George

George is the cook at Agape High School.

I started talking to George one Monday morning and I asked him if everything was OK because I had not seen him around on Sunday. He said he had gone to see his Father. His mother and father had divorced and George had not seen his father for 20 years.  Now he had come back into his life and their differences had been resolved.

“I will be leaving in September” Says George. “Leaving, what do you mean leaving” I reply.

My father wants to support me to go back to school.  I want to further my education.  I will do form 3 and 4 again and then I want to become an electrical engineer.

George is in his 30's and has 3 children. He is an incredibly hard worker.  He said that he is so thankful for the opportunity to work at the school.  He said he was in a very big hole when her came to work here as a fundi (labourer) when the first buildings were being built.  He approached the Director and said he could do the cooking for the school and he was later hired as the cook. Before he came to work at the school he had moved into town and was cooking what he could, and selling it to people in the market but he was not doing well.

He is so thankful for the chance to work here and all that has been done for him.  He is thankful to the Christadelphians for what they have done.  “You will see me on Sundays and if you need help you can call me and I will come” he added.

I have talked to the director and I just have to put in my notice and give 7 days before I want to leave.  However if everything falls apart for me I am welcome back here.  I will not forget you all.  I will work HARD.

He says all this to me while looking at me with his smoke-affected eyes.  The cook’s day starts around 4:30am and finishes sometime between 7 and 7:30pm.  Chopping wood, working over smoky fires, cooking, picking over and washing maize and beans, fetching water, serving meals and cleaning.

I am very happy for him and I hope his studies go well and he can get a good job but I will miss him.

Des.

POSTSCRIPT: George is still at the school. For now he has decided to stay!