I did some one to one work with a few children, they really do need the stimulus of one to one, they are so behind in so many educational ways.it is quite frustrating doing shape sorters when they cannot recognise any of the shapes to put in the holes, despite repetition, but I hope that I am making some progress. They have no resilience when it comes to trying....if they can't do it first time they give up. I guess they have had such tough lives some of them, that all their resilience has been used up trying to survive.
My legs are completely covered in bites from sitting outside last night.....they are very unsightly but luckily (touch wood) they do not itch yet......I must have 50 bites randomly distributed between both legs.
I put out an appeal the other week for play food to come out as we had none, and steve arrived with a suitcase full. I got it out today and we played kitchens and cooking. The children loved it. They tried to eat most of it and couldn't quite understand that it was not edible but they were enjoying playing with it with their plates and saucepans etc on their kitchen. Thank you to everyone to helped make this possible by their donations.
It poured with rain at the beginning of lunch time so we decided to go into town and give Nell the Basotho hat shop experience which we did. I had to buy something too of course, you cannot go in there and come out empty handed and I like to go and see what is new, there is always something new they have thought of. We parked our car in the very muddy and potholed dark park opposite and when we came out we found someone cleaning it which is all very well but then you have to pay them....and then drive through mud to get out!
The afternoon was dry enough for play time and the children asked me to take the to the library but instead I took 3 of them individually to the office where steve was working. We looked at pictures of lions on his computer and the children typed their names. It was a very exciting adventure for the 3 I took who were completely overwhelmed by the excitement!
Playtime finished early as more rain was coming and by the time we got back to our houses the rain had started. This time it was a full on storm with thunder and lightning simultaneously. The children loved looking out of their window at it. Once again the ground is flooded, in fact I couldn't get home tonight as the back entrance was a marsh and the front entrance had a river running past it and the water was up to the step. My flip flops, which will not come home with me alternate between being lovely and clean from the rain and thick mud from the grass.
One of the children was reunited with her mother today which should be a good thing. We hope and pray that it is. Her mother was jailed for abandoning her children last year and has done her time so came to up her child From us. I am not sure prison is the place for a person who abandons her children. And I wonder if in the 9 months she had been inside if anything had changed. All we can do is hope and pray that the child is safe and is looked after properly.
I have fallen in love with a little 16 month old boy who is in my house. He has the cutest little face and likes nothing more than snuggling up with both arms round my neck for a cuddle. Those of you who know me well, know that I am not particular a baby/toddler person, I did my time amdilived it 20 plus years ago but now I have moved on. This little chap has won my heart and I would willingly take him home tomorrow.he is adorable.
We had booked to go to the Kick4life restaurant tonight as a special treat but steve was feeling slightly under the weather so he elected to stay behind and have a sleep while the 3 of us went out. By now the sky had cleared and it was a beautiful evening with a glorious sunset. We sat outside under an awning and watched the sunset and Venus rise. The food at this restaurant is always good,until recently there was a British chef and they employ young people who benefit from the charity which is supporting vulnerable young people with health care and education. It didn't disappoint tonight. Nell and I had tomato tart followed by fillet steak, mushroom sauce and chips with green beans and Fred had Lesotho mountain trout with a risotto all of which was lovely. Including drinks it came to less than £15 a head.. it would have been double that in England especially sitting outside as we were under the stars.
We are eating in tomorrow as it is Valentine's Day which is quite big out here so all the restaurants will be full. We managed to eat very carefully and economically the first 2 weeks so we could afford some little treats this week. We are all getting quite tired and having to come home after a hot sticky and often smelly day to start cooking is a bit of a chore so we allow ourselves a little treat now and then. Nell and I have actually enjoyed cooking and we have not had any disasters for which we are very thankful. Also food does not keep out here. We are basically freezing everything immediately as it is so hot, things just go off. Bread for example if left out the fridge lasts a day if you are lucky. Flies are a real problem too,And, although I have known it worse, there is one buzzing around my head as I am writing now.
I cannot believe we are in our last week. I think we have done all that we were asked to do.nell is painting the big logo on the new.y painted wall of the office. Yielding. It is a. If job and is not easy but she is doing brilliantly. Sadly some of it washed off in the rainstorm tonight but hopefully tomorrow will be a dry day for her..
Thank you for continue using to ready by blogs, it is good to get feedback to know that at least someone is reading it.
Take care and pleas continue to pray for the children and staff here.
Much love
Jenny x
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