When we first got to Botswana we were pulling weeds out while fighting off vicious and ever present ants. I learned a lot about life during those two days. It turns out weeds can really teach you a thing or two about perseverance. Afterwards we were all very conscious of weeds wherever we went (Mom, I’ll help you weed when I get home).
We were then presented with an opportunity to work at a nearby preschool with orphaned and vulnerable children, we were so excited. The first day the kids stared at us like we were the bogey monster. They didn’t seem so thrilled that we were there but we kept on making funny faces and voices and trying to get any smiles that we could. Eventually they warmed up to us and one kid who was crying every time we looked at him was now waving to us when we said hi.
We sang many songs to them, played with them, and prayed songs over their little lives. I really grew to love them and their different personalities. We had a little too smart for his own good Katlo who has bright eyes and a beautiful smile, we had Lame (Lahmee) who was shy at first but who “mommed” the other kids in the most gentle and loving way, Oditse (Oh-y-eetsy) so small but always running around and falling, keeping up with the bigger kids as he stuck his tongue out in laughter and concentration, so many stories, and hardships but always smiles. I learned some of their stories from the head teacher, Tirra, and wondered everyday how their night went before coming to class- if they were well fed or bathed. I noticed one child’s outfit was the same for three days. Sometimes the water would be out so they would just go home early or one day they didn’t have enough food for breakfast and lunch so they gave them a later breakfast and sent them home afterwards. The people working don’t get paid much but showed them love. They put up with almost two and half hours of a commute taking them home everyday, and clean them up when they have accidents.
The last day was very sad. I was almost crying as I left, but as we were walking away they came running after us until we walked home a little bit. Their smiles brightened up my mood. Before we left we were told how some of the kids had reacted so positively to us coming even eating more and being more outgoing and playing with the rest of the kids more often. We showed them love and they felt it.
