A little over a month later....

I'm not even sure anyone is still reading this, but if nothing else, I find that writing here is therapeutic for me.

Well, I've been back a little over a month now and I'm still filled with so many mixed emotions. The journey back home was long and although I was anxious to get back home to my family, my heart was heavy. I didn't think it was possible to form such strong bonds in such a short amount of time. Amazingly enough...it's quite simple. I still have moments where something reminds me of my time in Cape Town, it either brings a smile to my face or tears to my eyes. But it's all good. I'm just waiting for the day I can return.

A day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought about each of the children and the wonderful staff at the homebase. I have definitely made some life-long friends. I do periodically talk to the incredible women that run the house via email. I have to make sure they don't forget me between now and the next time I visit!

I have pictures hanging in my office of the kids and my trip. I love for people to look at the pictures and ask about the trip and what I did. Raising awareness was just as important to me as actually going over there and helping. I was recently interviewed by the Public Affairs Officer here where I work and he is going to publish an article in one of our upcoming newsletters. I'm so excited to be able to spread the word and be able to reach more people.

I've been pretty busy since I've been home. I started a clothing drive for the orphans I worked with and was able to collect about 150 pounds of children's winter clothing and shoes. With the monetary donations I received, I purchased underwear, socks and pajamas. The Navy Chiefs that I work with were so generous to sponsor a car wash to raise the funds to ship the donated items to South Africa. Everyone pitched and helped!! We had some civilians out there washing, along with the chiefs and even a couple officers! The Executive Officer here where I work even took time out of his busy day to help wash cars. We washed cars for about 5 hours and raised $600 plus I had another $180 in donations. More than plenty to ship the clothes. The estimate I originally got from the post office was based on 100 lbs of clothing, from Orlando to Cape Town was roughly $500. I had some additional clothing donations and just received the money from the chiefs that was raised at the car wash. I will be shipping everything on Saturday.

I really want to thank everyone so very much for supporting a cause that is most dear to my heart. Without everyone's generosity, getting the winter clothes to my children in Cape Town, would not be possible.

I am absolutely overwhelmed and so very touched by everyone's generosity. Everyone I know has played some part in all of this. Whether you donated time, money, clothing, got your vehicle washed, or have just been a wonderful friend/family that has supported and inspired me….I am eternally grateful.

I am very blessed to be surrounded by such incredible people. You all have made a big difference in some wonderful little lives.

You all truly ROCK!

My Final Full Day

Today was perfect! The weather was perfect, sunny skies, nice breeze and very warm. It was just the way Cape Town usually is this time of year. A beautiful ending to a beautiful journey.

Most of the other volunteers went to placement and others that were ending their tenure, like myself, left on a weekend road trip and I chose to just stay home in the morning and spend time with the staff. It was great, I'm so fond of them all. We chatted and took pictures, I went over the recipes with Simone, and just enjoyed the extra time getting to know these wonderful people here, a little more.

When it was time for Wonga, our driver, to go pick up the volunteers on what was my route. I decided to ride along. I took extra care to take in all the sights, taking any extra snapshots of what I might have missed along the way, every other time. The mood in the car was light and fun. I awoke this morning, feeling a little blue about leaving, and decided that I was not going to ruin my last day, feeling blue. I was going to make the most of it.

After we picked everyone up, CCS took us to a goodbye lunch. We thought it was in a restaurant, but they surprised us! They actually rented this really great space behind this cafe, that is covered by tenting, with a cobblestone decking and we had a wonderful informal lunch outside. With the tent keeping us out of the sun and the breeze, it was very nice. The food was catered and was delicious. There was music, a little dancing. Everyone had a great time.

We returned to homebase and I continued on to the Waterfront. It's so nice down there. I did a little shopping, walked around, watched the street performers and got some pictures printed.

Yesterday I said goodbye to my kids and my heart was heavy all day. My initial feeling when I awoke this morning was a little blue. Having spent the time with the staff and our wonderful going away lunch....it was like good closure for me. Although I shed a few tears giving final hugs to the staff...I actually feel good tonight and am more anxious then ever to get home.

This has been an incredible experience. One that I will cherish forever. I've learned so much about this beautiful country and so much about myself. I am a richer person and I know that this experience has changed me.

So, instead of leaving tomorrow with a heavy heart....I will be leaving with the fondest of memories, a hope of returning, and a piece of my heart staying here in Cape Town.

Remarkable Children

Today was my last day at the creche and saying goodbye was just as hard as I had expected.

The day itself was great! We had so much fun! The day started with singing and their morning prayer. Then Ellen told us that they wanted to play "that game with the chairs and music" so they would be sure to understand it before we left, so they could continue to play. So we had a great time playing musical chairs. Then the class split into two. The ten older kids with Ethelina and the eleven younger kids with Ellen. I worked in Ellen's room and we did some art work. Then the kids all combined again and played a couple group games and then it was outside. We played and played and I've been pushing kids on the swings so much, my arms are sore!! But it was fun. And finally....on my last day.....I got my little buddy, to actually giggle. He was fussing and wanted to be held so I held him while I was pushing the other children on the swings. I walked over to the little porch and put him down. As long as I was next to him he was fine. So I put him down with a toy truck and was pushing it around until he got interested. When I started making truck sounds he started giggling. He played with the truck for a few minutes all on his own and was quite content!! It's the first time I've seen that since I've been there. YAY!

Lunchtime came and I fed him. Today's lunch, which is quite popular here.....soured milk. In fact Nelson Mandela talked about it in his book. I mean...it was quite similar to cottage cheese, but didn't smell too good, and the consistency was a bit more runny...but the kids really seemed to enjoy it. It's served cold. In fact, my little guy really liked it, I guess because it's more like baby food, instead of the sort of dry rice and cabbage and onion he usually gets. So he ate very well for me today.

