Jim And Connie in South Africa: Pendla Family Day

The PBJ crew

Tuna fish, anyone?

The last stop of the day on Tuesday was Pendla Primary School. Our students there were hosting an afternoon "family day."

Each of the learners was able to ask two family members to come to the school for a show and a small family celebratory meal. Even though we kept it very simple - sandwiches, beans, a piece of fruit, a dessert bar, and juice - feeding 800 people is quite the undertaking.

Our students had been making sandwiches since 11:00. By 3:00, when the first family members arrived, they had made over 1000 sandwiches.

Kindergarten students led off

Older Pendla students put on a very serious
play about child sexual abuse.

Each of the classrooms had prepared a song, or skit, or dance for their family members. They were good! I couldn't help but think that it was a great opportunity for them to do this kind of public performance.

Some of the topics were very adult-themed - with the underlying theme of needing to report child sexual abuse. (The plays certainly weren't "Billy Goats Gruff" like I performed in second grade.) I wondered if the family members thought we had chosen the plays (we hadn't), as they were quite "preachy" about the failure of family attention to the matter.

But, the family members seemed to like everything. They really gave a round of applause when our students presented the new book for the library that Kathy Bassett had produced. It is a story book, with Pendla students as the main characters.

Family members cheer for the storybook
with Pendla learners' pictures!
(prepared by Kathy Bassett and donated to their library)

We also recognized the years of service of Mrs. Peter, the principal. Retiring in June, she has been at Pendla since St. John's and St. Ben's first starting volunteering there 14 years ago.

I think the following pictures will tell more of the story of the Pendla family afternoon than my words.

The teachers liked their pictures, too!

Just know that after Missionvale's morning staff appreciation, after House's story telling to the pre-schoolers, and after the Pendla family day, both Jim and I fell into bed Tuesday night with our clothes on!

Many kudos to our students for pulling it all off!