Today the temperature is 33 C but there is a breeze, so if you are outside it feels better than being inside, where the air is not moving! The humidity is 32% and there seems to be no sign of rain though everyone could use some.
We had a meeting yesterday afternoon with the teachers where they gave us their “wish list”. Simple things like
smaller desks for the kindergarten classes (hopefully we have some lumber left over to build these at the end) and if we could cement the school floors (they are nothing but red dust and with the breeze it becomes a very sneezy place!)
We now have 195 in the school. But we have found out that there are a number of children who are coming to the school but cannot afford to pay the monthly school fees of 550/= each month. (That’s about $7.25/month). So I sat 
with a mother who had come to the school with 2 of her 3 children (having left the littlest one in the home). She washes clothes for a living but that day had only made 100/= ($1.35) and that was for the food for the four of them for the day. She was 3 months behind in her rent (1500/= /month) ($20.00/mth). As she sat with tears running down her face she asked if the kids could be taken into Bethel Learning Centre. She was told to bring the three children (for then she would be free to work).
I am just wondering if there would be anyone who would be interested in helping to pay for the school fees of these three children and others like them from the slums that are right around us? We currently have 35 children in this category.
I have to admit that my heart ached and as I hugged the mother I had tears as well. How can a mother bear such a burden when her children do not have food for that day? For $7.25/month, the student will receive a porridge for mid-morning “breakfast” and then lunch as well as education. If you want to help with this project, please contact me at treasurer@bethelraysofhope.com for further information.
Because it is so hot and Seth over exerted himself the day before, he was not out with the “working gang” but is inside helping our Chef Janet as she prepares another delicious meal for tonight. It has been a real pleasure to have Janet on the team and she has just loved being with the kids, staff and part of the team working here. Janet, thanks for “training” Seth so that he can carry on when you are gone!??!
But with the joking aside, it has been a long and hot day to finish the moving of the large rocks. Underneath the rock pile were two black snakes that the workers quickly killed. They said that they were the baby snakes and if they had been older would have jumped to attack! So now all the rocks & gravel are made level! The murium (3/4″ & down) was shoveled, wheeled and packed and watered and then packed again to get the firm base. The plumber installed the pipes for us for the toilets and grey water.
Tomorrow – Thursday, the ESP panels will arrive in the morning. We are going to have to level out a ditch so the semi can drive in and turn around to drive back out. We’re praying that we have an experienced driver at the wheel.
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