As we were helping put the kids down for their naps, we were telling them goodbye. I guess they are so used to people coming and going in their lives, be it with family, orphanages and other volunteers....there really didn't seem to be any emotional attachment, unless of course they just don't understand that we aren't coming back. A couple of the older children talked about us flying. One of the few children that speaks a very little bit of Enlgish, Bona (who is pictured above), he said, "You fly in the aeroplane, tomorrow." And I told him I was flying Saturday and that I was going home. And he just pointed at me and said, "You?" I told him yes, I was flying home on the aeroplane. He was smiling and gave me a hug and he turned my head to the side, kissed me on the cheek and in his wonderful little accent said, "I love you." That's when the battle to fight back the tears started.

We told the children, one by one, goodbye and then we hugged the teachers and the mamas at the creche. Ellen gave me the strongest hug. She thanked me and said, please don't forget about us. I assured her that would be impossible. I told her that a piece of my heart will always remain here in Cape Town. Our driver, Wonga (pictured above), showed up to pick us up and usually stops at the gate and toots the horn. I guess he knew it would be difficult, so he came in to get us. He put his arm around me and walked me to the van. I told him how hard it was saying goodbye, as I was crying and he kept saying, "It's a shame....but it's okay." He was comforting and very sweet. Wonga is the man.

We had our group feedback session with the program manager here at the house. It was very informal and we met as a group, even those that aren't leaving yet, to say goodbye, since we all come in at the same time, just some of us are staying for different durations. Anyway, she opened the floor to anyone that wanted to share anything about their experience...and I just couldn't speak. I was still feeling emotional from telling the kids goodbye, and just couldn't really say anything. I'll talk with her tomorrow, one on one.

Anyway, it was a good day. All the kids were at school today so I got to see all of them before I left and they all own a little piece of my heart. Home from Home is a wonderful organization and I am so happy that I got to be a part of it.

Feeling Better

Emotionally, I'm in a much better place today. It was a wonderful day!

Fun would describe the morning at the creche. We sang lots of songs, and played some games. We did puzzles and spent a lot of time outside, since it was so beautiful. It was a little hot, but the kids surely don't seem to mind. I was able to get some pictures of the children today!!

My sweet baby was there today and that is him in the picture with me!

After we got home from placement, we had a traditional African lunch, which was delicious. Simone has given me the recipes to all the dishes! We also had a guest speaker, who just told us about the history, the different clans, the traditions.....it was very interesting.

Then, I called a cab and headed downtown to my tattoo appointment! (this of course was after much research and visiting a couple different shops). I got the word "ubuntu" (pronounced oo-boon-too) on the inside of my ankle. It's a Xhosa word that basically stands for humanity, people helping people, a person is a person through other people. Ubuntu emphasizes sharing, concensus and togetherness. The say it's "too beautiful to translate into English." But after being here and discussing ubuntu with our Xhosa language teacher...I totally get it. Ubunto is how I have always tried to live my life and how I hope my kids live theirs. I just knew I couldn't leave here without it. And you know me....new town...new tattoo! :)

We had another cultural experience this evening. We had a guest at the house named Themba. He works for an organzation that helps people heal their wounds from apartheid. He basically facilitates group meetings with those that have been affected and helps them heal and forgive. He does this through, discussion, poetry and music. He's an incredible man and very wise. The things he said, the poetry he has written really touched me.

It was a really great day!

Staggering Statistics

I saw a book laying on the shelf at the school, entitled: Children Living With HIV/AIDS in South Africa - A Rapid Appraisal. I'm not sure of the exact date the statistics were put out, it appears to be a few years old but I would imagine it's probably still a pretty accurate assessment, if not worse. I asked the teacher if I could borrow it tonight and read it. The statistics are just staggering.

The AIDS pandemic is an enormous threat to South Africa. Even more so is the fact that the future of South Africa, the children are particularly vulnerable.

I certainly can't summarize the whole booklet, but I would like to share some key points.

- At the time of this study, it was stated that there were 16.3 million children in South Africa, 61% of whom live in poverty. Children make up almost half the population here.

- In 1998 the infant mortality rate was 45 per 1000.

- Of the 1.2 million children born annually, 85,000 die before their 5th birthday.

- The child mortality rate is 15 per 1000 live births.

-23% of children under 5 are stunted due to malnutrition.

- Only 49% of children have birth certificates (which has implications for accessing welfare grants)

- 29,000 children are in residential care and 73,000 in foster care.

- An estimated 1.6 million children of school-going age are out of school.

- 1 in every 8 girls is forced out of the education system due to pregnancy. We talked to a social worker here who said there is still a very high rate of teen pregnancy, today. Still a high rate of unprotected sex and HIV infections.

- Between 1994 and 1997, in South Africa, there was a 400% increase in the number of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. It's estimated that by 2010, orphans will comprise 9-12% of the total population (3-6 - 4.8 million children).

I mean....where do you go from here? Where do you start? How will these children get the help that they need. The more I read, the more I learn....I hate to even say it's hopeless.....but how can something so huge be turned around?

Emotional Day

Today was, by far, the toughest day, emotionally. Nothing really out of the norm happened, just the realizations and acceptance of life here.

My little sweetheart was at the daycare today and he was sick. I'm not sure what is wrong with him, I just know he was burning up with fever. It was a little chilly today so he was dressed in a turtle neck sweater and jean jacket that they left on him since it was "cold" out. I was trying to explain to one of the mamas that he felt very hot and that it was best to take some of his clothes off to help with the fever. She disagreed. So the baby was there burning up with fever, all bundled up, nothing to drink, and no sort of medicine to help get the fever down. I was feeding him his lunch of rice and vegetables and after two bites, he fell asleep in my arms. They took him from me and put him to sleep in a little play pen.

