The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few...
7.28.2005
Day 55
This morning I got up at 6am and left at 6:30am to pick up Sibo and Patricia. Thursday mornings are when the Open Market is booming. People from all over Swaziland, and even some from Mozambique and South Africa, come to Manzini Market to sell things. It was so incredibly fun. I have wanted to do this since I've gotten here and now I finally got the chance! Among some of the things I got (there were only a few things I actually bought) were a grass-woven purse that is in a round shape. It's so awesome. I also got a Plant holder that hangs from the ceiling. So Mom, we need to get a nice plant that we can put in it to hang in our new house. Its gunna be sweet. Something else I got was one of those room divider things that you can hang in the doorway of a room. It's sweet. It's big though and we might need to put it somewhere other than just a door frame, but maybe somewhere else artsy. he he he. Oh yeah, I also got a Ndebele bracelet which is the tribe that is mainly in Zimbabwe. I am hoping to find things that I can wear from each tribe around so that when I stand in front of the church I'll be decked out in African attire. That is my hope, we'll see if it actually happens.
So my friend, Sibo, is coming to the states in December and will be there until March. She'll be traveling around Maine, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New York and a few other states in-between. I think it'd be totally awesome if we could set it up for her to come and speak to our church. She is a passionate speaker and truly blesses the people she speaks to! God is really working through her. So Missions Committee of Fremont Wesleyan...need to discuss this possibility at your next meeting ;) Something else that is exciting is that since she'll be in Indiana in December, she'll be able to attend my graduation at IWU!
After getting back from the Market where we could have stayed all day, poking through everything, I had to go work in the library...it was a slow time in there. I'm in there on Tuesdays from 8am-1pm. So after doing what I had to do for the library itself, I started to do my own stuff (A secret project of mine that if it goes through, you'll know about it.)
SO. THEN at 2pm I went with Sibo and Patricia (obviously my faithful traveling companions) to Saint Joseph's to learn to make baskets!!! Oh man, it was so fun! First he started me out using this grass-like material to make some sort of coaster or something. I passed it on to Patricia and Sibo after I did a bit. Patricia seemed to like doing that method the most and was really moving along. Once he saw that she was the only one that could work on it, he advanced Sibo and I to using grass and plastic to make baskets. It's a pretty interesting and unique method. The baskets are very sturdy. I just hope that I can somehow find these materials when I get back to the states so that I can still make authentic Swazi baskets. It was amazing though to see the work that the other people there were doing. This one girl who is blind made this huge basket that she will be using for laundry. It is amazing how she did so well! This other girl was weaving grass together to make a mat or window shade, not sure which. The plastic used to make the basket I am working on, you can use it and grass to make floor mats, baskets, lots of things. I'm excited to continue and experiment with designs like I have with my woven baskets at home. Using this plastic is hard sometimes though because you have to hold it tightly or else it'll slip and so it gives your hands a major workout. By the way, when we were working on the baskets and were getting tired hands, I said, "Man, this really gives your hands a workout." and the two ladies with me laughed like they hadn't heard that expression before. I guess it is a funny concept if you think about it. Our teacher was kind enough to get us some materials to bring back with us so that we can finish our baskets before next Tuesday and be able to work on to the next project. So we're moving right along and loving it!
When we got back from St. Joe's, I ate dinner, and then attempted to help Sibo and Sigwili with their homework assignment that is due tomorrow. I was way too exhausted and becoming incoherent...and it was only 7pm! So I stuck it out until around 8pm and headed back to my place. LONG DAY!
Prayer Requests:
-That we would continue to move forward quickly in my basket weaving class so that I can learn a lot before I leave.
-Everyone is suffering from allergies or a cold; it's wearing on us.
Praise:
-Wonderful day at the market and at St. Joe's!
-South African Airlines is no longer on strike!
So my friend, Sibo, is coming to the states in December and will be there until March. She'll be traveling around Maine, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New York and a few other states in-between. I think it'd be totally awesome if we could set it up for her to come and speak to our church. She is a passionate speaker and truly blesses the people she speaks to! God is really working through her. So Missions Committee of Fremont Wesleyan...need to discuss this possibility at your next meeting ;) Something else that is exciting is that since she'll be in Indiana in December, she'll be able to attend my graduation at IWU!
After getting back from the Market where we could have stayed all day, poking through everything, I had to go work in the library...it was a slow time in there. I'm in there on Tuesdays from 8am-1pm. So after doing what I had to do for the library itself, I started to do my own stuff (A secret project of mine that if it goes through, you'll know about it.)
SO. THEN at 2pm I went with Sibo and Patricia (obviously my faithful traveling companions) to Saint Joseph's to learn to make baskets!!! Oh man, it was so fun! First he started me out using this grass-like material to make some sort of coaster or something. I passed it on to Patricia and Sibo after I did a bit. Patricia seemed to like doing that method the most and was really moving along. Once he saw that she was the only one that could work on it, he advanced Sibo and I to using grass and plastic to make baskets. It's a pretty interesting and unique method. The baskets are very sturdy. I just hope that I can somehow find these materials when I get back to the states so that I can still make authentic Swazi baskets. It was amazing though to see the work that the other people there were doing. This one girl who is blind made this huge basket that she will be using for laundry. It is amazing how she did so well! This other girl was weaving grass together to make a mat or window shade, not sure which. The plastic used to make the basket I am working on, you can use it and grass to make floor mats, baskets, lots of things. I'm excited to continue and experiment with designs like I have with my woven baskets at home. Using this plastic is hard sometimes though because you have to hold it tightly or else it'll slip and so it gives your hands a major workout. By the way, when we were working on the baskets and were getting tired hands, I said, "Man, this really gives your hands a workout." and the two ladies with me laughed like they hadn't heard that expression before. I guess it is a funny concept if you think about it. Our teacher was kind enough to get us some materials to bring back with us so that we can finish our baskets before next Tuesday and be able to work on to the next project. So we're moving right along and loving it!
When we got back from St. Joe's, I ate dinner, and then attempted to help Sibo and Sigwili with their homework assignment that is due tomorrow. I was way too exhausted and becoming incoherent...and it was only 7pm! So I stuck it out until around 8pm and headed back to my place. LONG DAY!
Prayer Requests:
-That we would continue to move forward quickly in my basket weaving class so that I can learn a lot before I leave.
-Everyone is suffering from allergies or a cold; it's wearing on us.
Praise:
-Wonderful day at the market and at St. Joe's!
-South African Airlines is no longer on strike!
Posted by: Anonymous / 19:41 
