Version I: “Gentleness and a sense of humor will help you overcome many things.”
Version II: “Gentleness and a sense of humor – and a crowbar – will help you overcome many things!”
This morning, breakfast included freshly baked bread and many of us ate nothing else but the bread – bread and butter, bread and jam, bread and peanut butter – bread and more bread.
Five of us headed to school where it appeared that all of the teachers also appeared. Margaret and Deborah taught Grade R children how to play marbles. Mona was politely informed by the teacher of grades 1 to 3 that her services were no longer needed. Mona joined Grade R and assisted Deborah and Margaret with entertaining the little ones.
Don and Sara struggled along with their students to master South African math. They were impressed with a story the children read which honestly addressed the issues of AIDS, death, abandonment, loving rescue and giving back – very different from our Dick and Jane stories in America.
Meanwhile back at the guesthouse, Barbara, Rachel and Teresa completed the puzzle – much to Margaret’s disappointment. Rachel, feeling under the weather, remained at the guesthouse most of the day, venturing out later when the children arrived for tutoring.
Barbara spent another day in the car, getting cement for the tile men and also assisted with the post-hole project.
Teresa spent the morning with members of the bakery cooperative as they completed the paperwork to apply for certification. Mr. Spiwe from SEDA (Small Enterprise Development Agency) walked them through the key principles of a cooperative and copied templates for a business plan and financial statements to Olga’s computer.
After our routine water brigade of refilling the indoor water barrels, children of all ages showed up for tutoring and play, keeping us all busy until dinnertime. We enjoyed another meal of our favorite mincemeat meatloaf; then the lights went out! We laughed over candlelight and the lights came back on within the half hour. With the puzzle completed, we entertained ourselves with other activities – cribbage, solitaire, knitting, journal reading – life is tough in Malungeni. We are settling in to our routines and it will not be easy to leave or say goodbye.
Respectfully submitted -- Teresa
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