I was talking to one of the teachers I work with in the classroom and I was asking her how many of the children in our class are HIV+. She was trying to calculate a number in her head and so I asked, "Is it more than half?" Her response was, "Oh yes, definitely more than half." I asked if most of them were on ARV treatments or were most still pretty healthy. She said that most of the positive children are on ARV treatments, which means they now have AIDS. She said she would get a positive count of the number of kids in the class that are positive. Our class is made up of 22 students.

One little boy, who is just adorable.....his name is Lutho. Lutho is 4 but truly looks to be about 2. He is so tiny. I'm sure it's stunted growth from malnutrition. Today, one of the mamas had a good sized hunk of bread she was eating and typically when they have something like that, they tend to share it with the kids that need it most. She called Lutho over and he was sitting on the stoop eating his bread. I asked our teacher if Lutho was orphaned or if he had parents. She told me that he has a mother but she doesn't want him because he is HIV+.

She said Lutho was very sick as a baby and she used to leave him at the hospital. When they were home, she used to leave him alone all the time, while she went out. Social services got involved and took Lutho away and put him back in the hospital because he was so ill. Once he was better, they placed him with Home from Home. She said his mother came to the school one time, to see if he was still alive, because he was so sick when she last saw him, but she left him again and has never been back. He's being raised in one of the orphan homes with 5 other children.

Positive or not, I just don't understand how a mother could abandon her child. And my guess, if Lutho was born positive, then I would say it's pretty likely she's the reason he is.

Lutho is a sweet boy. He's been known to be a little naughty sometimes....not unlike any other rambunctious little 4 year old boy, but because of it, he tends to get blamed for a lot at school, even when he is innocent. Days like today....his little halo just shined all day. He was sweet and gentle. He has the cutest little smile and I think he realizes that he has me wrapped around his finger.

The teacher was telling us how they put on a Christmas Sketch every year and the kids do it in English. The act out the whole manger scene and then in English they sing Away In a Manger. She was talking about how the kids also practice in English how to introduce themselves and say what they want to be when they grow up. She said most of the parents are crying and it's very emotional because they know their children are positive and will never grow up to be that firemen, that policemen, or that ballet dancer.

Today was very tough and I feel emotionally drained. More than anything I hate that there is absolutely nothing I can do to help these kids. Although I realized that early on, I think knowing that I'm leaving in a few days and really having to accept the fact that I was here, and now I'm leaving and nothing has changed. It's just a hard pill to swallow. If I had the resources, I would bring every one of these kids home and take care of them. Give them the best medical care, plenty of food and more love than they could stand. But the reality is, it's not possible. I can only hope that I have helped them feel loved and made them feel like they mattered. Perhaps given them a little hope and in some small way made a little difference in what will be their all too brief little lives.

I wish you all could meet the children that I'm working with. They are incredible kids facing the toughest of odds and still managing to just be kids. I have learned so much from them and along with the sadness I feel, they have brought me a tremendous amount of joy in the short time I've been with them. I am so grateful for this experience and my heart is filled with so much love for each and every one of them.

Cape Malay

Today was a good day at the creche but exhausting. Again, one teacher was out and the other teacher really didn't have much in the way of plans for the children. Susie and I were on our own a good part of the morning, with the children and due to the language issue, we weren't very effective. So the first hour the kids were a little out of control. Of course, now that my time here is almost up (my last day there is Thursday), the kids are starting to listen to me a little bit. When a few of them were being naughty today, I could give them "the look" and firmly say no and point to their chair and tell them to sit down, and some of the actually sat, like they are starting to respect my authority.

Unfortunately most of the children are aggressive and if they don't get their way, they punch and hit or kick the other children. Today there seemed to be a lot of fighting followed by tears. Amazingly though....once the other child starts crying, most of the time the child who hit them, will touch them, rub their arm, and in their way, apologize. And none of the children seem to hold any sort of grudge. Once the squabble is over, it's over and everyone is friends again. I just don't understand why they resort to hitting so often.

We did do some puzzles today and all of the kids seem to love puzzles. No snack again today though. I guess they just don't have it. So, I'll bring snack tomorrow and on Thursday.

I saw my little sweetheart today. My class spent a little extra time on the playground, so I spent extra time holding my little buddy. My gosh he's sweet. He was pointing at stuff and jabbering today....and eating Cheetos...so I was covered in drooly orange cheeto goo when I left today....but was very happy and content! :) He had a snack in his backpack, which tells me he probably has at least one parent and isn't an orphan. So I feel a little better, but am still too afraid to ask! He's an angel and I adore him. I can't wait to see him tomorrow.

After our volunteer work, we went to Cape Malay this afternoon. Cape Malay is a community of colored people mostly of Indonesian descent. The population in the Western Cape area is about 6000 people and 90% are Islamic, the other 10% are Christian. The communities earlier members were brought here by the Dutch as slaves. They were the ones that first introduced Islam to South Africa.

The Cape Malay Quarter that we visited today is called Bo-Kaap and is extremely charming, almost romantic. The houses are very colorful with cobblestone walkways. They are very well known for their cuisine and we were invited to a traditional lunch in this cute little cafe. The food was delicious and the folks that work there were wonderfully warm and welcoming. There is no pork or alcohol served there and you eat with your right hand (not so easy for a lefty) and then we toured the Bo-Kaap Museum.

I have to say, of all the "field trips" we've been on and things we've seen...I think I enjoyed this one the most. It was very interesting.

Today was another incredible day in Cape Town.

