Keeping With the Africa Trend...

May 15th...

Today M'e Theresia is home and cleaning up a storm. When I try to help she stops my actions because she wasnts to do this for her daughters (well that's what she keeps telling me). This is her way of giving to us, such a beautiful gift I might add. The basotho have taught me much about giving, a truer form of giving than I've probably ever experienced. Sharing when you have almost nothing so that everyone has something. D. probably thinks I'm being carried away by this spirit, but in my heart I feel that I finally know what it means to give, as in how God wants us to.

Later in the morning we started our work in the clinic garden. It was a lot of weeding and a lot more turning of the hard earth. What I wouldn't have given for my mother's garden tiller. We still have so much work to be done. It will take plenty of our hours on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to finish it all.

I spent most of my afternoon by myself. I really enjoyed the hours away from people. I also really enjoyed my evening spent with friends and villagers.

I can't believe I'm less than half way through this cross cultural. It seems like so much time has passed since leaving my family. I'm actually getting anxious to hear what is happening back home. It will be really nice when I have an internet connection or I'm able to use a phone.

As much as I am surrounded by people I still feel alone here. My host family doesn't really know me and I really haven't found anyone in our group that I relate closely with. So I always feel a loneliness for family and friends.

I also feel very single here in Africa. African girls my age are usually married and maybe they have a baby or two. At the very least they are in a serious relationship. I have none of these things and it is continually rubbed in my face. Even most of the girls in our group have boyfriends they speak of frequently. And I'm constantly made aware of D. and B.'s special friendship. It is definitely all around me, making me wish the same for myself.

The funny thing is that I know I could have almost any basotho man I wanted. HaHaHa!!! They stop me in the village and tell me they love me or like last evening they yell, "I love you," for the whole village to hear. I think it has something to do with my basotho name Lerato which means love. Why can't it be this way for me in America, HeHe!!

May 16th...

Last evening several families came together to sing to a few of our group. It was a very enjoyable evening. As in basotho tradition they asked us to sing after they finished. I really enjoy the music of Lesotho and the happiness each song brings.

This morning we went to another African Independent Church. I was less impressed by this service than last weeks. I had a harder time understanding the service and was less involved. At some point I would like to understand the level of involvement compared to interest gained, nice study idea.

Today M. is sick and says he will not be coming to the mokete (feast). Poor guy he really looks like he needs his rest.

I went for water at the lodge and by chance was able to meet the Queen of Lesotho. We spoke to her of school in American. It turns out that she is a student at Colombia University and studying economics. She is very young, about twenty-eight and pregnant with her second child. She was very nice, but seemed spoiled. She said life was very busy for her in New York, what with her classes and shopping. Even her rings and earrings were huge diamonds. All of this in contrast to the poverty in the village.

Later in the afternoon we enjoyed a wonderful mokete (feast) provided by our host mothers. Then the village came together in song and dance. I have many pictures of the event, but none can capture the true African essence that I experienced.

The evening time was spent with our respective host families, ours played many card games. Notes of thanks were given and the remaining gifts. I spent time teaching the camp version of Amazing Grace to my family.