Leratong Community Center

The following blog post was written on the evening of the 15th July. Due to technological restrictions it was posted at a later date.

Today we split into groups to do different projects. I went with a group down the street to the newly constructed Leratong Community Center. This building was created to provide the large number of orphans, many of which have been orphaned due to the AIDS pandemic, a safe place to go. The Community Center is run by volunteers who organize a range of activities to help the young people become healthy adults. They learn more about positive self esteem, health issues, life skills that might provide them an income (like crafts), play games, and practice cultural activities.

During the morning I worked with some girls and boys learning to crochet. At first they were skeptical that I would know about such things, but once they saw me work they because to ask for help and it was very fun to teach them. During the second part of the morning I worked with Mike and Doug trying to teach a group of energetic youngsters how to play capture the flag. It was interesting working with the interpreter to explain the rules…at one point we forgot an important rule and it became obvious when the started playing. Once we got it sorted out they had an awesome time! It was so fun watching them strategize and work together to protect their flag. It was also nice to teach them a game they could possibly play in the future to entertain themselves.

When we returned to the Community Center after lunch a group of older students and women had arrived to demonstrate some traditional dancing to the younger students. I was having a great time watching the dancing and was even swaying with a toddler when an older woman came up to me and told me I should go dance with the group. At first I was nervous, but then I thought-well, when is the next time I will be invited to participate in a traditional Lesotho dance? So, I went out and tried to do the dance—but I am not sure that my booty moved quite right. When the song we over I thought I was too…but the woman came back up to me and tied a skirt around my waist and said “now you are Basotho!” Then she pushed me back out to dance some more.

I’ve never danced with people cheering for me like that before and I have to admit, even though I know that I was not good, it did not stop me from having an incredible time. The rest of the afternoon the little kids giggled at me and moved their butts imitating my dancing and all I could do was laugh!