Two Days Worth

Yesterday's volunteer work was uneventful and more of the same. The kids were great and I love them more each day. After we were through, the drivers picked everyone up and took us to the waterfront. We took a ferry over to Robben Island.

It was very interesting. The ferry ride took about an hour and once we got to the island we were herded onto a bus, with a driver and a tour guide. We drove all around the island and he was pointing out the school, the church, the cemeteries, lime quarry...he talked about how it was a leper colony until 1931, then during the Second World War they installed bug huge guns and as part of Cape Towns defense. Then in 1959 it became a Maximum Security Prison...I won't give the history lesson here, but if you aren't familiar with it, please do a little research...better yet, read Nelson Mandela's autobiography, "Long Walk to Freedom." I highly recommend it. Anyway, I got sidetracked....my point was, as this guy was touring us around the island he was asking for a show of hands as to who was from where and so on, and then he said, well now that I know you all, let me introduce myself I am prisoner number xxxx. The bus fell silent. He was a colored man, who was a political prisoner on Robben Island at the same time Mandela was there. The guy was incredible. He was so nice, and sincere and so positive, he really moved me. After the bus tour of the island, we took a tour inside the prison. Apartheid....I still just can't grasp it....it was just horrendous.

Today...we got tied up in traffic on the way to the creche due to an accident and we were about 40 minutes later than usual. I guess the children thought we weren't coming, because when Susie and I walked into the door, the all started cheering and jumping up and down and then they all ran to us, hugging, grabbing, kissing....they almost knocked us down. It felt so good!

I also realized today that I have become very attached to the sweetest little boy in the daycare room. They one lady I asked said he was a year old (I think he's a little younger) and his name sounds like M-C-C (not sure of the spelling). But he is wonderfully adorable. I'm not even sure if he is orphaned or if he has parents. I figured it was best I didn't know for sure. He seems like an orphan only because he is one of the little babies who just cries all the time unless he is held. I'm not sure if he is HIV+ or not either. But, when I'm outside with our classroom kids and he is out there milling around crying, I always pick him up. Today he fell asleep in my arms and I laid him across my body and held him so I could see his precious face. He has those front four little teeth and he has cute little dimples. He is just too precious. I've held him numerous times before and fed him lunch before....but something clicked with me today. He totally melted my heart. I couldn't take my eyes off of his face, and I couldn't look at him without tears filling my eyes. It's going to be hardest to tell him goodbye in a week.

Anyway, today was more shopping after work. I managed to find the Harley Davidson dealer, so I'll be on Rick's good list when I come home! :) And I'm still on the search for a batter charger for my camera battery. Once I get that, I can start taking and uploading pics again.

Glad tomorrow is Saturday, I'm tired and getting sick, so a day to sleep in will be wonderful.

Till tomorrow....

Takalani Street

Molweni!

Today at the creche we taught the children how to play musical chairs. It took them a few rounds to get it....but then....the competition was on! They were so funny. They have one TV in the classroom that gets marginal reception, but guess what was on TV today? Takalami Sesame. It's a South African Sesame Street. It was very cute.

I've been seeing days where the kids come to school and there is no structure, and they don't really do anything educational. When I say no structure, I mean the kids just run around the room, yelling and playing with each other. They stop to do whatever activity we bring each day, but somedays, it's only our activity and then nothing really planned until lunch and nap. The teachers are there and they love the children and the children have a good time, but I just feel like the kids are missing out on the opportunity to learn. I clearly remember my children at the age and their progression in pre-school and they were definitely more advanced at that age. On the way to the school, as we drive thru the townships, there are lots of school aged children that are out wandering the streets, not even going to school. It just bothers me to say that I don't think the cycle will ever change. These people will never get out of these poverty stricken townships. And I'm not sure that it is strictly a lack of resources as much as it's just a mind-set now. What is heartbreaking for me is that I'm bonding with these kids and they truly matter to me. I want a better life for them and I can't do a thing about it. All I can do, I guess, is love them and bring them a little joy for the short time that I'm here.

I do know that during the days of structure, the teachers have the kids in a circle and they have this little mantra the kids repeat, "No school, no education....no education, no job....no job, no money.....no money, no future.....go back to school, go back go school, go back to school." Now most of the kids speak very very little English....so do the really understand what they are saying, probably not, but I guess it's a start.

We did walk over to a couple of the orphan homes today. I met the house mothers. They were genuinely warm and there house was very adequate. Each home has 6 children. They are three bedroom cinderblock structures. Two toilets (basically a full bath and a 1/2 bath), a kitchen, family room, washer and dryer. There is a boys room and a girls room, each with bunkbeds. The furniture was old and worn, but it was furniture. I felt very at home and each place was very cozy. There was nothing spectacular or fancy, but you could feel the love when you walked in the door. One of the houses had a lot of the kids art work taped to the walls. The Mama proudly showed us the pictures of her kids. One of the kids in my class, Bono lives in one of the houses we toured. Bono I think is 5 years old and has been with this woman since he was 11 months old. I felt much better seeing where he lived. I'm quite sure it feels like home to him there, with a mother and the other orphans are his siblings. Bono lost both of his parents to AIDS. I'm not quite sure whether or not he is positive, but I would say it's highly likely. Aside for the fact that both of his parents were infected, he always has a horrible runny nose and cough, but like all the kids in the class, he always seems to have lots of energy. I'm not sure if that's because he is not infected or if it's due to his ARV treatments.

Elton John has been here are toured all of these places, and each of the "Home from Home" homes and the creche, he has autographed the walls. "Hakuna Mattata. With much love, Elton John." Very cool. When the rich and famous are involved, these places are more recognized and maybe will get more help.

