I Still Haven't Got A Tan

Greetings and salutations from Hawane! We woke up in Ngwempisi early this morning, had a light breakfast because we hadn't brought much food with us before setting off to the pre-school to finish the painting we'd started. We started decorating around 8:30am and finished around 11:30. Personally, I found this to be the most rewarding and enjoyable project we've done yet! There were already young pre-schoolers awaiting our arrival, excited to see us and began by singing to us...the same song at least forty-two times. But hey, it put us in a lively mood.

Thankfully, because we started early the sun was not blazing down on us like yesterday making the working conditions far more bearable. We painted the inside walls with lots of flowers and butterflies whilst the outside wall had children painted on it with words that read out, "As for me and my class, we will serve the Lord." This project allowed us to be creative, which I loved. By the time we'd all finished I was convinced we, ourselves, were covered in more paint than the actuals walls!

Liz Houston had kept the children entertained the entire time, reading them stories and singing songs and teaching them months of the year and numeracy. They were far more compliant than any children we have a home. Towards the end, and still with one blank wall, we decided it would be fun to let the kids and us Team members decorate using hand prints. Messy business but the outcome was great! Then we dished out the Haribos to the kids and got a couple of photos next to our final masterpiece.

After lots of hugs and high-fives we finally said goodbye to all of the children (I'm genuinely surprised we didn't try to bring at least five of them home in the suitcase) we headed for some coffee and a snack at a nearby golf club called the Bushbaby Lodge, in which we got to lounge outside, enjoying the warmth.

We then travelled to see a market and where the Swazi Candles were being made. I even attempted to make one of the elephant candles but only got laughed at by one of the candle makers who swooped in to fix my mistakes. I then made him laugh even harder when he asked what I would name the elephant and I blurted out the first thing that came to mind which happened to be Swahili for 'how are you?'

We ate our lunch in a restaurant by the market and were thoroughly enjoying our time. Unfortunately, Lindsey wasn't feeling very well and a couple of others said they felt a little queasy. On the drive home Liz McAuley was sick, so we're beginning to worry that there is something going around. Prayers are desperately needed for those who are unwell and in the hopes that no one else gets sick!

Anyways, we are finally back in Hawane, which I embraced as if it were the Ritz. Who knew one could appreciate a private bathroom and shower so much? We're just getting settled in for the night, we have to be up by 6am tomorrow. Just brilliant.

Signing off here and I'll update tomorrow. God bless!

"The Lord forgives our sins, heals us when we are sick," Psalms 103:3