Wonderful, wacky Wednesday!

Another sunny day, along with Pastor Thwala's warm smile, greeted us at the Shongweni Lutheran Church. Everyone finished painting primer on the interior walls. Two other team members left to help finish hanging gutters at a local school. Soon, it was time for lunch and we were greeted by Gavin, of African Exposure, and his one year old son, Bryce.

At the end of lunch, a concrete mixing truck had arrived. The concrete was dumped on a tarp and piled on the ground. We had to shovel the concrete into wheel barrows and lift the concrete on to platforms. Next, we shoveled the concrete from the platforms to another platform high over our heads. Needless to say, our hair, neck, back and face was full of dakka (concrete)! It was like a step-ladder process. Drew, our team leader, and I were on the highest platform shoveling the concrete into a trough that filled 9ft concrete pillar forms that were made from the previous last two days. It was kind of a four person job. Two people on the bottom of the platforms, Pastor Keith and Rob, were throwing the concrete up, and Drew and I filled the pillars. At the end of the job, Rob, Pastor Keith, Drew and I had a little bit, actually a lot, of a "throwing of the dakka contest!" Drew and I won! We had the gravity!

On the way back to the hotel, we visited the orphans on top of the hill and passed out stickers. I was able to see Sbongile. Sbongile helped us last year build a home with the Concordia University-Irvine students. She said to tell everyone "Sawubona and that she misses everyone." Sbongile walked me down to Gogo Cekwane's house. Gogo is a 94 year old great-grandmother taking care of her great-grandchildren as the parents have died of AIDS. Our team from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada helped build her home in 2007. Sbongile helped translate from English to Zulu my conversation with Gogo. Gogo said that she had been napping a lot and she had a swollen leg. She has been using her cane a lot. She looked quite alert and always had a warm smile. I told her that everyone asks about her and prays for her.

After reluctantly saying "sala gashle" (good-bye) to the children, we headed back to the hotel to shower and change. The evening ended with dinner at various restaurants at our leisure. A very wonderful Wednesday indeed.
Jen