Monday August 20, 2007

Breakfast: egg, toast, cereal, tomato, tea. Yum!

Here comes Godfrey to bring us to the village. He's got 2 friends with him, Mtogo (Happiness in English) and Langton. Very nice guys.

Driving up to the secondary school for my first time. I don't know quite what to expect. I wonder how many kids will be there. Rounding the bend to enter the school. Look at all these kids. They're sitting in little groups on the rocks and under the trees. Talked with the kids a bit - so shy.

Food distribution.

There's a tree that has some interesting fruit. It appears to be a type of pomegranate. One of the boys had a ripe one (in the photo, it's the one on the right.) The second picture is of Langton with the fruit opened.

Paul would be so proud - I'm teaching an art class! The kids had never used watercolors, so I had them brainstorm some ideas. They're doing a great job. The teachers wanted them to draw in pencil first, then color, but we thought it would be best to use the watercolors without first drawing. Good idea, as the kids probably wouldn't have known how to paint without us there. I had a ball with this project.

On to the village where we picked up another "friend" along the way - who Jack wanted to take a picture of. Not a good idea, Jack. I don't think his boss would appreciate that!

Played with the kids until food distribution time - bread, beans, cookies.

Did art projects with grades 6 and 7, then grades 5 and 6. Great pictures of some of our sponsored children, Joseph and Lyves. It's so great to see them. Joseph (he's in the picture below holding his artwork) looks so sad and I just want to pick him up and give him a hug. I can imagine how he'd love to be playing in a swimming pool right now. The poor child looks like he hasn't been bathed in months.

Cindy, how's that floor cementing coming along?? Poor thing. Jack was hanging out in the men's workshop teaching advanced woodworking, I'm having a blast with my art project, Mark's wandering around shooting video, and there's Cindy on her hands an knees cementing floors in the classroom!

Cindy and I took a walk to the end of the road and Lyves came with us. He is in such desperate need of shoes. I'm hoping my running shoes will fit him.

"I want to go home with you to America." Bibiano's friend Patience came to the clinic today when Cindy and I were in there. She said she had a headache. We gave her some meds and asked her who was at home with her. She said it was just her grandmother. Her mother was not around (working in Harare or Vic Falls). So sad.

"Hop in, ladies!" Took 5 church ladies to Vic Falls tonight on our way out of the village. The team rode in the back of the truck. Wow it gets nippy after the sun goes down! A little different than it was in February!

Dinner tonight at the lodge: Fish, fries, salad, veggies, pudding.

Good day!