Sesi

Some of Sesi’s duties start at 4:00 am with prayers, feeding, and taking care of her bedridden Mama. Making sure each of the 18 children in her hostel has “duties” for the day written out. Each child rises at 5:00 am in Dayspring.
Water is ‘fetched’ by older children so baths can be taken before breakfast.

Breakfast “bell” is sounded by a child. Around 6:00 am breakfast is served in the ‘Foursquare’. By this time Sesi has checked to make sure children are dressed and are present. If not present, problems are resolved.
Again, back at ‘Foursquare’ to see children have each gotten their “pop” (corn product, powdered, cooked) put in. Aunty Mercy and Aunty Victorio, the cooks, besides dishing up delicious meals teach manners. Each child has their name on a plate, bowl, or cup.
Beauty is a helper there who fills up sinks with soap/sterilizer and water. She makes sure there are no disagreements, accidents, etc. “Quiet” is the word.
During each meal she and teachers together monitor the students and eat with them.
After breakfast there is a ‘staff’ meeting in the large room in the main house. It is Uncle Nik’s Africanis speech classroom. It starts with songs of praise to the Lord. Then a scripture lesson, then prayer concerns. Then a report from principal Uncle Sibanda and Kim. Then each hurry to their classes or other jobs.

Younger ones take shoes off and line them up outside. Then they wash hands in bucket of water. Then they are ready to line up a certain way and the door is unlocked, and each child goes to their assigned desk or chair.
These classrooms are light filled and cheery. Evidence of the children’s projects is on the walls.
My church had collected pencil cases, pens, colored markers, a few handheld calculators, shoelaces, stickers, some socks, and a solar phone charger.
A bus driver and his fellow drivers collected pens and pencils left on their busses and donated them as well. His wife had collected lotions, shampoos, and soaps from hotels. Each child’s name was put on their pencil cases.

Between 9:30 and 10:00 am was ‘tea-time’. Each child received a slice of peanut butter bread and some hot tea.

Between 11:00 and 12:00 was noon meal. A different meal was served on each day of the week, Monday through Saturday. Saturday morning eggs with ham with a slice of bread was served. Some children left Friday afternoon for home and others left Saturday morning. I should say at this time that Kentucky Fried Chicken in Africa is a large contributor of food. Called “African Food for Thought” – non-profit. They also help vulnerable, orphaned children be placed in ‘homes’, educate them, etc.
Also, local businesses donate to Dayspring – frozen chickens, eggs, vegetables (squash, beets, beans, potatoes, onions, carrots, and cabbage). One time there was a donation of bottles of chocolate drink. Canned fish called Heck is served once a week.

Between 1:30 and 2:00 pm Sesi has one child assigned to get buckets of apples from the kitchen. For older children it could be a small bag of chips, etc.

At the end of each day around 2:30 pm for the young children they put away their “work folios” and reorganize their desks. While that was going on two children got out two brooms and dust pans and swept their classroom. Then they closed in prayer.

After I had been there about five days, Pastor Hart’s team came to spend two weeks working on projects.

This year Pastor Dan brought his twin 13-year-old granddaughters, Brooklyn and Kasey, Rose Fredericks, Northland, Iowa, Dan and Tami Kumrow, Hubbard, Iowa, Pastor Dan’s sister-in-law, Tami Gramstad, New Ulm, Minnesota. This time they would repaint the picnic tables they had made three years before and make five more picnic tables, make four storage shelf units and try and get rid of “killer bees” in the top most water tank to the side of ‘Foursquare’.
Rose had decided she was going to repaint all the doors on the main house, etc. She also wanted to ‘spiff up’ the tires holding the succulent plants, the concrete base of the previous water tank.
The iron bases for the picnic tables were designed and welded on site. No small task. Then the lumber was cut and attached and then they were assembled. Also, the iron to replace rotted boards under the water tanks was cut and painted.

The plan that was decided on to eliminate the bees was to flood the tank and the huge hive inside it. Five days later the bees had mostly moved somewhere else.

The ‘crew’ at this time went to see the Kimberly Diamond Mine. I was able to go along on the five-hour drive. The hole was huge! Looked to be about a half-mile across.

Brand signed and authenticated land of his to be operated as a diamond mine in 1851. After more ownerships in 1881, 900,000 carats were harvested under DeBeers name. Comprises 106 acres as of 1881 figures – all was hand dug, 22,500,000 tons of it at that time.

During this time Sesi and other teachers helping children memorize 1 John 3: 7 & 8.

Missionaries, former pastor and his wife, Barb and Dave Nordquist, had arrived in January and were setting up a lesson plan to help teachers communicate with angry children. The ‘course’ was four weeks long. 1 John 3: 7 & 8 was the theme scripture. This was an accredited course that the teachers needed.
Every Tuesday night Sesi and I and about six others went to a prayer meeting at the church. A meal was served before with hot and cold tea or coffee. This was an inspirational service with lots of songs plus prayer.
Sunday they had three services: 8:00 am, 10:30 am, and 5:00 pm. James Labuschagne is Pastor Leader. Alet is his wife. It is in Muldersdrift, Gauteng, South Africa.