Exploring the Mountains and People of Lesotho

My experience in Lesotho was both challenging and rewarding.  It has touched my heart.  The mountains, farms, and landscape are absolutely stunning.  Every day, I was in a new sense of awe.  The landscape had the perfect combination of warm and cool colors.  No matter the weather, there was always something breathtaking about this place.  As the sun rose, the air warmed and the mountains lit up.  People began their daily chores and morning routines.  As the day went on, the sun got higher and warmer.  The land glowed with vibrant colors.  The men were with their herds or working in the fields; the women were cleaning and cooking.  The sky was bright blue with white puffy clouds in the horizon.  The mountains and plateaus in the distance gave colors of blue and purple.  Shades of green, red, and brown scattered the ground.  As the sun set, the mountains glowed of warm colors and the people of Lesotho returned home after hours of hard work.  Fires, ovens, and candles were lit.  At night, the moon was gleaming bright lighting the ground.  When the moon was not out at night, the stars scattered the sky with vibrant and twinkling light.  The mountains cast dark shadows in the horizon.  The earth became still as the animals and people settled down and slept through the night.
Lesotho is a country located in the mountains within South Africa that is mostly composed of farmland and countryside.  There are no fences bordering property lines.  The animals roam around with the herdsmen leading the way.  The earth is dray and rocky.  It is such a wonderful place for hikes and outdoor activities, which we did quite often.  Most people in Lesotho do not have electricity, running water, and do not venture out to new places.  Traditional roles still exist there.  People also like to greet one another as passing.  I had to plan to stop quite a number of times to talk to others before making my way to my destination.
My family didn't fall into the typical role of Lesotho traditions and norms for the most part.  Both parents worked at the lodge in town.  My father was also an associate pastor.  We had a host brother who taught Thia, Hannah, and I to cook, clean, and other chores in teh house.  I lived on a farm during my stay.  On the farm, they had a ram, sheep, cows, a pig, cats, a dog, and horses.  One cat had kittens and a cow had a calf while we were there.  My morning routine included collecting eggs, feeding the chicken & giving water, bathing (which I managed to avoid sometimes :]), and cooking breakfast- all before 7am!  I enjoyed being on the farm and I learned quite a bit about animals.  My family was pretty well off, too, so we ate pretty well and Thia, Hannah, and I had a room to ourselves and our own beds.  Our house had the only hallway in all of Malealea village.
Although we had a challenging beginning with our first host brother, once he was replaced, things went much smoother.  We were able to overcome the challenges together and it helped me to gain new perspectives.  I also found it challenging to see the way people treated animals in Lesotho.  I could see many bones and often beatings on the animals.  They are not loved like other places, but rather used for specific purposes.
Staying in Malealea was a refreshing change, too.  I was able to get away from the distractions of technology and spend more quality time with others and God.  During our stay, we visited several schools, helped with Malealea Development making key-hole gardens, and taking hikes and exploring the place.  Our group also spent a week at a farm in Mohaleo Hoek helping MCC Mission.  We also attended different churches, took part in organized activities, and took a 3 hour horseback trek (boney horses are not comfortable!).  Being in high elevations in warm and dry weather tired me out very quickly!  I enjoyed being active, and I enjoyed my time to rest just as much!

I built relationships, soaked in the beauty, learned about myself and others, and experienced things of excitement, frustrations, peace, and pure happiness.  I fell in love with Lesotho and the people.