Heather's latest letter:

Dear all, Happy new year...I forgot to wish you that in my last e-mail. I have decided that I will not bother with spell check any more, as I have lost countless e-mails during the long spell check process, so go ahead and have a laugh at my expence if you like...I just don't care any more.

Aside from internet woes I am very pleased to be in Lesotho. The container has not yet arrived, but we expect it some time this week.

Our timming for arriving in Africa was not very well planed as the children are still not back from their summer break until the 19th. In the interm Eswen and I have been getting up early and going to work in the gardens, which are large fields. On arriving at 6am to a great welcome and undulations we are still an hour late. The second morning that I arrived at 6am and they said "you'r late" I threw my hands up in the air and made a playfull jesture to leave. We all had a good laugh. The 3rd mornning Eswen and I really tried to get there on time, but made it by 5:30 am. It has helped us to feel that our time is at least put to good use while we wait for the children to come back to the project. By 11am we have put in a 5 hour day and look like we have been slogging it out in the dirt. I will go to the fields again tomorrow, hopefuly by 5am. The gardens are starting to look very good, but we have not had rain for the past 5, or 6 days, so some rain would be welcome. There is a large group of volunteers in the gardens each day. I love listening to the soft, guteral sounds of their language and laughter. It dosen't matter that I can't understand, it is comfortable. The conversations (and gossip I am sure) are interspursed with words that I do understand, like HIV, AIDS, CD4 count. It is amazing how often in the 5 or 6 hours of garden work that I hear those words. The prevelency of HIV is so high here that it is a part of every day talk.

We have met some very sweet little ones who are HIV positive. A real problem arrises when the project closses down for the holidays and every one goes back to their home villages to stay with family, or care givers. The medications get all messed up and this can cause resistance to the ARVs. Resistance meens death. The 3 year old that Mamello is carring for went home to her granny and when we picked her up she had not been given her medication properly, despite constant education on how to administer properly. She is such a sweet little girl, but her prospects seem bleak at this point.

I miss the rain. I love when it rolls in over the mountains, usually accompanied by a strong wind, thunder and lightening. If you get cought in it you might as well just serender, because you will get wet despite the rain gear. Our rondoval is holding up very well to the rain and wind despite the 2 broken and taped windows. We have purchased the things we need to help make a simple and functional nest and quite enjoy our little home away from home. When we leave we will give some of our things to the woman who is providing us with the rondoval free of charge and the rest will go to the project.

When I am standing in our red earthed yard looking out over the fields and mountains I feel so poetic, but by the time I grind my way though the internet nightmare that is our reality, I'm less poetic. We can see the project from our yard just a 10 minute walk through the fields below us. We are surrounded by mountains on all sides. They vary in shades of green, red and brown. One can see the exact shape of the mountains for lack of trees to obscure the terrain. They are rugged and breath taking! They go on and on into the vast distance. In the evening we have a sun set out the front door, which turns the red earth a wild colour that I can't even describe.

I need to send this now so I don't loose it. I know that I have missed lots that I could say, but have to get this out while the getting is good.

Love to you all

Me Lorato Makhata,

Heather

Ps. Eswen's Sosotho name is Ausi Limpho pronounced Dim Po