After our placement we went on a little field trip to a place called Sibanye. The word Sibanye in Xhosa means "working together." This is an economic empowerment organzation. It is a township-based, non-profit, craft marketing organzation. Their mission is to provide market access for HIV-infected and affected communities producing handmade crafts. We learned all about their organization and the types of things they make and sell and had time to do a little shopping. It's really a neat place. If you are interested in knowing more please check out their website: http://www.sibanye.org.za/.

Well, that's it till tomorrow. Tomorrow is our Robbens Island tour after our volunteer work.

Tuesday!

Another day almost done! Today was another good day at the creche. I'm finding myself falling in love with each of the kids. They all have some special little endearing quality that just melts its way right into my heart. I wish I could bring them all home with me. It's been so interesting watching and working with the children. Some of them accepted me right away and were, from the beginning, fighting for my attention and some have been more reserved. In those reserved kids, I'm starting to see the trust there...and they are opening themselves up to me.

I always work in the classroom, but when we are out on the playground and during lunch we are also with the younger children. There is one little girl that I would say is about 18 months old, and she just wants to be held. There are so many children and so few "Mamas" that work there, it's impossible to hold one child all day. So she toddles around and cries a lot. I picked her up yesterday and the instant she was in my arms, the tears stopped. My guess is she is an orphan. She is so desperate for affection...just plain human touch. It breaks my heart. She is very petite and has the cutest little dimples. I held her for about 30 minutes and then it was lunchtime. I sat her in front of me and fed her rice and vegetables. I actually got her to giggle and smile. (That's when I discovered her cute little dimples)!!! After lunch, I sat on the ground and held her in my lap while I rocked back and forth, until she fell asleep. There are a lot of days where one of the Mama's put her on their back and wrap a large towel or blanket around, which virtually works like the Snugli's we use at home. She can work around the center while the baby just hangs around on her back. That little sweet pea is also content with that.

She wasn't there today, and I missed her. But there are lots of other children there that need the same love and affection.

Today was a nice change for the children; they didn't get rice! They had pappa, which is actually maize. It looks sort of like mashed potatoes but has a very dry sort of lumpy texture. We had some here at the house, it's actually pretty good. I don't eat grits, but somehow I think that's probably what it's like, just much thicker. They had that with gravy and a little bit of meat. The kids seemed to enjoy it. No snack again today. :( I brought snack yesterday, and again it was a big hit. Cheese and crackers and juice! I really wish I could bring them something everyday, I just don't want to set them up for disappointment, after I leave. So I think twice a week will have to do. I think on my last day, I'm going to pack a cooler full of ice cream and we'll make sundaes!

Yesterday after we returned from our placements, a group of us went to this place called African Allsorts. It's a beading place that makes these incredible animals, key chains, magnets, Christmas ornaments, etc. I don't mean beading like the kind of beading my daughter does with all the kits she gets for birthday's etc. These are real artists creating these masterpieces. They have made pieces for Oprah, the CEO of Coca Cola, and some display pieces for some large retailers in NY City. The tag on the gecko I bought says it all, " African Allsorts is a social upliftment project that aims to provide a sustainable future for previously disadvantaged artists and present their wonderful creative skills to the world." We toured their facility and met with their artists. Please check out their website: http://www.africanallsorts.com. Their website doesn't do any of the work justice....request a brochure, and if you work with me...come by my cubicle and see my gecko, when I return!

Well, I must get ready for my 5:00 pm lesson in Xhosa.

Cape Tour!

Today was an AMAZING day! We went on an incredible tour of the Cape. We drove all along the coast and our guide was great. We made numerous stops along the way. We stopped at this really great Wharf. We did a little shopping, and I mean very little because I am not at all comfortable with bartering...and that's what you do there. But we got to see seals and I got to pet a seal! The seal in the picture, is 45 years old and the man in the picture has been buddies with him for 20 years. He feeds the seal fish and allows people to pet and take pictures with him, for a donation into his basket.

We also went to Cape of Good Hope, and into the Table Mountain National Park. There we saw baboons, springboks, and wild ostrich. We were able to get about 4 feet from the baboons. I guess we saw about a dozen of them. They get aggressive with food and everyone was warned not to have food on you or leave your car open. We stopped in one area and everyone got out to take pictures of a baboon that had made himself comfortable on the hood of someone's car and although we shut the van doors, someone left a large sliding window open....the baboon started jogging towards the van and our driver had to start moving until one of us could jump into the moving van and shut the window. The place was incredibly beautiful.....maybe breathtaking is a better word. It's hard to believe that all this beauty lies so close to the beyond belief poverty stricken townships.

After we left the National Park we headed along the coast and saw numerous beaches, saw one of the prisons that held Nelson Mandela for two years before he went to Robben Island and then headed to my favorite part of the day.....The Boulders!! This is where the penguins are. We were able to get so close to them! They were so cute and didn't seem to mind us there at all.

It was a long day.....between the wind and the sunburn....I'm pretty worn out. Tomorrow will be a relaxing day at homebase with maybe a small walk into town.

The weekend is here!!!

Just finished up another great day at the creche. The children were all really good today. Not too terribly busy. We didn't get to make our noodle necklaces since there were a few kids absent and the teachers wanted to wait until everyone was there. So we played with playdough instead. Everyone played well together and all were well behaved. The kids have gotten pretty comfortable with us there and truly enjoy us being there. Can you guess what was for lunch? Rice...a big bowl of rice with a very little bit of vegetables and about one bites worth of chicken. They also had snack today, but it was ony 3 grapes. But the kids were happy.

