Today we finished building the playground in record time. In the dry heat of the morning, the last of the playground was resurrected. The fun includes: a slide, rope climb, fireman pole, monkey bars, a bridge, a roofed plat form, two tire climbs, and two swings. The primary school playground was complete. Until today, the playground consisted of a tire, a warped seesaw, and some unidentifiable play ground equipment. It means a lot to all of this group to be able to see the smiles spread across the children's faces. It doesn't feel like hard work when you get to see a reward like that. This whole group has such a great group dynamic; every one is really hard working and collaborates well as a team. Because of the dynamic, we all encourage each other and are able to get so much done.
Tonight, we all hiked up the mountain to see dinosaur footprints from over 200 million years ago, forever etched into the rock. From the top of the mountain, we got to see the afternoon fade into night. The sunset was beautiful. The mountains provided a glorious view, as the sun projected its rays of golds, red, blues, purples, pinks, oranges, and yellows over the silhouetted terrain. I cannot get over how beautiful it is. I wish you could see the mountains, the night sky bursting with stars, the sunsets over the mountains, the moon rising and cresting over their tall peaks, and the souls if the people. The Basotho do not have a word for stranger. After you meet them, you are forever their friend. On our way home, a woman stopped to talk to us and by the end she hugged us goodnight, wishing us sweet dreams and a deep sleep.
For the parents/friends/family that was worried about their children or friends going to Africa because of the stigma, I want to tell you that we are all thriving here. We were discussing at dinner that we will be homesick for Lesotho. While it will be great to see our friends and family at home, we will miss the beautiful views, the fulfilling work, the atmosphere, and the people. Thank you for taking the time to read about our time here. I cannot get over how much we have grown as people. I will surely miss this wonderful, and friendly environment. This trip has truly taught me: kaofela rea tsoana.
Chapter 18: Infinite Hues of Light
Kayla Hensley