Today was day 2 of work and we began building a house for a family here in Ramabanta. We started the day with breakfast and language lessons before heading out to the site. We met the family we would be building a house for and saw the little home where they were currently living. It was a room about half the size of my bedroom at home, it was completely made out of tin, and six people lived there. I couldn鈥檛 really wrap my head around it. No part of the building was easy, even with the help of the people from Habitat for Humanity who were working with us as well. At one point, a few of us went with the woman we were building the new house for because we needed more water to mix the cement. We had to walk down the side of a mountain and then back up while carrying jugs halfway full of water鈥� it was one of the hardest things we鈥檝e done. All of us struggled to not trip and drag the water back to the building site. The woman gracefully carried an entire bucket full of water on top of her head, without showing any signs that it was difficult. It was pretty amazing to watch. A few of us put the jugs on our heads as well and attempted to carry it up the mountain like her. Rosenberg and a few of the workers laughed at us because we were so much less graceful.
While we were working, one of the women who was in charge at Habitat for Humanity gave all of us Lesotho names. She went around the group, told everyone their name in Sesotho (the language they speak here), and what it translated to in English. The name she gave me was 鈥淪eithat,鈥� which means 鈥渢he one who loves.鈥�
When we got done with building today, I went with a few others to go play with the children from the village we are staying at. They literally waited open armed at the gate for us and hugged all of us as soon as we got close enough. They remembered us from the day before and were beyond excited to see us. Some of them love to dance. There is a little boy who loves to do the shimmy and a bunch of children who are so excited that we taught them the chicken dance鈥� they do it every time we see them. I鈥檓 just at a loss for words at how incredible these children are. One little girl won鈥檛 let go of my hand and today she and her brother shared their corn kernel snacks with me. These kids have next nothing鈥� there are holes in their clothes and some don鈥檛 have proper jackets鈥� yet, they want to share anything they have. They are so sweet, and kind, and genuine that I don鈥檛 think I could ever explain the feeling you get from witnessing this kind of connection.
I am already experiencing some of the most beautiful people and things here in Lesotho. It is the kind of work we are doing and learning everyday. I miss everyone at home, and don鈥檛 worry, I鈥檝e been paying attention to my surroundings and haven鈥檛 had any accidental mishaps.
Lots and lots of love,
Olivia Wilcox