I'm so glad the weekend is here...although we are only working 1/2 days....I'm still finding it exhausting. Tomorrow will still be somewhat of an early morning as a handful of us are going on a Cape Tour. We'll travel down the coast. They've promised we'll see penguins! Penguins...in South Africa! So it should be a really great day and the weather is supposed to be great. Sunday...will be a nothing day. I plan on sleeping in and maybe taking a walk into Rondebosch. I need to get to the post office and I need to buy a few more crafting supplies for the kids....and it's just a nice little walk. Not much to see...busy town streets with lots of traffic..but it's fresh air in the hot sun.

The food here is really good and our cook in the house, Simone is a master in the kitchen. There are a few of us veggies in the house, so there is always a meatless alternative. Todays lunch was a vegetable curry that we put on these homemade things that were very similar to flour tortillas...but I think these tasted a little better. Simone has promised me some of her recipes before I leave here. So family....and Monday night dinner folks.....expect some South African dishes! :)

I'm hoping a lot of folks will be out and about on Sunday. I like when the house is virtually empty and quiet. You can imagine the craziness with 27 people living here, most between the ages of 19 and 25. There are a few older folks too. Anyway...it's like Real World South Africa. I'm waiting to uncover the confession room with the cameras and all! :) Or wait...maybe its more like the Peace Corps meets Spring Break?!??! Either way.....the full house is sometimes overwhelming. I'm so grateful to have lucked out and gotten a room to myself and tend to spend a lot of time in here.

The weekend is going to be a nice break....but I will miss the kids and will be anxious to return on Monday.

A beautiful day

Today started out cloudy and dreary....with a little spitting rain, but has turned into a beautiful day. The sun is shining, they sky is very blue, there is a wonderful breeze and I hear all the birds chirping right outside the window. South Africa is very beautiful.

My day at the creche was a good one. These kids are simply amazing. Today I brought stuff for them to make Valentine Cards and they had cookies and juice. The kids almost never get "sweets" or "biscuits" (their words for the cookies). So when they see me take out the cookies they all start clapping and cheering. I am going around from table to table giving each child two cookies on a napkin. I get to the one table that has the older kids (5 and 6) and 4 of the boys, as I gave them their cookies they said, "Thank you, beautiful." in their sweet little accents. It melted my heart. One of the little girls, the percocious one I've mentioned before....came up to me as I was sitting on a small chair and hugged me and kissed me on the cheek. They are all little dolls.

We did a lot today! I brought paper doilies and construction paper to school today. We showed the children how to fold a red piece of paper in half and cut out the 1/2 of a heart, and unfold it to make a whole one. We wrote Valentine messages inside of their card and they decorated their cards with crayons. They seemed to really enjoy it. I think tomorrow we will make noodle necklaces.

After we made the cards, we had the cookies and juice....then they were given books to "read." They actually were to look at the pictures and then tell the class what they saw. I'm trying to pick up some Xhosa words from the kids. Then we sang the Alphabet and did the Calendar. Then it was outside play for a bit. I always spend that time pushing children on swings and being a human jungle gym. Then came lunch.....rice, a very little bit of what appeared to be kale and potatoes.

While I was helping the teacher put the mats down for nap, while the kids were eating...I was asking her about the ill children. She pointed out one little boy that just lost his father last month to AIDS. The child lives with his mother and two siblings. I'm not sure about the mother, but the siblings are fine and our student has AIDS. He takes medicine twice per day and seems to be doing well. Actually, he is one of the more healthy looking ones. He is full of energy. I did ask the teacher if the meds were readily available and she said yes. She said there were a few kids in the class on meds.

After we returned to homebase, we had someone come in from this organization called Positive Muslims who do HIV/AIDS education. I learned a few more things and got clarification on others. It was very informative. The speaker herself is positive. The statistics here in Cape Town are staggering. They have a drug now, that when an HIV+ mother is pregnant, they can give her drugs at the time of delivery and continue the baby on drugs for a brief period after to prevent the mother from infecting her baby. That sounds promising...but also creates other issues. It's not very socially acceptable to not breastfeed here and if a mother is not breastfeeding then it's obvious to others that the mother must be infected....so some breastfeed anyway....which infects the baby. The other issue....the baby is protected.....while their parents are infected...so this is creating more orphaned children.

I asked our guest speaker about the availability of meds and she too said that the meds are available at all the clinics and for free. One problem...some people live so far away from the clinics and it's too far to walk, so some can't always get there to get meds. They also have a problem with folks either getting some of their meds stolen or they sell some of it, because the younger folks here are using it as their drug of choice for getting high. They crush the pill and smoke it. I guess they sell some of it because they are so poverty stricken, it's easy money.

Today was an interesting day and I learned a lot. I'm starting to understand their issues and their culture a bit more, which is making things a little less difficult for me.

Looking forward to going in and loving on the kids tomorrow!!

Reality

Another day done....and although I can say it was a good day....I also have to say that I'm finding the days emotionally exhausting. The kids, as always, are great. They are always so happy to see us when they arrive in the morning...and when we are up standing in a circle singing or dancing..they all fight to hold our hands. I'm falling in love with all of them. What I'm having trouble with is the constant worry about their safety and health. It's just different here. The township is littered with trash, that blows onto their playground...there are items that just aren't safe for them and I try to pick up what I can, when I'm there. Today when the children went down for a nap, my partner and I were walking around picking up trash....along with some glass, sharp plastic, and scraps of trash, we also picked up a metal tuna can lid and a condom wrapper. My main concern though, is food. The children get rice everyday with a little bit of vegetable and sometimes a very very little bit of meat. Today was mostly rice, with a little bit of chicken liver (ick) and a very little bit of vegetables. They all inhale it. They have no drink during the day and no snacks. The teacher said they give them snacks when they can, but like today..there wasn't any to give. Most of the kids there are orphans..there are no parents to pack them lunch and snack. The creche (preschool) gets their food from a sponsor. So they take what they get, when they get it. These children are in a school with no a/c and then play in the hot South African sun...and don't have a cup of water. In fact...I'm not sure I've really seen any cups around there. As far as lunch...if there is a child that doesn't finish their lunch, it is scraped into another child's bowl, that is still hungry and wants seconds...there is no room for waste.

