Reflections on my time in Lesotho
It was the evening of my first night in Lesotho and I was sitting under the Basotho wool blanket on top of my bed with the electric heating pad on high. I was debating how I was going to wash my hair the next day and not get hypothermia while I waited for it to dry.
Note to self: Next time pack a small hairdryer when visiting Lesotho in the winter (July).
I was there to do video interviews with Lem Malabuyo, MAF’s video producer. We had previously visited in October of 2019—springtime—when it was much warmer.
I was surprised that my lodge room (in Maseru, the capital city) was so frigid. And being the first world kind of gal that I am, I visited the receptionist at the office and asked if there was a way to improve the heat, because “it was freezing,” I mimed by crossing and rubbing my arms up and down. She said she would talk to the owner about it.
Since we were having dinner with one of the MAF families, the Nelsons, the next day, I asked the wife if I could wash my hair at their place and use her hairdryer. She was so kind to let me do that, and when I did, I realized her upstairs rooms were about as cold as my room at the lodge. Turns out during the day they spend most of the time in their living/dining area, closing the door to the rest of the house to keep the heat in.
When I returned to my room that night, I was pleasantly surprised to find a space heater, turned on and waiting for me! It would help a bit.
A Warming Trend
The next day we were heading to the mountains for two nights. We were going with Makopoi, one of the Lesotho Mountain Discipleship (LMD) team members. I was grateful that the weather report showed a slight warming trend for the next few days.
MAF pilot Luke Nelson flew us to the Matsaile airstrip in the early afternoon, and it had warmed up by then. I extracted myself from the front seat of the Cessna 206 and, with a 30-minute hike to reach the village, I removed my winter coat and tied it around my waist.
A group of children met us at the airstrip to help us carry our gear. They knew a little bit of English, so I was able to ask how old they were—“11, 12, 13,” they responded. I was a little surprised by this as I thought they looked much younger because of their size. Then, they asked me how old I was.
“I’m 61,” I told them. They said something in the Sesotho language and started giggling!
When I asked Makopoi what they had said, she responded, “So small,” which is ironic because I’d had a similar perception of them.
We were visiting Matsaile so we could interview people who had become believers through the efforts of the LMD team. Some are even sharing their faith and discipling others in their village and beyond.
We interviewed one young man, while Makopoi translated for us, and finished as the sun was setting. Then, we all took a short walk down to another believer’s house for an evening Bible study.
First, the group sang hymns in Sesotho. They were lovely, and I was able to sing along with one of the songs since the phrases kept repeating. A few children recited Bible verses and then we did a short Bible study.
Makopoi introduced Lem and me to the group, and they promptly gave us Sesotho names. Lem was called Tumelo (faith) and when Makopoi heard mine she started laughing. “They gave you the most difficult one,” she said. It’s Matlhohonolofatso (mother of blessings). I still can’t pronounce it!
Afterwards, back at the main rondavel, we had stew with rice and then sat around talking for a bit. I think we made it to 7:30 PM before we started fading and decided to get ready for bed. Lem went to his rondavel and Makopoi and I pulled out our sleeping bags and extra blankets. I climbed in wearing all my clothes and hoped for the best.
Nice Surprises
Amazingly, I tossed and turned a few times but otherwise slept through the night; and I was not cold at all. Thank you, Lord!
At 10:00 AM, a Mercy Air helicopter was coming to take us to a neighboring village, where we would talk to another new believer. The alternative would have been a three-hour hike each way.
Mercy Air is a Christian mission that’s very similar to MAF, only with helicopters. Currently, they are coming to Lesotho a few times a year for three weeks at a time. One helicopter is based in the mountains and complements MAF flights, reaching places where an airstrip is not possible because it’s so remote and rugged.
We interviewed the local person, and also the helicopter pilot, who then flew us back to Matsaile—a 10-minute flight. After spending another night in the village, pilot Luke came and picked us up the next day, and we had the bumpiest MAF ride ever! It was exciting, to say the least, but Luke handled it like a pro.
Sweet Fellowship
The rest of the week, we did interviews at the hangar or in town. Over the weekend, we hung out with the Adams family—pilot Joe and his wife, Karen, and their children, Grace and Tim. On Sunday, they took us to their church, which was lovely. Enjoy this short clip from the worship time.
Afterwards, back at the Adams’ house, we were treated to a barbecue of wildebeest and hartebeest, which Joe and his brother had hunted in South Africa. (Both were good, but we all preferred the hartebeest.)
I asked Karen if it was hard to heat their house in the winter. She pointed out an air vent in the kitchen; it was open to the outside with no way to close it. There were one or more of these in almost every room, making it difficult to keep the house warm. She said some mornings she and the kids homeschool in her bed, bundled up and with the heating pad on. Photo, right, by Karen Adams. One of the air vents (above the window).
She went on to tell me that houses in Lesotho aren’t insulated, which explained a lot—like why the Nelson’s house was cold and my room at the lodge. The local people have to choose between heating their homes or feeding their families. It is quite stressful, she added, “because it is believed that if you get cold, you will get sick. So you are a bad parent if you let your kids get cold.”
It opened my eyes to some of the challenges of living in Lesotho. It also made me wonder how the people in the mountains kept warm. Karen reminded me that people often build a fire in the center of their rondavel, which makes it quite smokey.
Note to self: I have an abundance of comforts back home. Count my blessings and don’t complain.
Before I knew it, it was time to depart for our next location, Mozambique. I wondered what adventures I would have there, or what lessons God might have for me.