Each day is a gift...

Wednesday September 15th, 2010


Wednesday turned out to be a different sort of day for all four of us. Teresa stayed at “home” to work with Olga on evaluating some of the proposed or past business ventures in Malungeni. In addition, she worked with one student who had left school early and had come to the Guest House to find her. James served cookies and tea to both of them.

Teta was impressed with how beautifully the children sang their national anthem. She taught them to play London Bridge as an antidote to the difficulty of the fractions the teacher was working on with them.

Dot finally got to teach the science lesson she had bought props for last week. The children seemed to enjoy tasting the sugar, salt, and fruit drink they had dissolved in water, and hopefully they understood the process of solution.

At Dorothy’s school, there was no classroom instruction after the long lunch break, which began at 10:40. After lunch, chairs were moved into a double classroom and all the students gathered for their weekly religious service, which was led completely by students. There were several prayers, brief “sermons” by students and one teacher, and a great deal of spirited singing. When the worship ended at 1:00 p.m., school was over the day.

The most exciting part of the day began when the team took Olga, Kwena and Sam, the Guest House caretaker, to Umtata for dinner and to do some other errands. Teta, Dot, Kwena and Sam enjoyed a visit to the Nelson Mandela Museum. James, Teresa and Olga visited a bakery where Olga was able to establish excellent contacts for guidance in getting the Malungeni bakery going. They also shopped for some items to give to the children at the farewell celebration and were delighted when the shop owner who gave them numerous items free.

Dinner at an Umtata restaurant was very good, and the three staff people seemed especially happy to be there as our guests. The evening was the high point of the day for all of us.

Thought of the Day – Teresa Hartman

‘None but ourselves can free our mind’
-Bob Marley