Preparations, budgeting, and purchasing

Time for a quick update on what we have been doing.

The past few weeks have been pretty slow as our preparations for the youth and resource center wrapped up and we waited on our funding to arrive so we could makes our purchases and actually start setting up. Our funding was approved (in part) and arrived a few weeks ago, which led to a few frantic days of rehashing our budgets. We have also spent some time working with the staff here on revamping their budgeting and planning procedures. All very exciting stuff. Though I'm sure you're craving more of this riveting information, I'll spare you the details.

Things continue to go very well. We are wrapping up a trip to Maseru where we picked up the four computers for the IT center, as well as a ton of stuff for the youth center. We are literally going back with a truck-load of stuff. It is very exciting to see things coming together. Back in Qacha's Nek, the carpenter is finishing the painting of our new bookshelves so we can stock them and move the desks back in to the resource center and set up the computers. Meanwhile, the artist is painting several large murals on outdoor walls on subjects such as HIV/AIDS and healthy living, nutrition, hand washing, and geography.

The next month will be very busy as we prepare for a Youth Action Week we will be hosting alongside our German supporters and the opening of the youth and resource center. We are also conducting trainings for the primary school teachers so they can start teaching life skills to their kids. The school is great, and we are very grateful to be able to work with them.

Otherwise, not much is new. We are continuing to settle in to our house and Qacha's Nek. Lesotho is feeling like home, and it is strange to think about living back in the States with all the luxuries we were used to. We miss everyone back home- wish you were here!

-Wes