The holiday weeks around here have been a bit chaotic but we've been cranking on getting things done.

They have decided that Sunday, January 25th will be the grand opening and the heat is on to get ready.  It seems the guest list will be huge and the vistors have been increasing every day recently. Lots of cheering and joy when people show up.

Another piece of news is that a generous donor has made it possible to fly Catherine and Emmanuel to Seattle!  They will arrive February 8th and leave March 1st.  We'll be sure to throw a huge party....date to be determined soon.  They are of course both beside themselves with excitement!

Today was a very special day for all of us.  One of our volunteers from a couple of weeks ago asked that we make arrangements for the boys who are here working every single day to get to go and buy themselves a new pair of shoes.  A few more people pitched into the idea, we made a list of the (18 )boys who are always working and told them yesterday that they should prepare to be taken somewhere for a surprise at noon on Saturday (today).

We loaded up both vans with the 18 boys and all of us and Emmanuel and took them to the LCS store (whom we warned yesterday).  They each had 300 Rand to spend ($30 each) and they were completely blown away.  It was clear that many of them had never 'shopped' for anything, so it was a challenge for some of them to figure out how to pick a pair, try them on for size and figure out how much money they had left to buy socks or a shirt.  3 boys bought something for their mom with their change....very cool.

The boys sang all the way home in both vans and were still singing as they walked across the courtyard with their bags of new shoes.  Thanks Lee-Lee for the great idea!  Wish you were here to see it play out!

We had Tsabo buy shoes for Thabiso, who went home to Maseru on New Years Day because he had gotten very weak over the last several days.  He has 'the bad flu' which is what they call AIDS here, and was one of our most consistant boys, even as he was losing weight fast.

It's been an emotional few weeks around here.

On the progress side, we got 2 of the 3 septic tanks built and partially piped to the drain field.  A cow walked too close to the 3rd one and it caved in on one side, breaking the pipe, yes, the same fricking one we struggled to repair last week!

We also built the stage, painted the back wall inside and out and have built the template for the stairs to the stage in a cool pattern.  Hardwood floor goes down next.

The sand stone keystones have been sealed and are ready to install.

We've been pouring concrete floor squares every day, with 9 being the most in any one day!

So, the rain is falling at Joe's internet store and we are off to dinner in Ficksburg....whooooohooo!

Have a wonderful New Year and thanks again for the generosity of your spirit!!!