Visit to the Farm

March 23, 2000

Dan and I picked up Sicelo Dlamini (this is a name like Smith in the US) in town. Our purpose was to acquaint him with some possible work projects for the youth at All Saints to become involved in at the farm and to have him learn about what procedures to take to connect out there, since we won't be here much longer.

We had lunch at Malendela's, - nice spot, and then drove up the "ravine-like, rutted road" to the Usuthu Farm, - I walked down to the Usuthu Mission School to deliver a couple of photos there, and saw beautiful Cynthia, and another new friend, whose name escapes me, -- the woman in the red dress is how I describe her. Anyway, we met with John Weatherson, the farm mgr,and his Portuguese contractor, and secured some written estimates of work to be done on the farm. We took Sicelo for a tour, and of course, took lots more photos, as the small children followed us everywhere. Sicelo informed us that he had been a "server" (acolyte) in the mission church on various occasions and we saw some women there, having their "Mothers' Union" meeting, and a particular woman grabbed Sicelo's hands and said something, which I found out from him later, was a relative of his mother. We met with beautiful Cynthia and the red dress teacher, found out that the four houses are occupied by three teachers, and a postmaster, --these are situated on the farm, and are, hopefully, part of our renewal projects. Cynthia calls me "mama", and asked me not to make any promises that we can't keep-I told her I would not, and that she needed to be patient. We would have to go back to the US, and see about getting some money to help her living situation improve, if we were able. It was very clear to me that she and others surely have been disappointed in the past, and I did not want to do this again. I had taken raisins for the little children and one of the women helped to hand them out. We had some pangs of emotion again, as this place is a microcosm of the needs of the people in this beautiful country. We can only do so much, and there is so much need, - the other thing is that I feel a great connection with beautiful Cynthia, and will miss her. She is one of those strong women, among many whom we have met, who teaches, has a child, and still is able to smile with very little resources by which to live. At the same time, I look at the beautiful tree (is filled with red flowers and has been called the flame tree by some) above the four homes, and see the large bamboo tree as well, and know that these folks have neither the time nor the inclination to know what these trees are called.

We are winding down our stay here, and will let you know how our visit with Dane Bragg and Connie Fegley goes-they arrive on Saturday. More again soon, and Dan will send photos from the farm visit.

Love to all there -
maggie

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