day two & three (WITL)

Yesterday we finished clearing the ground for Mandla's house. We made huge progress clearing the grass and lowered the ground by about two feet. It was incredibly tiring work but the ground was finally ready to start building on! I woke up this morning feeling all the work I had done in my back. When I got in "shovel position" my back started screaming at me! In the afternoon we had the Jr. Youth program. Tons of kids age 6-13 (no toddlers! yay!) showed up. We taught them the story of Noah's Ark and had them make masks of their favorite animals. We then sang a fun song with them about the story. Afterwards we played games with them, I made a few new friends. It was so nice because a lot of the kids speak at least a little English and can communicate far easier than the kids at Bonginkosi. It was a tiring day but great!

Today we all went to Mandla's house to begin building the structure. It is sort of a tedious process in the beginning but really interesting to be building a house using the locals' techniques. While Michael made the measurements I visited Mandla. I had taken a picture of what progress we made yesterday and showed it to him so he could see what it looked like outside his window! It's just unimaginable to know there is a new house being built for you right outside, yet he can't get up and see the progress or help out in the building. He loved it and kept asking questions about the house. He would like the house to have a veranda :) Today I was thinking about how Mandla is exercising so much humility by allowing us to build him a house. Sure, he obviously really needs one, but I'm not sure I would have the easiest time allowing strangers to give me the gift of a house for nothing in return. My pride and stubbornness would discourage me from receiving that type of gift. I am so thankful he will let us give him a tiny part of our time and care.

While the building began, there were too many people in one place so I decided to go play with some of the kids. It started out with 5 and quickly grew to about 20-25 when school got out early. Their 2 week vacation has begun! So we had many little helpers and forms of entertainment around the building site. When it came time to pack up one of my new friends actually helped me carry a long plank of wood back to WITL. They are wonderful.

After we scarfed down lunch we prepared for the gogo's to come for their portraits to be taken. We have been doing a photo ministry where we take family portraits and print them out for them to hang in their houses. A lot of people here have very few or no family photos. On Tuesday we told the gogo's to dress nicely and bring their family this afternoon for their pictures to be taken. Many showed up in their nicest clothes with a few family members. It was so great to be able to give them the chance to have a cherished picture of their loved ones. I hope they enjoyed having their pictures taken as much as I enjoyed helping take them.

Today was incredibly long and exhausting but every time I walk down the stairs to my chalet after days like this, it's the good kind of exhaustion.