VISITING DAY

TODAY WAS THE ONE DAY THAT EVERY YEAR WE LOOK FORWARD TO AND THAT IS A VISIT TO ONE OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE AREA OF SHONGWENI. THIS YEAR WE RETURNED TO CHARLES PRIMARY SCHOOL AND WERE GREETED BY THE PRINIPAL WITH ALL THE STUDENTS OUTSIDE IN THE COURTYARD WELCOMING US WITH SONG. AFTER AN INTRODUCTION BY THE PRINCIPAL AND EACH ONE OF US STANDING UP, TELLING OUR NAME AND THEN BEING GIVEN A HELLO IN ZULU WE HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT EACH CLASSROOM. DISCIPLINE IS NEVER A PROBLEM AT ANY OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE VISITED. WE DID TALK TO SEVERAL STUDENTS AT CHARLES SCHOOL THAT LIVER IN OUR HOMES INCLUDING A BOY NAMED SABU THAT WE HAVE BECOME ATTACHED TO. PART OF THE TEAM REMAINED AT THE SCHOOL TO PAINT SOME DECORATIVE PAINTING IN 2 OF THE CLASSROOMS WHILE THE REST OF US RETURNED TO THE CRECHE.
WORK CONTINUED ON THE STORAGE BUILDING AND THE WALLS SHOULD BE COMPLETED TOMORROW WITH FANI FINISHING THE ROOF NEXT WEEK.
THE SOCCER BOYS STARTED SHOWING UP AT THE CENTER AROUND 4:00 AND THEY KEPT COMING IN UNTIL THERE WERE OVER 60 AT AND AROUND THE FIELD. PASTOR THWALA CALLED EVERYONE TO THE CENTER AT 5:00 WHERE WE HAD THE NEW UNIFORMS AND TALKED TO THE BOYS ABOUT WHY WE WERE THERE. HE INTRODUCED SEVERAL OF THE COACHES AND THEN IT WAS PASSING OUT THE UNIFORMS SO THAT WE COULD TAKE PICTURES ON THE FIELD. THE COACH DIVIDED THE BOYS INTO 3 GROUPS-13 AND UNDER, 13-15 AND 15-17 AND PLENTY OF PICTURES WERE TAKEN. THEN ALL THE BOYS GATHERED FOR ONE PICTURE OF THE GROUP. THE BOYS REURNED TO THE CENTER AND TURNED THE SHIRTS BACK IN. THE BOYS WILL RECEIVE THEIR UNIFORMS BEFORE EACH GAME AND THE SHOES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED NEXT WEEK.
WE HAD SONGS FROM THE BOYS AND MANY THANKS ALONG WITH A GROUP OF GIRLS SHOWING US THEIR DANCING SKILLS. AFTER A DINNER PREPARED BY THE WOMEN OF THE COMMUNITY IT WAS BACK TO PINETOWN. THESE ARE ALWAYS DAYS TO REMEMBER AND MEMORIES SECOND TO NONE.