Tuesday June 4: Today Esther and I were waiting for Sister Geovanna to pick us up to take us to the Kindergarten/child center, but she was busy, so we walked over there (about a half an hour walk) and we did a home visit along the way. The family lived in a small, one room shack for the 4 of them. The two little children, probably about 2 and 3 years old came outside and were eating apple and smiling at me.

When I arrived at the child center, I played with the children outside in their big playground area. And then I “read” the children the other African book I had brought from home, meaning we just looked at the pictures and I would say some English words and they would repeat them.

They ate pap for lunch, made of corn meal, (which looks like mashed potatoes) and gravy overtop with some potatoes in it. I ate some as well when it was offered to me. They eat pap with just their hands here, and they use utensils when they eat rice.

Anezka picked me up to get bread, but there was very little for us to pick through, and most of it had holes in the bags from animals that had gotten inside. We then stopped for ice cream at a BP gas station where we normally fill up the little truck we use (I was surprised to find BP and Shell gas stations here!). When we got back, I went to the lunch room, and helped there as well.

Then I was in the Crafts Skills class for a long time, as I really like being there, and because one of the ladies had brought African place mats that she had made for me to look at and purchase. I was also talking with some of the ladies for a long time.

At the end of the day, I wrote down more about the community and the difficulties here, as well as notes from prior home visits. I must keep track of these things for my Learning Objectives for my school.

Monday June 3: Right before I left to come here, Sister Jeannine in Toronto sent with me reusable grocery bags. Today Sister Margaret had me deliver them to the grade 6 class, because they had come up with the idea to start a recycling project and be the ones in charge of it. They were all really happy to receive them.

Esther and Sister Margaret and Theresa were dealing with the police today, so I was on my own, writing up my own case notes that I have done this past month, as well as other notes that I have taken.

I went for bread with Anezka, but there was none today.

Here is the bread factory and what the bread looks like in a pile on the steps: