Today we got up early and spent the entire day at the plot. It was very chilly this morning but at least the wind wasn’t blowing as hard as yesterday. The sun was shining bright and as usual, those darn birds were singing. But with the windows to our room tightly shut to keep out the cold (40 degrees) it muffled the sound so we were able to sleep a bit longer.
At the plot we set to planning and organizing our day. The preschool children arrived and we watched and clapped as they danced & sang songs while they waited for their porridge. Then we began our tasks. While some were giving the prayer room a second coat of paint, others were teaching the staff in shifts. And yet others of our team were teaching the children about disabilities. After I finished the management class, I helped with teaching the younger children to count money to buy food. We went through several denominations of rand. Then I showed them a dollar bill and I thought it was so cute how they repeated that the picture was of “George Washington”. When the children got restless we went outside to sing songs in a large circle. We did the Hokey Pokey; Jesus Loves Me; Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes, and several others. They learned very quickly, then they taught us a few songs & games that we didn’t know. It was great fun!
In the afternoon we made some minor repairs around the children’s bedrooms and some helped water the garden with fish water from the tilapia tanks. It was very stinky water but it sure helps the vegetables grow. The kale, spinach, beets and cabbage are growing rapidly, which will help feed the children. Others taught the staff in afternoon sessions.
The 2 girls from Russia & Ukraine drew illustrations for future lessons including leaves of South African trees, fruits & vegetables. One of the girls drew a picture of the Black Panther, the comic book character, so that the children would have a reminder that some superheroes have dark skin too.
Then we were treated to a visit at a special coffee shop, named Cup A Joy. We had coffee or tea and shared some special treats like carrot cake, chocolate cake made with beet juice and cheesecake. We were visited by others from West View Methodist Church. Isabel came along and brought her husband. It truly was a joyous surprise for us all.
We were a bit full when we arrived at the B&B for dinner, but we still cleaned our plates as Nic’s cooking is so good. After reflection and prayer we were all ready to pack our bags in preparation for our trip to the safari property after our work tomorrow.
