Returning to HaLebesa After Lockdown : A Site Full of Life

After more than a year and a half of travel restrictions, we have finally been able to return to Lesotho. Like many organisations, the events of 2020 meant we were unable to travel, and much of our connection to the site in HaLebesa was through calls and updates from a distance.

Arriving back on the mountain has been deeply encouraging.

The site is now home to 21 children. Where there were once building materials and open ground, there is now daily life. Laughter carries across the yard. Routines are established. The homes feel lived in. It is a gift to see the vision functioning in a healthy and steady way.

We are especially grateful for the house parents who are leading so well. Meeting newer members of the team in person and seeing the care they are providing has been affirming. The strength of One Day always rests on the quality of care within each home, and it is clear that the children are being loved and supported well.

While we are not able to share photographs of the children for reasons of dignity and safeguarding, we have recorded a number of videos to give a sense of what has been happening on site.

Building Through Lockdown

One of the most encouraging aspects of this visit has been seeing the work that continued during lockdown. While international travel paused, the project did not stand still.

Chris has been steadily building. Two additional houses have been completed, adding capacity and strengthening the overall layout of the site. Walking through finished spaces that were only plans on paper during our last visit is a reminder of what faithful, consistent effort can achieve over time.

As you watch the update videos, you will notice that the houses are simple in design. They are block-built homes, similar in style and standard to others in the surrounding village. This is intentional. Our aim is not to create homes that feel disconnected from the wider community, but to provide spaces that are safe, comfortable and consistent with everyday life in Lesotho.

We are always working towards family reunification where possible, and part of that preparation involves raising children in an environment that reflects the context in which they will live as adults. The houses are thoughtfully built and well maintained, but they are designed to sit within the normal range of housing in the area rather than apart from it. Our goal is dignity, stability and belonging, not contrast.

Alongside the houses, a number of additions have been made that contribute to daily community life. A fire pit area now provides a central gathering space where the children can sit together, talk, and spend time outdoors. It has already become a natural meeting point in the evenings.

Perhaps the most joyful addition is the new playground. Designed and built largely from Chris’s own imagination and constructed from local timber, it has quickly become the heart of the site. Some plastic components for the slide and swings were sourced in Bloemfontein, but much of the structure was crafted on the mountain.

The playground was unveiled on Christmas Day. The children had watched it being built without quite understanding what it was. They had never seen a playground before. On Christmas Eve, the final pieces were added, and on Christmas morning they discovered it fully assembled. It is now rarely empty.

Chris shows us around the fire pit and playground - great additions to the site.

Strengthening the Water Supply

Water has been an ongoing challenge. While we have a borehole on the site, it does not always provide a consistent supply. Given the heavy rains that come during the summer months in Lesotho, we began exploring ways to capture and store rainwater more effectively.

Thanks to the generosity of a donor in Ireland, a rainwater harvesting system has now been installed. Gutters have been fitted to the houses, directing water into large storage tanks positioned around the site. This system significantly reduces pressure on the borehole and helps ensure a more reliable water supply for the families living there.

It is a practical development, but one that makes daily life more secure.

Faithful Presence on the Mountain

During lockdown, Chris was not alone in carrying the work forward. Glenn Norton travelled to Lesotho on what was initially meant to be a short-term visit. When global travel restrictions tightened, he found himself staying far longer than expected. Rather than leave at the first opportunity, he chose to remain and continue serving.

Glenn’s flexibility and willingness to adapt to changing circumstances were a real support during an uncertain season. His presence, alongside Chris and the team on the ground, ensured that momentum continued even while much of the world felt paused.

A Season of Gratitude

Returning now, there is a deep sense of gratitude. The homes are functioning. The children are settled. New houses stand completed. A playground echoes with activity. Water systems are stronger. Community spaces are being used daily.

What began as a vision has continued to grow steadily, even through a global pandemic.

We remain thankful for Chris and everyone on the ground in Lesotho who carried the responsibility of this season with steadiness and care. We are also grateful for those who continued to support, pray and give from a distance.