Molo Mama

Continent: Africa.

Every month my son's class studies a different continent.  Parents are invited to volunteer their time to help the 3 to 6-year-olds explore a new continent.  

I have not been to Africa, but thankfully I could call upon my sister Caitlin, who spent a summer in South Africa volunteering with children.  She suggested I first teach the boys and girls how to say "hello" in the South African language of Xhosa--"Molo" and "Molweni." Hearing their sweet chorus of high voices echoing "Molo" and "Molweni" in perfect unison, I felt the oceans that separate us grow smaller for just a moment.  I also felt the instant intersection of contrast and connection--two continents with more than the separation of physical distance; two sets of young children whose sweet voices melt your heart, no matter your culture.

We sang a little melody in Xhosa that Caitlin had taught me.  But the highlight for the children was letting loose on all the instruments I brought to class.  I had envisioned the room coming alive to the beat of the African music playing in the background.  And alive it was: once those little hands hit the drums, there was no hearing anything but the loud, louder, and even louder drum beats.

I found all kinds of great African recipes to cook with the kids.  Spinach stew, lentils and rice, and couscous were at the top of my list.  When I relayed these options to L., his face looked identical to the time I gave away raisins for Halloween.  Not wanting to always be That Mom, I decided to go for a South African cookie, much to L.'s delight.  We added bananas and peanuts to the plates, reminding them of where some of "our" food comes from.

Here's the crowd, eating the "crunchies"  and drinking iced rooibos tea.  After the children patiently listened to the very long African folktale, "Where Stories Come From," one question remained, "Was that true?"

Images from our inspiration,  "Aunt Cait-Cait's" South African trip as a Warren Wilson College Worldwide participant.  Caitlin worked in Nynga Township with pre-school children, in a community affected like so many others by HIV/AIDS.

Bringing things full circle, as I write this post, our Aunt Roxie has joined a Florida hospice team trained to comfort terminally ill South Africans.  For this moment in time, it feels as if All roads lead to Soweto.