Lesotho, The Mountain Kingdom welcomed us with open arms this March
We stayed at the lovely Morija Guest House in the foothills above the village. Apart from the comfort, we found many friends as we gathered in the evenings for drinks on the patio and tasty home cooked meals.
Our first day trip was to Mafeteng to visit 'Me Anunciata who was the headmistress at Paul the VI high school when mom and dad taught there. When we pulled into the church parking lot, Dad spotted a nun and asked her if 'Me Anunciata was around. She replied, "I am Anunciata!" She was overjoyed to see us and after a tasty luch we headed to Taung to see the school and the house where I was born.
The landscape surrounding the guest house was breathtaking and serene. Just fifteen minutes up the hill and through a eucalyptus forest you emerge onto a tranquil mountain lake, not something one would expect in Africa. Nora and I made the most of it by swimming of course!
Our next outing was to Roma. In 1991 Mom worked at the National University of Lesotho there, so we wanted to visit our old house and the well worn dirt pathways that Nora and I vaguely remember following to school. We dropped in on Lois Sebatane, who came to Lesotho with the very first Peace Corps group and stayed. Dad co-authored a paper about adult education with her.
We then ventured into the Mountains to view the Mohale Dam. This is the second dam built by the Lesotho Highlands Water Project aimed at providing electricity to Lesotho, but mostly for channeling water down to Johannesburg. Coming down from the mountains we stopped to buy peaches and dad had trouble deciding with so many offers. Mohale Dam
Next we stopped at Me Anunciatas cresh to visit her students on our way to visit 'Me Laurentina in Mohale's Hoek. The kids had no end of songs to sing us and it brought a smile to Sister's face seeing the children so happy and engaged.
At Lapeng La Sefapano, we found 'Me Laurentina safe in the shelter of the other sisters and an abundant grape harvest. She accompanied us to visit Ma Neo in Quthing. Mom and 'Me Laurentina cooked lunch while dad, Nora, 'Ma Neo's daughter Angela, and I found the Masitise Cave House, built in 1866 by Paris Evangelical Society missionary, Rev. David Frederic Ellenberger. Cave House
Our last day was spent climbing the plateau behind the guest house. We met cows, saw some Dinosaur footprints and got some good exercise.