I am quite clear....and very determined...that my work with these kids will not be done when I leave here. I will sponsor them. I will have fund drives.....take donations, send money and care packages. They need so much. I am committed to do whatever I can for them.

We are told, "Most of the children at the creche are HIV+"......today I found myself looking around and thinking, I wonder how many of these kids will be alive 5 years from now. Will any of these sweet babies every see adulthood? Sure, people can live a long time with HIV....when they have money. The conditions these children live in....the odds are definitely against them. Most of them have terribly runny noses and coughs....I'm not sure of the HIV treatments they get...in fact..I think I'll ask that question tomorrow. I hope...but am not confident in saying that they are getting the medical care they need.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day! We are going to have a little party at the creche. I went out this afternoon and bought cookies and apple juice and supplies to make Valentine's. I'm sure it will be a fun day! The teachers have pretty much told us that we can do whatever activities we want and are welcome to bring snack anytime. The kids don't often get sweets...so this will be a real treat for them. Yeah...they think they like me now...wait till they see me pass out cookies! I will be their #1 tomorrow!! :)

I started out saying I was going to bring snack and drink everyday for these kids......but then thought....after I leave....there will be no one here to ensure they get it. It's not fair of me to make them expect it and then be disappointed. It's difficult when you want to do what you think is the right thing...but also not setting anyone up for disappointment and failure. The next volunteer that comes in may not have the money or desire to provide snacks and drinks daily. I don't want the children to rely on always having it, when that may not happen. So I will provide a small snack a couple days per week. I am trying to figure out a way to lightly approach the teacher and ask why they don't at least give the kids a cup of water during the day. If cups are an issue..I'll buy them plastic cups.

On a lighter note...the kids were sitting in a circle on the floor quietly doing the craft we brought in. Both teachers walked out and craziness broke out. As soon as the kids saw the teacher was gone...they took full advantage of Susie and me. They got up...they were yelling, running around, tossing crayons, papers....going outside, going into the other classroom. It was pure pandamonium I tell you. And here we are....two English speakers.....in a classroom full of Xhosa speaking children. They only command word I know is "NO!" I can't remember how it's spelled....but it sounds like "Aye"...so I'm running around the room....shouting Aye...and trying to get the escaping kids back in the room. Two of them getting into a slap fest in the corner...."Aye".......it was crazy. I looked at Susie...and she looked at me and said, "Don't look at me...I don't have any kids of my own...you have more experience than me!" I said quick...let's sing a song....we started singing "Do you ears hang low, do they wobble to and frow............." with the hand motions...all the kids stopped and gathered around...they were doing all the hand movements with us. We had to keep repeating the song until the teachers came back...at which time they totally calmed down and became the obedient children I was bragging about yesterday.....okay...so perhaps they aren't so different from American children after all. :)

Today was the day....

I actually got to go to my placement. What an experience. The children are incredible! I am actually working in a preschool/daycare that is run by the organization that also keeps the orphans. Some of the children are the orphans and some just attend the daycare and are dropped off by their parents.


The school is very cute and the teachers are incredible! They are so good with the children and totally teach from their heart. They love these children and it shows. The majority of the children there are HIV+. Some of the kids look totally healthy and fine and some look not so healthy. But they are all little angels and seemed happy to have us there. It's myself and another volunteer. The center is located right in the middle of one of the townships. We are driven by van, and buzzed into a gate. We aren't permitted to leave the gated area, as our sponsor feels that it wouldn't be safe for us to walk in the township. The center is surrounded by an iron gate with barbed wire across the top. Once inside though....I felt nothing but love and warmth. It was very easy to forget where we were located.


The school is really nice and the teachers do their best with what they have. There is no comparison to an American school....they are sorely lacking resources. The outdoor play yard, isn't the safest, and I'm trying to organize a "clean up" with the other volunteers in the house, however, we'd also have to have it okayed by the school. There are just objects out there the kids could get hurt on and there are sharp pieces of plastic, a little bit of glass here and there and some trash in the yard. All the kids come to school with shoes on, but many of them take them off shortly after arriving. I worry for their safety.


The classroom time was great fun! It's very structured. There are two classrooms, each one has 10-12 children. One classroom is filled with the bright shining faces of children that are between the ages of 2 1/2 -4. The other room the kids are 4-6. The children speak almost no English, but they are learning. Most of them can sing their ABC's and can count to 10. And they can sing a few American children's songs. They are also teaching them the days of the week in English and Xhosa. So, as one can imagine, the language barrier was quite a challenge today. BUT.....we have a Xhosa lesson this evening, to teach us key phrases...so that should be very helpful.


The kids were incredibly sweet...and very different from most American children. For instance, we played a game where the teacher was singing this song "There's a fire on the moutain...." a song she sings to them in English and parts in Xhosa. The kids sing along with her. They follow her in a circle and when she stops marching and singing, everyone is to freeze...those that move after she stops are eliminated. I know most of you have seen preschool aged children do it, and without a doubt at least one child (usually more), either get mad, pout or cry when they are eliminated...some even argue that they weren't moving. Not these kids, when they were called out, the moved against the wall and continued singing and clapping and smiling. They were just generally happy. Another difference, they are all so very well behaved. They listen to everything the teacher tells them. Line up for lunch, sit down, come here.....they are very obedient. It was quite refreshing to see, actually. I think the adults here just command a different level of respect, then what it is at home.


