Lesotho

Lumelang from Molimo Nthuse! We got to experience a special event in Lesotho's history this morning that commemorated the bicentennial of King Moshoeshoe I's move to Thaba Bosiu, the ancestral homeland for the Basotho people. We arrived early to the conference room at the foot of the mountain and listened to some speeches from the Rotary Club, Princess Maseeiso, and Dr. Rosenberg himself. Joining us in the audience were patriotic university students and news cameras. Princess Maseeiso wore a Wittenberg jacket and walked alongside us as we all trekked to the top of the mountain. While our ascent was dry, almost as soon as we reached the peak, it began to sprinkle. In Lesotho, rain is seen as a sign of approval from the ancestors. After a short ceremony on top, we walked to the side of the mountain to plant trees with the volunteers. The 500 small trees we planted are indigenous to Lesotho. They will help to prevent erosion of the rocky soil. It felt surreal to share such a sacred experience on such holy ground. When we returned to the lodge in the evening, my roommates and I figured out how to wear our new (warm!) Basotho blankets and watched Princess Diaries to relax a bit before we hike to see dinosaur footprints tomorrow!

- Claire Patton '26

It is difficult to believe our time in Lesotho is coming to an end. Today we had the honor of participating in an indigenous tree planting along the side of Thaba Bosiu. We were joined by many different groups, including students from the National University of Lesotho, the Rotary club, and select members of the royal family. Among them was Princess Maseeiso, who some of us had eaten lunch with the other day. It was incredible to see her again and realize the role she plays for the Basotho people. As we reached the top of the plateau for the planting, our cloudy day turned into a drizzly one. The rain was cold, and accompanied by wind, but it did nothing to dampen our moods. In fact, it had quite the opposite effect; in Basotho tradition, rain is a sign that their ancestors are happy with them. Lesotho is also in the middle of a drought, so seeing rain was quite the surprise. On our way back down from the mountain, we were able to listen in on everyone singing and calling out together. A translator explained that the song's message was to "let the storm come," stemming from Jesus' time with his disciples on the Sea of Galilee. The second half of my day was spent more calmly, with my roommates and I curled up with our newly purchased Basotho blankets (enchantingly warm) watching a movie on the queen-sized bed in our room. It was a much-needed break after our busy week.

- Allyson Gardner '26