The Village Kids

Day one we tried to herd the cats and get all the kids to do the same thing at the same time. Not going to happen. Then we tried unsuccessfully to have “stations”. That’s what we did in Montessori school, but I’m sure my teachers spent hours planning out the lessons and I did not. At the end of our first day the village multicenter, we were all covered in paint from top to bottom. More paint was on us than on the Christmas cards the kids were decorating. But the cards were beautiful…almost all of the cards were to Mme or uMama, both words for Mother in Tswana and Zulu. The kids would bring the cards to me as they finished seeking an assuring nod or pat on the back. I could see the pride shining through their eyes and big smiles.

When the kids were in the groove, I decided to sit down and paint with them and I painted a big green Christmas tree and began to decorate it with glitter and sequins. I looked up a few minutes later and all of the kids had drawn their own version of the same Christmas tree. The yearning and talent for duplication these kids have is unsurpassed. Mind you none of these children had Christmas trees in their homes. Or Christmas decorations. Or presents with bows. Or Santa. They had food on the table and the lucky ones got a new outfit as that is the priority. This is only partly due to economic conditions and partly due to the Ndebele culture and tradition. You should not be sad for them because they are not sad for themselves. They are quite happy little children…happier than many American children I’ve met that have all the material things you could ask for.


I love all the children we met in the village, but a few carved out a big space in my heart. There was Ntokozo who is a little boy about age three. Everyday he would run into the center, stop abruptly and give me this look and smile that made me want to scoop him up and give him a cuddle. His reply to everything I said to him was “yes” in a quiet, cute little voice. I soon realized he had no idea what I was saying and began to teach him a few words and signs. By the end of the week he knew Shelly (instead of lekgoa), please, thank you, juice and the sign for food. He is mischievous, but a very good boy at heart. One day he spilt a bucket of water and by the time I found a rag and came back to clean up he had used that water to wash the floors on his hands and knees and I had to physically pick him up to get him to stop.

Ntokozo...How cute is he?

There was Noko, Bungi, Gnani and Smgelie who are also about age 3 and travel in a pack. They are the cutest little girls with bright eyes and smiles. They came to the center everyday and loved arts and crafts and legos. Joe put playdough in front of them and they had no idea what to do with it. They stared at it for some time until we realized and helped to spur their creativity. They loved to attach themselves to my leg, hold my hand and touch my hair as it is quite different than they’ve ever seen before. Gnani's name is pronounced with a click between the G and N and it was fun to learn how to include clicks in words.

Smgelie and Shelly

There were a group of girls including Kagiso, Neo, Mmakgashi and several others whose names are above my skill with the local dialect. These girls begged to be taught…”We want to write the English”...”We want to do the maths”. Mind you it is Christmas break from school and these kids are begging to learn. It was touching to see their enthusiasm and natural abilities.

Noko, Shelly, Bungi, and Gnani

Buidling a Village from Recycled Boxes

There were a pack of boys…Thepiso, Thabiso, Thabung, Thaimo, Mpo, Tabo, Mseyo, Little Thabung, Sagat, and so many others ranging from about 6 to 13. They picked up baseball in a matter of minutes and many were hitting it out of the park by the 3rd at bat. Thabung, Thaimo and Mpo were big helpers translating and taking charge with the kids.

The Boys

Mpo, Julius, ?, Thepiso, Thabiso, Tabo, Thabung

Joe, Sagat, Little Thabung, Thepiso, Perry

The boy we worked with most frequently was Fence (pronounced /fen say/). He was the one boy in class who acts out and is naughty naughty. There is always one. Same same. We found that if we worked with him one on one he was attentive, focused and responsive. But in a group of kids he would hit, steal, and generally cause trouble. We wonder what hurt happened in his life to make him so angry and defensive. We tried to help him by showing him love and including him in our work in special ways, but there is only so much you can do in a weeks time.

Fence

KB, short for Kabelo, was our right and left hand. He is 18 and recently went to initiation school where he became a man and was give the new name Thulare. He managed the bar in the village center and was always around to help us with the kids, clean up, translate, really anything that was needed. We helped KB prepare a CV (resume) to find a job. We hope to help him research opportunities to fund a university education.

David was quite the character. He is about 23 and in his 2nd year of university. He is quite smart and speaks impeccable English. It takes him two hours and two buses to get to his university. He is tenacious and committed in his studies and helping to care for his family. (Ntokozo is his nephew). He is also a rockin dancer and loves his house music.

KB and Joe

David

 

Meeting these kids opened my eyes to the inequities they face. They are very intelligent and capable of doing great things, but they don’t have the same opportunities that other kids have. They don’t go to English speaking schools, but much of their country deals in English. They aren’t growing up with access to computers and the internet. They don’t assume they will go to university funded by parents or student loans. Many don’t even know how to apply to university or get government assistance, which many would surely qualify for.  Joe and I both feel a strong calling to help them...to connect them to opportunities so that they may realize their fullest potential.