!

Tori and Sarah