When It All Becomes Real

Yesterday afternoon I was at the old office, down in the steamy gully, crowded together, all tired from Camp. I had been to the Internet Café three times and all over town, no luck- the Internet was down throughout Leribe District. I had spent 4 hours in the morning at the new Centre getting keys organized, hundreds of them, logging them, labelling them, hanging them on pipe cleaners and coming up with a sign out system. Peg said that was on top of tens of hours on their part developing the flow and lock patterns for staff.

Something I had never thought about.

A really beautiful young girl came to the Office and signalled that she wanted to talk and I would be o.k. I had seen her at the Camp, always bright and well dressed, really the type we hope will rise and become a leader – good English, respectful, smart. She is in the calendar this year, first page , at the left. A very noticeable person in the melee. Peg says the clothes she wore are the same good clothes she has worn the last two years.

Keithumetse, beloved sponsored girl of a friend of Pegs. Eighteen years old.
Her story was not unique, but it was one of my most touching and saddest moments in Lesotho so far when she confided in me. What a difficult job the people here have, trying to follow rules with no exception, listening to these life stories every day.

This lovely teenager said she had failed Form D, Grade 11. She said she knew she was bright and had never failed. She did not go and get her results before the Leadership Camp because she knew it was most likely bad news, and she didn’t want to ruin the Camp. Her words all came out with tears streaming down her face. I can’t really get it across in writing.

Her Mother died a few years ago and she never knew her father. She lives with an aged and infirm Grandmother and a 13 year old boy, the son of her Mother’s sister. He doesn’t respect her or her Grandmother. They have no food, and the two kids usually only eat once a day, at school. She worries constantly about her Grandmother, alone at home and hungry. They usually only have pap in the house, never any fruit or protein. She had gained weight at the Camp. Occasionally, another aunt sends them money for food from Maseru, or visits and brings food about every 4 months or so.