The cultural differences between the
Basotho people and black South Africans are few. This month of watching the
Basothos looks very similar to what I, Piet, remember as a child. Most people
here spend a lot of time and effort simply surviving. They farm for food, fetch
water from distant taps using wheelbarrows and water jugs; some kids go to
school while others stay home to shepherd livestock (below). Most of the elderly people
sit outside and watch the sun rise and set each day, this has become a daily
lifestyle to most people in the villages. Season by season, most people in the villages struggle
to keep their mud house standing and have to reapply layers of mud after every
rainy season.
We have experienced the multiple
sides of ministry here with LXP Lesotho and feel this is where God has called
us. It is a huge move for us and one that will require a lot of adjusting, but
we are excited to take the plunge.
Walking through the village to visit families |
The things that we do, however,
include house visits, a weekly youth program each Saturday afternoon,
discipleship of the young leaders, homework help, as well as helping Godfrey
and Elizabeth with their building project.
A granny dressing me in a Sotho blanket like a local! |
I am smiling as I see jars of peaches here in our
kitchen. I received three jars from old ladies in the community this week. It
is their gift to us for visiting them. I love the fact that their doors are
always open and they truly appreciate a personal visit. That single jar of
peaches is something they may not be able to afford to give away, but they do
it with gladness.
There is one particular old lady that we have visited
quite a few times in our month here. She has been suffering from a swollen and
sore ankle for nearly a year and we trusted the Lord for her healing. Yesterday
as we visited her, she was no longer wearing a wrap around her ankle and was
telling us how she can walk up and down with no pain! She then called for
another old man to come and sit with us. She explained that he has been
complaining that his legs have been hurting his as well. She told him that she
wanted us to pray for him so that he, too, could experience God’s healing as
she had.
There is another elderly couple in the village who are in
the process of building an extra room on their house. It was on its way to
completion when the rain destroyed part of this room. As the builders in this
area generally attend to many projects at once, it was taking quite a long time
for this room to be completed. We took out a day this week to assist the
builder (pictured right). We collected big stones from the mountain and helped mix the mud to
hold it all together. The mud mixture is red sand, donkey dung, and water.
Surprisingly, these houses hold together quite well, though the Basotho people
continuously add layers of mud throughout the year. They generally do not add
cement as it is costly and not easily afforded by many.
And so, it is time to say “bye for now” to a people we
are just getting used to. We are now entering a time of transition from one
country to another. Thank you for your support and your prayers for us!
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Truly Loving Africa,
The Bakers
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