Getting Settled
Saturday: God gave a smooth trip from South Africa for which
I am so very thankful! My bags were a little heavier than the limit for the
second airline I flew with, but the lady at the baggage desk was very helpful
and when I told my aunt how much I had to pay in Rand (South African currency)
she said that it was very reasonable. I was also a little concerned about the
solar generator I was bringing along. In the U.S., they ran a check on it and
then let it through, but I wasn’t sure how it would do getting through security
in South Africa. I was prepared for my bag to be flagged and I opened it for
the tsa officer. She asked me what it was, I told her a solar charger. I wasn’t
prepared for her response! She replied with a, “Oh, nice!” and sent me right
along like she’d seen one of those every day of work. When I told my aunt about
it she replied, “Africa understands Africa.” J
When I landed in Ndola the administrator of the school (Mr.
Cameon also known as BC) and Helen, the nurse I’m staying with, were there
along with Paul, one of the grade 9 students. They helped me load up my bags,
and we were off! We made a couple stops which allowed me to get to an ATM and
pick up some things that I had not packed due to weight restrictions. We also
stopped at the futbol stadium right outside of Ndola to meet a man selling a
specific kind of chicken that BC wanted and was also picking up for another of
the orphanage houses. Then we stopped at a little nursery and picked up some
fruit trees. All in all, a profitable day! We got back to the house and I was
able to get mostly unpacked.
Sunday: Church was a blessing! I am thankful for the
Pastor’s use of English throughout his sermon! After church, I talked with BC
more about what I would be teaching for the first week of school so I could get
some things ready. For now, I’ll be teaching handwriting, geography, and
vocabulary. As I was getting finished up with working on the Geography lesson,
Helen made it home from the business meeting and informed me that one of the
teachers at the school’s sister had passed away. The sister had been sick for
some time now, but it was still somewhat unexpected. She had told some of the
ladies she would drive them into town to the funeral home (a home of one of the
deceased’s relatives) and was getting ready to leave. BC came over and told the
two ladies (teachers) that were at the house and myself that because of all the
uncertainty of when the funeral would be and those who were so close to the
family being teachers, that we would postpone the start of school until the 16th
of January. This doesn’t put us behind because it is when the government school
starts their term. Please pray for the families who are now taking on the
responsibility of the children whose mother passed away. They are each going to
an aunt or uncles home.
I am thankful for a longer time to adjust before school sets
in! Had a fun time playing games with some of the girls yesterday and since
school has been pushed back we’re planning to have quite a few kiddos over to
the house this afternoon!
Thank you for your prayers.
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