Of course, it was a Bosnia schedule- there were two teachers, and when we arrived they were all having breakfast so there was nothing for us to do.
A little after breakfast Penha asked one of the teachers to let me do an activity with a class. Not too thrown in the deep end!! I was going to do headbands again, as we still had strips of paper and it was a different group to before, but they were older. In the end we made a paper chain.
Making The Paper Chain!
Rachel and Marie (speaks a little English, assistant to a professor at a college, not Christian) turned up, so they joined in too.
The paper chain itself was as tall as Rachel. We also added chains with the name of everyone who helped and the date, so it was taller than me!!
Before We Added The Names
After, Rachel, R, Penha, Mum and Rachel's mum (so also Rachel's soon-to-be brother!) had lunch. It was very nice, though Penha insisted that I don't eat enough.
After lunch we had little to do. Rachel's mother went back to the farm, but Rachel stayed with us.
As we had little to do, Mum, R, Rachel and I went back to the apartment- supposedly until 2:30-3:00 (it was around 2ish?).
We all had a watermelon ice lollies then painted our nails. After, R and Rachel watched TV whilst Mum and I just relaxed.
Penha came around 4 I think, with Rachel's mum, who drove us all to the Gypsy 'village'- Penha had to get forms signed for the camp next week, and she wanted us to see some of the areas that are more worse off.
There, we all got out except Rachel's mum, who stayed- I think partially to look after the car and partially because of foreign germs and the baby.
The houses were very small; however, they all had TV and radio and we think wi-fi and phones. There were lots and lots of children who were very affectionate, hugging us and wanting to be picked up etc. That was nice, they were really lovely.
Penha and Mum had a little more trouble with the adults. The adults were all talking in German, so Rachel's mother came over- she is actually German, so could help. She said after that they just wanted money, and called Penha a bad woman for 'only giving money to the rich'- nonsense! I don't think Penha gives money to anyone, just food/activity/clothes etc., which is exactly the right thing to do. The Gypsy families think money will solve everything, and cannot see that there are other problems: for example, they aren't actually trying to find jobs!
Lovely as the children were, even they were after money, though more subtly- telling us that the baby was ill, and needed to go to the doctor. It's hard, they don't mean to do wrong by asking things like that- it's just the way they've been brought up.
Overall, though the conditions at the Gypsy village were bad and the children adorable, I still feel there are many people worse off who are actively trying to change their situation- so, I'm afraid, my heart goes out to them a little more.
The next house we visited was a lot more shocking. Rachel and her mum stayed in the car. The rest of us got out, and were instantly hit by the smell of poo etc., which was absolutely awful. We had to walk up a hill to meet the family, who lived at the top.
The family were nice, though I have to say that R and I were more interested in the tiny, adorable kitten!! Penha was horrified when she saw us holding it- the conditions and the people were not clean!
That family have 10 children, all boys; I was told later that they keep trying for a girl. Why? So that she can work on the streets or be sold for marriage. It's so so awful. Neither of those should ever be the reason a child is born, it's morally wrong for all involved!!
We went back to the day centre after that. We had some corn on the cob to eat, then Mum, Penha and Rachel's mum went to climb a mountain to pray. Rachel, R and I found some coloured mats and a ball so we played games with those- Twister, One Knee Two Knee, Colour Game (new one!) and Piggy In The Middle. It was very good fun!!!
When the adults got back we helped to load up the car to take food to the farm, then Penha and Mum did a little cleaning.
Home, though Penha went to Sandra's. By then it was getting late. Quiet evening & bed.