July 24 and July25

We spent our first two days at the "work site".....in Mpaka.......about 1 1/2 hrs. from the Center in Mbabane where we are staying. BIG breakfasts for workers! Met Bishop Mabuza, his wife Lucy @ St. Augustine's school.

Here Bishop Mabuza, Father Dent Mbatha, ArchDeacon Shongwe and Iris, the head-teacher tell us about the program.

We met the 4 teachers and about 100 students......3 classes ....52 preschoolers and the rest grades 1-2 ...we think.

Two classes inside the school......w/a few chairs and 1 chalkboard......a few hadmade posters lined the walls....w/alphabet, etc. The older students were seated on benches under a tree w/a chalkboard....next to the "kitchen"......a tent(about 10x10 ft.) where meals are prepared for the children.

We moved to Fr. Dent Mbatha and his wife Christine's homestead......where we were taught to mix sand, cement and water to form concrete blocks. The first day we had about 5 Swazi men and youth to instruct and help us. The second day.....the main blockmaker, Jack, was there. We had 2 wheelbarrows, 6 shovels (2 without hand grips) 2 watering cans and 2 metal block forms to make the concrete blocks. It takes 3-4 days for the blocks to cure.....w/watering 3-5 times a day.

The first day the children joined us at Fr. Dent's where we were working for dinner.....ar. 2 p.m. They had dried mealy meal, beans and bread and butter sandwiches. We were served mealy meal, rice, fruit and fowl Monday and beef, rice, and pasta w/a mixed fruit for desert. Christine, Fr. Dent's wife and Ntombie are our cooks.

Am Under the time gun!! More Later! Love and Peace!!! Stevie Shively :)