Friday, March 6, 2009

Lomngeletjane Methodist School Update

The good news for the week: The food storage/office/kitchen building at Lomngeletjane is now 100% complete. YEABO! I’ll have to add a picture later, because I can’t believe I left my camera at home this morning. The last 10% took some time to get finished because the builder seems to get to 90 – 95% finished and then looses interest and starts taking on other jobs. The first time around, with the four classrooms he was paid all of his pay before he was completely finished and we had a heck of a time getting him to finish up the last little bit. This time Bethuel and I agreed that we weren’t going to pay John the last payment until the building was finished to both of our satisfaction. It took a couple of trips up there and not paying him until he got the message. He actually did a very nice job.


Another super thing, is when Bethuel and I arrived at Lomngelejtane, John was building using some of the scrap wood that was left over to make some desks for the 1st grade classroom. There are 48 students in that classroom and not a single desk.


So, that is the bad thing. We're still working to get the school registered with the government so they will provide desks, chairs, teachers and books for the school. The parents are trying to pull together enough money to pay a retired teacher and a high school graduate from the Lomngeletjane community to teach the 2nd (38 students) and 3rd (10 students) grades. A couple of other Methodist schools scrounge up enough extra work books and stationary for the children. I want to scream and holler, but I can't and no one would listen anyway. All I can do is ask questions, tell as may people as I can that the school still isn't registered, be real patient, pray for God to intervene and try to be positive.


The 48 first graders. I'm not real sure what they do other than do some of the work out loud. The teacher of this class was also sick for three weeks and unable to get to the school because of the rain and road conditions for a week before that.



The second grade class. They do have some desks, though not enough desks or chairs. Notice the block the boy on the right is using as a chair!




Third grade class with the new text books. Yes, all boys. God bless her!



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