We are a part of a bigger family that run a family lodge in a beautiful, mountainous, remote part of Lesotho called Malealea Lodge. Our lodge was started by my parents (Mick and Di Jones) in 1986.
Our names are Debbie, Michael (mom and dad), Gemma (12), Bryce (11) and Thabo (5). Thabo's birth name is Ewan but having grown up in Lesotho, all our children have Sesotho names. However, Thabo's is the only name that has stuck. Thabo means Happiness, Bryce's Sesotho name is Khotso meaning Peace, and Gemma's is Limpho, pronounced Dimpho, meaning Many Gifts.
Michael and I started working permanently at the lodge in 2006, after spending 2 years in the UK. Our children were all born in Bloemfontein - South Africa, but were raised at Malealea. I homeschooled Gemma and Bryce for 2 years, until we realised they were craving having friends of their own and joining in on sporting activities. This meant splitting our family as I moved to Bloemfontein with the children, whilst Michael stayed and looked after the lodge. We made it work by traveling to and fro over weekends and school holidays to spend time together. Due to other family members stepping in, Michael was able to move to Bloemfontein for 2 of the 5 years we've been living this way.
Without getting into too much detail about our past, I'd like to touch on why I am writing this new blog. 2020 has proved to be a year of great uncertainty, mixed with many emotions around the world of sadness, loss, and despair.
Our lodge has, for the last 3 decades, relied on foreign visitors comprising tour groups and individual travellers to keep the lodge running, and providing an income for all the family. The lodge has been responsible for providing income, directly and indirectly, to hundreds of community members in the Malealea Valley. My parents started a Development Trust many years ago, that was handed over to the community to run and the Trust has since grown, with numerous funders contributing to the Trust. We closed the lodge gates (for the first time in 36 years), but thanks to the Malealea Development Trust, families in the village still have access to food on their tables. Our village is comprised of many vulnerable members, so we have chosen to keep our doors closed and limit traffic into the valley until September, and even then we will reassess. For more information on the Malealea Development Trust please take a look at their website www.malealeadevelopmenttrust.org. If you want to check out Malealea Lodge, please visit www.malealea.com.
Sooo, despite all loss of income and changes in our life situation, being away from our family and friends, I am in a position where I am the happiest I've been in a very long time. I wake up each morning and count my blessings. We have had the absolute privilege of being able to be together as a family for an extended time, in a magical place where beauty surrounds us. We have been at the lodge since lockdown started in South Africa, at the end of March, and we have decided to stay here in Lesotho until the end of the year. Well, I don't know if it really is a choice, as the borders to South Africa are still closed. Even if the borders do open, living expenses are minimal here so our savings will stretch much further than living in the city. Last but not least, Gemma is diabetic (you can follow her journey on www.preciousgem.weebly.com) and although the children miss their friends like crazy, for her sake it's best if we keep self isolating.
We, as a family, are learning daily how to be content with what we have. We left Bloemfontein with a suitcase each, well me with less, but I'll get to that part later, and nearly all our beloved pets, and well.....what more does one need. I have an absolutely crazy family that fills my heart with so much joy (not all the time, might I add, but there are moments, and when those moments come they are exhilarating ).
As we are isolated from all of our family and friends, I want to use this opportunity to share my crazy family life with anybody who wants to walk this journey with us, by sharing stories and moments in our lockdown, past and present. My ultimate goal is to hopefully put a smile on at least one face during this process.
Our names are Debbie, Michael (mom and dad), Gemma (12), Bryce (11) and Thabo (5). Thabo's birth name is Ewan but having grown up in Lesotho, all our children have Sesotho names. However, Thabo's is the only name that has stuck. Thabo means Happiness, Bryce's Sesotho name is Khotso meaning Peace, and Gemma's is Limpho, pronounced Dimpho, meaning Many Gifts.
Michael and I started working permanently at the lodge in 2006, after spending 2 years in the UK. Our children were all born in Bloemfontein - South Africa, but were raised at Malealea. I homeschooled Gemma and Bryce for 2 years, until we realised they were craving having friends of their own and joining in on sporting activities. This meant splitting our family as I moved to Bloemfontein with the children, whilst Michael stayed and looked after the lodge. We made it work by traveling to and fro over weekends and school holidays to spend time together. Due to other family members stepping in, Michael was able to move to Bloemfontein for 2 of the 5 years we've been living this way.
Without getting into too much detail about our past, I'd like to touch on why I am writing this new blog. 2020 has proved to be a year of great uncertainty, mixed with many emotions around the world of sadness, loss, and despair.
Our lodge has, for the last 3 decades, relied on foreign visitors comprising tour groups and individual travellers to keep the lodge running, and providing an income for all the family. The lodge has been responsible for providing income, directly and indirectly, to hundreds of community members in the Malealea Valley. My parents started a Development Trust many years ago, that was handed over to the community to run and the Trust has since grown, with numerous funders contributing to the Trust. We closed the lodge gates (for the first time in 36 years), but thanks to the Malealea Development Trust, families in the village still have access to food on their tables. Our village is comprised of many vulnerable members, so we have chosen to keep our doors closed and limit traffic into the valley until September, and even then we will reassess. For more information on the Malealea Development Trust please take a look at their website www.malealeadevelopmenttrust.org. If you want to check out Malealea Lodge, please visit www.malealea.com.
Sooo, despite all loss of income and changes in our life situation, being away from our family and friends, I am in a position where I am the happiest I've been in a very long time. I wake up each morning and count my blessings. We have had the absolute privilege of being able to be together as a family for an extended time, in a magical place where beauty surrounds us. We have been at the lodge since lockdown started in South Africa, at the end of March, and we have decided to stay here in Lesotho until the end of the year. Well, I don't know if it really is a choice, as the borders to South Africa are still closed. Even if the borders do open, living expenses are minimal here so our savings will stretch much further than living in the city. Last but not least, Gemma is diabetic (you can follow her journey on www.preciousgem.weebly.com) and although the children miss their friends like crazy, for her sake it's best if we keep self isolating.
We, as a family, are learning daily how to be content with what we have. We left Bloemfontein with a suitcase each, well me with less, but I'll get to that part later, and nearly all our beloved pets, and well.....what more does one need. I have an absolutely crazy family that fills my heart with so much joy (not all the time, might I add, but there are moments, and when those moments come they are exhilarating ).
As we are isolated from all of our family and friends, I want to use this opportunity to share my crazy family life with anybody who wants to walk this journey with us, by sharing stories and moments in our lockdown, past and present. My ultimate goal is to hopefully put a smile on at least one face during this process.