We helped them with their writing assignment when we first got there....there were making zeroes on their paper...you know....."0" they would write it and say "zero." Then we combined the two classes where they did the calendar, with the days of the week and the date in both languages. Then it was free play. I sat on the floor and played with lego's and stuffed animals while the kids climbed all over me. They love having visitors. After free time, they got to play outside. I was so glad to FINALLY get out in the beautiful South Africa Sun! Today was the first beautiful day since I've been here! We played outside until lunch time. We helped round the children up, and got them ready for lunch. We helped serve and I fed a couple of the younger ones. They were all very hungry and for the most part inhaled their meals. It actually looked delicious...it was rice with cooked vegetables over it....it was cabbage, peas and carrots. Everyone ate....no picky eaters in that group. We cleaned up the rice that was left behind as the children were put down for their nap and then our driver arrived to return us back to homebase.


There was one little girl in the classroom that was so funny and very percocious. She looks to be close to 4 years old. She was the talkative one of the bunch. She was always more worried about everyone elses zeroes they were writing instead of her own. Her teacher laughed and said that she was definitely the chatty one of the bunch. And when I was attempting to communicate with her, she would repeat everything I said in English. She was so very outgoing and terribly cute. She had these really cute little pink shoes on that she kept taking off and I would hold up her shoe and say, "Is this your shoe?" She'd smile and giggle because of course she couldn't understand me and I'd just hold up the shoe again and say, "shoe." She would always repeat shoe. The kids understand "Very Good." Because their teacher praises them with that. So if I could get any of them to do something I wanted I was always give them a big "very good!" and they would smile at the praise and I would smile that somehow we figured out a way to communicate.

It was an incredible day and I can't wait for tomorrow!

Touring the Townships

Today we toured the Townships. Most of these are just East of Table Mountain. The townships were created as a place for the non-whites to live during the Apartheid. Most families still live there today.

I have never seen so much poverty and as bad as the conditions are....the spirit of these people is just incredible. They still have such a sense of hope. Everyone that I met was so warm and genuinely welcoming. We spent the most time in Langa today. Langa was the first township and the smallest (and the most over crowded) that we toured. Most folks live in hostels, 10, 12....any number of people, living in one room, with a shared common area. When I say common area, I don't mean, a living room, furniture, etc. It's a dingy tile floor and two picnic tables. There are mats, so that at bed time, some people sleep on the tables. The floors are dirty, the kitchen...not even really a kitchen. The bedrooms, where so many people sleep are made as cozy as possible, and honestly the one I visited was very cozy. There was three beds, in the room, a few people to each bed, they have clothes lines across the room, to hang their clothes. The locals in this particular hostel welcomed us to come see their rooms. They were so nice. They were showing us their things and seemed sincerely glad to meet us.

If the people don't live in hostels, they live in shacks. We are told that the government has started tearing these places down and are replacing them with apartment like buildings so these people can live in better places.

The children are absolutely wonderful. When the van door opened and I started to climb out, when we got to Langa, I didn't even have both feet out the door and the sweetest little boy grabbed my hand and walked with me across the street. None of the smaller children speak English, but words aren't really necessary. I stooped down and smiled and rubbed my hand on his little cheek and his little face just lit up. Other kids were jumping up and down...they all wanted to touch us. They just wanted a little affection and attention. We went to a preschool/daycare today and the sweetest little girl grabbed my hand and started kissing it. None of the children at the daycare spoke English either, but they see enough English speaking foreigners that as soon as you take your camera out...they are all fighting to get in front and with big big smiles, they are shouting, "CHEESE!" They absolutely, positively melted my heart.

We saw the Trojan Horse Memorial. http://www.athlone.co.za/heritage/history/0604200601_history.php

We also saw the Gugulethu Seven Memorial

http://www.capetown.dj/Regions/CapeFlats/Gugulethu/GugulethuSeven.html

Today was a good day......emotional, but good. I certainly have a better understanding of Cape Town and it's wonderful people. It was shocking and sobering....but something that I am grateful to have experienced.

First Day!!

Today was orientation. I've met so many really nice people. The house is full of volunteers, I believe there are 28 of us, and everyone is just so great. Part of today's orientation included a brief history of South Africa before and after apartheid. Shirley, one of the employees here shared her experiences of life during that time. I've been reading Nelson Mandela's autobiography and even after talking to Shirley....I just still can't seem to wrap my head around the whole apartheid thing. It's just beyond belief.

We went out on a brief tour of Cape Town this afternoon. Even though the weather was far from perfect, it was still a really nice day. The little bit of Cape Town I've seen, is absolutely beautiful. We went to down town Cape Town, Signal Hill, Camps Bay, the Waterfront and even with the fog, got a really good view of Table Mountain.

My volunteer work doesn't actually start until Tuesday.....I just can't wait! Tomorrow is a tour of the townships and seeing where our workplace will be!!

My Placement!!!

Excited doesn't even begin to describe how I feel right now! I received my Volunteer Placement email today! I found out where I'll be working! I'll be working with Home From Home, a wonderful organization that provides foster care to orphaned, abandoned, and vulnerable children. Rather than these sweet children being institutionalized, they believe that the best place for these kids to thrive and grow is in family settings in their own communities.

Please check out their website: http://www.homefromhome.org.za/

I just cannot wait to get there and start working!! I'm so anxious to meet all of the children!!

I will be arriving in Cape Town in 9 days!

And a special little note to the lights of my life- Thank you so much for your support and understanding and your willingness to share your Mom with these wonderful kids for a few weeks. I love you both, tons.