First week at the Orphanage

My routine in the orphange is orderly and quiet. I start the day picking up eggs and have befriended the small, slightly fierce keeper of the poultry- Puleng. She is softening as I show up every day to help her and genuinely like starting the day as a farmer. I am learning Excel and will do a new monthly ledger for the production to track the costs/profits etc . This will hopefully help the Sisters apply for and get more funding and birds.

I then help with the preschool until noon, singing, practicing colors and numbers, playing repetitive games designed to teach English. Things often get out of hand as they realize we are not able to speak Sesotho or discipline them and we call in the Sisters for reinforcement. I am finding it difficult not to be able to communicate, but generally can make up games that are universal. One of the favorites is singing.....brought a tambourine and have fashioned spoons and sticks into a band. Tweenkla Tweenkla Leetle Star will never be the same. Animal noises are popular too !

I then have a couple quiet hours and have started writing the final chapters of my personal Herriot book. Good to be back at it.
After school, the older ones like to play cards with me or a game outside. The girls favorite game is trying to build a pile of bricks while avoiding being hit by a ball made up of plastic bags. They play barefoot, there is no cost, and it never gets old ! The boys play soccer ( there is only one ball). I may help with the computer lab, but its the domain of the other volunteer here Phillip- young guy from Ottawa.

At night there is study hall from 7-9 and I am busy tutoring for those 2 hours. I have had to remember some math and physics ( wish it were better) but my Biology, Chemistry and English help is top notch ( thanks to Tory my niece) I am enjoying this too..

Last night I saw the most wonderful concert after dinner. Friday night they always do traditional song and dance. The kids make more music with pails, hands, feet and voices than most boom boxes. There was a dance for the girls with white grass type skirts with bottle caps sewn into and under them and they threw them up with their behinds, as well they did a shoulder dance that was amazing. The boys did more of a Stomp production that was also excellent. I look forward to every Friday night and perhaps videoing it. The ladies who live there, sing and create startling vocal calls and noises throughout. Another very different experience.
I have been consigned to paint a mural around the top of the dining hall, based on the drawings of animals I have made for the kids to color. I Will make stencils and get the supplies next week. This will probably be my most lasting legacy here.