Welcome to Lesotho

So here is my first blog post after 25 days in Lesotho.  Within the last month the thought ‘I should update my blog’ has kept crossing my mind, but when to write and what to write have been elusive.  I am finding that the best time to do some computer things is just before bed, and then put things on the internet the next time I go to work.  So here I sit in my room on Saturday night with the lamp burning (literally) and the Lesotho wind howling at my window.  As for what I should write on my blog, at first there were so many new things happening at once, and so many things I was finding out, that summarizing it in any way seemed like an overwhelming task.  Even though the rate of new experiences has slowed down so many different and interesting things happen every day that it is hard to know what to share.  So for this post I think I will try to just keep to the basics of life here in the Maphutseng Valley.

First I will start with my name.  On my first day here I was told that my name was too difficult, and I would need a Sesotho name.  My host mom, Me Malinkle, quickly provided that.  Within the first 10 minutes in the house she told me that my name is now Mpho, which means gift in Sesotho.  So I am now Mpho Mantutle.  I am living in a household of 6, including me.  Me Malintle is the principle of the primary school, a generous and loving lady who is quick to smile and laugh.  There are 2 girls in middle school, Rorisang and Noxolo, a 4 year old girl, Zanele, and a 3 year old boy, Realeboha.  None of the children are biologically Me Malintle’s (including me) but we are all part of the family.

Our house has square corners, and is quite large.  I have my own room and there are 3 other bedrooms, but everyone else sleeps in one room.  There is no electricity or running water, but there is a gas stove and flush toilets that we fill up with water.  Our water comes from a tap, not too far away, which is supplied by a gravity fed line from a spring in the nearby mountains.  The village I live in is called Bathesda and it is quite small.  However, just across the donga (a deeply eroded stream) is another village.  In fact all around the valley there are many villages, so there are always people around.

My work is divided between the youth programs and the Growing Nations farm.  There are many different groups with the high school and primary school children that I help run, such as a drama group and a bible study group.  Growing Nations has many demonstration fields and many projects on the go.  My jobs have been quite varied in the 3 weeks here, and I expect that will continue.  During this last week I have been helping set up irrigation lines for vegetables, digging holes for maize, planting a hand watered vegetable garden and piping in water taps for a campsite that will be used for people coming for training.

In the sake of not making this post too long I will stop here.  I hope this helps give an overview of my life in Lesotho right now.  My adventures and stories continue to grow, so I will try to do a better job of sharing them with you all from now on!

On top of a plateau with 2 of my sisters after looking at Dinosaur Footprints!

(Left to right Rorisang, Noxolo, Mpho)