Ntshongweni Primary School

I love waking up in the morning not knowing what's gonna happen or, who I'm gonna meet, where I'm gonna wind up. Just the other night I was sleeping under a bridge and now here I am on the grandest ship in the world having champagne with you fine people. I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. You don't know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you... to make each day count. 

It's wonderful living like Jack Dawson from the movie Titantic.
Thursday, January 19th we were asked to volunteer at the local primary school - who knew we would spend the day helping out and having a wonderful time.  We were working outside on the stage.

Katelyn Hiett, Ginger Taff, Evelyn Mitschke & Julia Wehrenberg beginning to sort through the many boxes of books.

Silly ole Zeal

 This building is for the upper grades 4th -7th.

This part of the building for the lower grades. K - 3rd.

greeting the children.

Recess.... notice no playground or balls or anything else to play with.  Except the tree to climb.

The school was actually once part of the Catholic school but they donated the building and land to the township.  The old church and several crosses are still here.

Ntshongweni mountain and the row of houses you see are the homes under our care that house the orphans.

The drinking fountain... drinking water out of a tin cup.

Typical classroom.  Wow, a real chalk board.

No clue how many students are in each class...

This was the saddest of all sad.  Our creche has a grade R which is Kindergarten.  Our fee is 100 Rand a month; about $12.50. We noticed our a drop in our attendance.  We opened this make-shift door to this 8 foot wide 'room' with some children we recognize.  The grade R is free here but they there is 46 children, no playground, no teaching supplies.  So very sad.

The Grade R students bring their own dish and get a scoop of beans for lunch.  We serve a better meal, served at tables and wash our dishes. 

The drinking fountain.

View from the building to the stage where we were working.

Katelyn Hiett and I.  Folks say I look happy in my pictures.  I am happy here.  

Some of their school work.

The Catholics kept part of their land and have their own private (and very good) school.  One of the nuns. 

The older grades building.

We sorted and had to number a million books. The books were for the teachers. The students do not get boks to work out of / learn out of. 

Clover is a company which makes dairy products.

All the school age children wear uniforms to school.  You can tell which school a children attends by the uniform. These girls are eating the treats they just bought from the women.

These women set up shop and sell food items to the students.

The security guard who sits in the cute, little building at the entrance to the Catholic and public school.  The schools have a fence around it.

Pastor Thwala (L) joined us just before we left.  Just another day of serving the Lord by helping out at this school.

It is very beautiful here in Ntshongweni Village.

Missionary Essentials

I got some bad advice before I left the states to come to South Africa to be a missionary.  I was told not to bring a backpack because crafty thieves could come up behind me and take all my valuables without my knowing it.  So, I didn't bring a backpack.  That was silly.

How was I to haul around everything I needed in a given day... or could possibly need...

How was I to carry home my groceries... or other purchases...

Remember that I don't have transport ( a car) and all day, everyday, I walk...

An America team came from the USA to volunteer for a week and brought cheap backpacks to distribute to the students at the high school.  I mentioned that I was in desperate need of one and they gave me my trusty grey.  

What follows is what I carry with me.

 #1. Plastic water bottle for that all important WATER! yes, water is heavy but I drink several liters of water a day.  It's summer here and it's hot here.

#2. My camera.  Many interesting things happening all around me and I don't want to miss a memory.

#3. Wallet. Stripped down to one (of the four that I brought) credit/debit cards.  My Florida drivers license and money.  Rand to be correct.

The only Rand I had on me today was 100's what is one of the BIG FIVE: water buffalo and I had a 10 which is also one of the BIG FIVE: Rhino.  The exchange rate is currently at 8.  So divide by 8.  The 100's are the equivalent of $12.50 and the 10 Rand just over a dollar.  It's like monopoly money.

#4. An umbrella.  Used for both rain and the intense sun.  Even men carry umbrella's in the hot sun.

#5. A bag to carry groceries home in.  The grocery stores charge for each bag you use so I quickly learned to always carry one with me.  Checkers is one of the grocery stores here, along with Pick N Pay, Woolworths and Spars.  

#6. Postcards.  I am trying my best to always write thank you notes to the wonderful folks back home.

#7. A change purse.  Each day I ride a combi.  What's a combi?  Good question.  A combi is a 15 passenger van (which many times will have as many as 20 people in it).  They are all white vans and all look alike.  This is the transport for the black people.  We American look mighty funny riding in them and everyone know that we are missionaries working in Shongweni Village.  The drivers take very good care of us because they appreciate what we are doing for that community.  Anyway, you have to pay for each leg of the trip anywhere from 6 Rand to 13 Rand.  It's been averaging about 40Rand a day and it is best paid in exact change.

#8. Pen and paper.  The Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod wants a receipt for everything, well guess what, these drivers don't hand out receipts.  So, we have to keep tract of how much we spend each day and at the end of the month send to St. Louis an affidavit that we actually spent the money on transport.  

There are many, many different Rand coins.  These are just a few and no while I understand the big bills I haven't totally caught on to the coins when paying for something.

#9.  Small essentials. Tissue paper for obviously bathroom needs, gum, tylenol, cell phone, flashlight, and penknife.

#10. Snacks.  The joke is to eat lunch before going to lunch.  Ya just never know if or when food will be available.  My favorite is the Jungle energy bars.  They come in many favors, fill me up and don't melt.

#11.  Hand santizer.  Enough said!

#12. Keys to wherever I am staying.  See the silver key.  Almost every door requires this type of key.  See the blue remote.  All residents, churches, everything is behind a gate.  The remote opens the gate.

I wish I had a scale to see how much I'm carrying around on my back.  I've about wore this backpack out, it is torn in several places but it is my faithful companion full of everything I need to be a missionary.