I received this invitation:
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NTSHONGWENI PRIMARY SCHOOL
To Whom It May Concern
Re-Mass Birthday Party
In honor of orphans and our vulnerable learner, who have never celebrated their birthdays. A mass birthday party is organized by the above mentioned institution.
Date: 08 November 2012
Venue: Ntshongweni Primary
Time: 11h00
I arrived promptly and was seated at the head table at 10:59am. The program was nearly over.
I was given this plate of snacks. Thank you.
This man has a big, brass bell behind his back.
We are in the middle of THE RAINY SEASON. Lord have mercy! I can take a day or two of rain but this day after day after day, weeks on end - for well over a month is getting to me.
A tent was erected to shelter the children but alas there are soooooo many children at this school. Special day, the children did not have to wear their uniforms to school.
 |
 |
On the head table were 24 big, fluffy Happy Birthday Cakes each labeled which grade. One man on the committee told me that last year they had one cake per grade and this year they oppted for one cake per classroom.
Now this teacher is calling out names for the orphans to come get a gift.
I knew to bring a gift but didn't know it had arrive before the event and wrapped. The Lutheran Church donated 9 Zulu Bibles: 2 Adult, 4 youth, 3 small child.
In the beginning the children came up individually for their gifts.
Next time I'm in charge of centerpieces - I'm going with soda bottle vases.
Principal Mr. B.F. Kubheka; carrying a stick. I love corporate punishment. What would American schools be like today if teachers/principals were allowed to follow President Theodore Roosevelt advice?
Towards the end it was getting kinda crazy with a mass of kids all wanting gifts.
Then the rain started and the kids all scattered.
Mr. Kubheka, the principal took the donation of Zulu Bibles.
The teachers each took their cake to their rooms.
I was ushered into this decorated classroom for lunch.
The typical food, cole slaw, squash, spinach, green salad, fruit punch and as the main: the lady said MUTT-on. I said mutton? Yes, sheep. baaaaaaaaaaaaa
I took actually took some...
The classroom chalkboard was decorated with Happy Birthday
The cake for the adults. Since it was obviously it wasn't going to be cut anytime soon, I began to cruise around the campus looking for a piece of cake.
This classroom had their cake cut but no one was eating any. The teacher and class busted out in the Happy Birthday song, but mostly the teacher.
Every room had decorated chalkboards.
Looking for a classroom eating cake and not finding any, I finally realized that everyone was at lunch.
So I go hunting for hungry children.
Pass the empty tent & amphitheater.
I found them. Each with their own dish that they must provide for themselves. The South Africa government provides lunch.
In the craziest method of food distribution one could ever imagine, miles of wee ones were in a wild, spaghetti mass of queue waiting, waiting, waiting for their lunch.
Oh yeah, don't forget the rain. drip, drip, drop.
wild waiting!
Some, like my friend here, had a styrofoam cup for their lunch.
Yummy!
Stumbled into one classroom and it was filled with unsupervised children eating.
They love getting their picture taken.
Elbowed my way to where the women were scooping up their food.
I kept on sticking my head into random classrooms - remember there are 23 of them - looking for cake.
SUCCESS - HAPPY BIRTHDAY orphans.
I asked the principal how many children attended the school ~ 1,133. Wow that's a lot. 1,133 divided by 23 classrooms = 49.2 students per room.
I asked how many were orphans and he didn't know off the top of his head but the invitation mentioned "that the majority of our learners are orphans."
Instead of a birthday card they got a birthday certificate.
HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
No comments:
Post a Comment