On Monday we spent the morning preparing a delicious healthy soup at the Anchor Church center in Stanford. We joined the hard-working Jeanette and her assistant in preparing this hot lunch for approximately 100 children in the local area. We chopped, diced and scrubbed the veggies and then let them simmer for a couple of hours before handing out hot mugs of soup to hungry children returning from school.
In the afternoon we visited a couple of schools. The first is a pre-school for younger children run by Pastor John Dickson who hosts 48 fee paying children from the impoverished local neighborhood. Again, as we've seen in Knysna, the boys and girls received a meal and a good, basic education. Team Ubuntu used the flashcards and donated books to make the kids laugh and then we sang a selection of songs such as Twinkle, Twinkle and Old MacDonald Had a Farm!
The second school named Ookie Smuts houses about 45 children who come from abusive family situations. Some of the children, aged 6 to 14 years old, are orphaned or abandoned. Many spoke English so we were able to talk with them, play games and share some information on America and the state of TN. The principal and his wife are doing a terrific job running this facility and acting as parents and mentors to their young charges.
We returned to the duminy grateful for the warm meal awaiting us and a warm fire. We are appreciative of electricity and running water. And good sanitation and proper clothing. --Liz Gregor
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