I thought I might laminate my pictures today, I spent the first 20 minutes after prayers making plans and talking to people and leisurely went over to playgroup at 8.40 to see what was going on. I planned to have a bit of music time, get the instruments out, take some one on ones out and then slink away to the office. Fred was already in playgroup having gratefully eaten his scrambled egg and bacon that Nell had cooked for him before she went to work at 7.30! Anyway I wondered where Nell was and found her on her own in the baby soft play room with 13 under 2s. I thought that maybe that was where my presence was most needed as all the long term volunteers had gone down with a sickness bug, so she and I spent 2 and a half hours with the little ones, encouraging them to reach out for toys, to crawl, to sit, to stand.....whatever stage they were at. It was quite fulfilling and very hard work and when it was clearing up time, I got a chance to put the cupboard into some sort of order and sort the toys out,most of which are new and in really good condition.
It continually surprises me that I spend so much of my time tidying and sorting here, yet most of my cupboards at home and at work are quite chaotic.....
Fortunately Lerato, a young Basotho man who is a regular volunteer came in to help us feed them their mid morning porridge and another BG worker appeared as well, although I had no idea who she was or where she came from.
Having missed any hope of morning break, Nell went to check on khotso 2 (our house) and I finished working on the computer in the office and we all met back home for lunch with Elijah, Bryan and Anita s son, who had come along with his dad to work. Bryan and Anita, having handed over directorship to Lindiwe continue to work as managers, job sharing while the other teaches in the missionary school. It's not easy but it works until they go back home hopefully in the next 12 months.
The 3 of us took 2 little girls into town this afternoon for an ice cream treat and the chance to see life outside the campus of Beautiful Gate. They had been beautifully dressed for the occasion by their house mothers and were very excited. They were quite quiet on the way to the mall and enjoyed looking out the window of the car but on the way back were so excited, they were continually having to be told to 'sit down', ' keep your seat belt on' and 'don't lean out the window'. We bought ice creams and then popped into the supermarket where they chose some chocolate for their house mother. They also chose a bottle of drink each and guzzled it on the way back home. The children here never drink, but then the adults don't much either, and it is so so hot. The temperature has not dropped below 25 yet although tonight I stepped outside to cool down and it was raining and it felt a bit chilly.
It is meant to be very cool tomorrow, only about 19 degrees and we have an adventure planned.
On our return we let the children use our bathrooms which was as big a treat as going into town, we took them home and then went to our houses which was as well because chaos was reining in Nell's and my house as the poor house mother was on her own trying to feed everyone.
We made it back about 5.30 in need of a shower before all the volunteers arrived for a meal at 6 to welcome Emily the new volunteer from England. What a coincidenc, we had no idea she was coming till a few days ago. She lives in Winchester and spent the first 3 years of her life out here, as ray and Sues next door neighbour at the very first house where they started Beautiful Gate. She is here for 6 months and I am sure she will have a great time. Fortunately we only had to prepare salads, everyone contributed something and abou 20 of us sat out under the gazebo until the wind suddenly blew up a dust storm so we bid a hasty retreat inside.
It does not seem possible that wehave been here just a week....it feels like forever, in a good way. We have a routine, have not killed each other yet and each night sit down and play games together. I have to add that the latest game of gin rummy which we started last night and finished tonight was a convincing win for me.....just saying.
Anyway sleep time is here. All I have to do is get up and turn the fan off, it is baking hot but we can't really afford to have the fan on all night, it will eat the electricity. I closed the window as the rain will bring the mosquitos out and the last thing we need is a mozzie buzzing around all night, we are already all well bitten...and, pretty tanned as well.
The working week is done. Looking forward to an adventure tomorrow. Thank you for all your prayers.
Night night
Jenny x
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