Beautiful Weather, Happy Children, and a Braai...doesn't get much better than this!

Another great day! Morgan did not attend the creche today as he had a check-up at the hospital, so it was just Chumani today. He and I both had an awesome day! He played, and sang, and practiced his writing and I pushed him on the swing! Best of all....the teachers in the classrooms seem to be getting on board! It was a very promising day! I think they are starting to realize how smart he is! They actually engaged him, asked him questions, moved his chair around so he was involved with the group. At one point, I was even setting up the tables outside for lunch, and one of the teachers picked him up from his chair and took him outside to the swings! Definitely making progress! I am feeling a little better about it. Let's just hope it sticks after I leave.

I am going to talk to our Program Director about some things I'd like to see happen, such as real training for the staff! I think these children were thrusted upon the teachers with no warning. They were given no background information on Morgan or Chumani. Yesterday one of the teachers was amazed to find out that Morgan could hear! She thought he was deaf. He's been attending the creche for about 8 weeks now! I also found out that both boys suffer from seizures (which is common, I understand, with some CP patients). I'm certain none of the teachers are aware that they could have a seizure nor do I think they would know what to do in the event of one. Training needs to be done. Medical and some sort of sensitivity training. Especially now that it sounds like they may be sending a third child from the CP home to join Morgan and Chumani. Sounds like this will happen next week. I'm a little nervous about it, as it's difficult enough taking care of two of them by myself in two different classrooms...and now a third. But I'll manage.

Without Morgan there today, I was able to spend the whole time in the classroom. I worked with the older of the two classes. Chumani is in with the younger and actually seems to do a little better when I'm not in the room with him. The kids in my class were practicing writing their first and last names. It was cool to see them learning! They are getting prepared for primary school! Some will go next year and the others will go the following year. The weather was beautiful today so we all spent a good bit of time on the playground! YAY!

After lunch, the kids went down for a nap and Chumani and I went to the playground to swing while we waited on Wonga (our driver). Chumani was being silly and kept saying in his sweet little accent, "Rhonda...I'm laughing!" I kept saying, "I know Chumani, I hear you and you're making me laugh too!" We both were laughing and singing and he was just being so silly...so I called him a "Silly Willy" and he repeated it and cracked up laughing at the sound of it. I was trying to make sure he understood the context of it so I kept saying, "silly willy....funny...laughing..." He kept repeating it and laughing. I told him "Chumani is a Silly Willy!" And he cracked up! So when our driver arrived and we climbed into the van (there were a couple other volunteers in the van), and I asked him, "What's Chumani?" He said, "Wonga is a Silly Willy!" And we all started laughing, Wonga included. When we arrived at Chumani's home to drop him off and I carried him inside, Morgan was home from his appointment with a big smile on his face, so happy to see me! I picked him up and gave him a hug, told him how much I missed him and he planted a big ol' kiss on me! Gosh how I love those two little boys. They make me a better person and I'm so grateful to have them in my life, however briefly.

It was just an awesome day! And it couldn't have come at a more perfect time. I was starting to feel tired and a little frustrated with the way things were going at the school...so I really needed this day to restore my faith and re-energize me!

After placement we went on a field trip for lunch, as a group. They took us to this cool little restaurant called Mzoli's. It's in the heart of one of the townships called Guguletu. We sat outside and there was a band! There was one drummer and three marimba players and a guy that sung! The band is called Abakhaya and I purchased their CD. It was so much fun! It was a traditional South African Braai. A braai is basically a cookout. We had bbq'd chicken, beef sausage and lamb chops cooked on an open fire with traditional South African side dishes. It was a great afternoon! You know me....I stuck to the chicken! :)

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.