Yesterday was our first full day in Kabokweni. We arrived at the Entokozweni Primary School just before sunset the day before. About 60 students who live near the school were waiting to greet us in song and dance. What a welcome! Then we met the host mothers before heading to Nomsa Bhiya's place. Nomsa has a huge property with a pool and her house is where we will spend our late afternoons and evenings. The Nduna, the chief's right hand person, came to Nomsa's house to welcome us and join us for dinner.
We worked at the Entokozweni Primary School yesterday morning. It was great to watch as Athenian students connected and played with the students here. There was so much joy and discovery. As one Athenian student ran by with 20 students she said, “'I have never felt so connected to the world in my life.” I teared up several times that morning, it was so beautiful.
In the afternoon we walked a few blocks to the Moses Sihlangu orphanage. We had lunch there. Then, when the Moses Sihlangu children returned after school, we worked with them to plant over 600 vegetables in their garden. Buying the seedlings was one of the things our fundraising will pay for here. The group worked so hard and a project that they thought would take two and a half hours was completed in 40 minutes, leaving time to play soccer and hang out in the shade.
Then it was back to Nomsa's house for a dip in the pool and a dinner with barbecued chicken, pap, corn on the cob, potatoes, cooked vegetables, and a beet salad. For dessert we had fruit with custard and finished off Anna’s birthday cake.
What a day! We return to Entokozweni Primary School tomorrow morning and are taking the children from the orphanage to a music school in the afternoon.
