Today is Saturday and it's our first overcast and chilly day in a week. We have been so spoiled with the weather!
Yesterday we did the “assembly”, crafts and games with the two to twelve year old children at the daycare center. The school age children are out of school for a month (time extended because of Swaziland being bankrupt!) so the older children add a new level of work for the daycare providers. There are 6 working computers for playing games so the older children literally stand in line for computer time. Our morning of activities was a huge success and the kids had a ball.
The afternoon was spent at the Jacaranda house with the girls. Twenty five girls were waiting for us when we arrived and so happy for the chance to do crafts. We had them do two different projects. Sister Carol said they almost never get to be creative so they loved having markers and glitter paint to use to “create”. We gave them over 100 pairs of panties collected by friends in the States and they were thrilled. We also gave them a jump rope and they immediately went outside and started jumping. They were so happy with something we take so for granted!!!!
Our friend, Lee-Ann, got a call at 6:30 or so that a gogo was very sick at her homestead and needed to go to the clinic. Transporting people is not Lee-Ann's job but she has a heart of gold and everyone calls her when they need help. She arranged for a translator and asked if I wanted to go with her. We met Zandy and off we went to the homestead. It was a very bad unpaved road to get as close as we could to the homestead (in the dark)......then the gogo's son and three women carried her to the point where we had to stop even with the four wheel truck. I will always have the image in my mind of the tiny little gogo on the ground with 4 people standing over her. She was obviously very ill with a rapid and “thready” pulse. We got her to the clinic where the nurse met us. It was very apparent that she needed to go to Piggs Peak to the hospital. Lee-Ann and I drove home for some clothes, towels, socks and food for the gogo and her son. Oh yes, for some rand (money), too!!!! The ambulance driver was called and she was transported over that unpaved road to the hospital. We haven't heard anything this morning about her but are anxious to get word. We were told by Zandy that the son and gogo had no food in their “home” and had not eaten in days. The gogo had been sleeping on the dirt floor with only a thin blanket.
Today we are going to South Africa (only a few minutes drive to the border) to shop for a few things.....toilet paper, ingredients to make more chocolate chip cookies, etc. and I need the ATM!!!
Only a few more days to be here in this little bit of heaven!!! It is a very hard life here but everyone is so warm and welcoming.
Thinking of you in California and missing my family.
Rosemary
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