Recovering from “Jet Legs”

After an uneventful flight to South Africa, and the good news that all our luggage made the same flight with us, we checked into a nearby hotel to rest up a bit. One of our good friends in South Africa mused that we needed to rest to get over our “jet legs.” We visited with friends in Johannesburg and then got our still unrecovered legs driving up to St. Brendan’s and our Bakhita girls.

Our Sacred Heart Sisters are welcoming, and our Bakhita girls are always happy to see us.

Warm scarves for winter. Gifts from USA.

Maphala promoted to grade 9!

Each year we bring gift bags to the aunties at the boarding hostel who take care of the girls all year. They have a difficult job looking after 150 teenage girls. Imagine the drama. They always appreciate the small gifts – especially the bonus envelope of cash!

An event that’s been happening here for the past few years is the invasion of white egrets. They come to this place in the middle of the bush to nest and raise their babies. In April, they all pack up and leave. It started with a couple hundred in two trees, and it’s grown this year to about a million . . . or maybe a gazillion . . . or maybe a bazillion.

Every branch is claimed.

They roost on every branch of a bush or tree, every fence, the roof, or any open window. They’re beautiful but . . . along with the noise and smell came the invasion of flies exacerbated by 90-degree temps.

Birds, birds, birds.

Sometimes a man can’t drink his glass of whiskey at the end of a long, hot day without sharing it with a fly. What’s that fly doing in there? The backstroke??? But it brings us great joy.