Kittens Update from Jessica

A few people have asked for an update on the kittens that we wrote about earlier, so we gave Jessica the task:

The kittens have moved up to the accommodation block recently. Their mom has officially disowned them; whenever they come near her she hisses to ward them off. Baggie, the black kitten, has discovered how easy it is to catch the free range chicks, and has gone from being the skinniest of the three to the plumpest and sleekest. Petrus (the farm manager) is not thrilled with Baggie, but one of the dogs that they bring to the office recently ate 3 chicks, so he is a little quieter about the matter now.

While it is fun the watch the kittens playing together, there are some disadvantages to having them live by us. One is that they like to be on schedule and loudly complain when their meals are served too late. We had an open garbage bin sitting out, and I noticed that two of the kittens were sitting on the rim, picking things out. I went closer and saw that the third, Cleo, was digging in the garbage can, eating some beef bones. She was concentrating so hard on this that I was able to pick her up by the scruff of her neck. She somehow managed to hiss with a big beef bone in her mouth at the same time. As soon as I let her go she was off and running… with the bone firmly clasped in her little teeth! After we found all the garbage from that container spread all over the tarmac, we brought a garbage can with a lid up. Kittens are very inquisitive, and though they can often save themselves, it is not always possible.

Cleo the kitten had a big ‘Adventure’ two Wednesdays ago. I was coming back from preschool when I heard this loud meowing coming from down the hill towards the jungle. I thought it was just a hungry kitten so I went to look. I was standing on top on the septic tank and realized it was coming beneath me… in the septic tank. There was a large hole in the side, and the poor thing must have fallen in or been chases in there by a dog. I went down the office and told mom, but she wasn’t worried because she thought it was safe on a ledge. She and dad went a little ways off and tried to calmly discuss what to do. Micayla and I sat on the front step of our house. Then I heard a splash come from the tank. I looked in and saw that the Cleo was trying to climb out of the dirty water: up a vertical wall opposite of me. I tried hard not to freak out as it kept falling back into the water. It had its paw stuffed into a chink between the bricks, and it kept on falling into the water. We tried to pull it out with a long stick, but it couldn't hold on. I found a long wide board and we stuffed that down the hole. It grabbed on, and we went away to leave the kitten to climb out itself because it was still afraid of us and might jump back into the water if we frightened it. Mom and dad went back to the office because they thought it would climb out itself. But they made us promise not to try and pull the kitten out ourselves. We went around putting up signs in the bathroom and telling people not to flush any toilets, as this might cause a wave and wash the kitten back into the water... So we told Baba Gwala, one of the Zulu farm workers, and he was very concerned. He came and carefully pulled the kitten out. We were afraid that it might fall back in but it didn't. Where this kitten would usually disappear in the blink of an eye when a human was close enough to tough it, it didn’t move as he lifted it of the plank on which it had been rescued. Cleo was way too weak to even move. Dad came and gave it a bath, but still it just lay there. Then we dried it off and took turns holding it and feeding it warm milk to keep it warm. I had made a bed for it with a cardboard box and a hot water bottle to keep it warm. After it was fed and warm, it began to purr VERY loudly. I suspect it liked being pampered. After another meal and a long nap, it was ready to go, so we put it outside. Cleo had a moment where she was torn between the nice warm house and her bed with the hot water bottle in it, and the free and wild life of the outdoors. In the end she chose the out doors. I suppose the blood of the African wild cats flows thick in her veins, and no amounts of love and creamy milk will wash that away. The whole ordeal took about 3 hours. We don't know how long it was in then skeptic tank... I had heard meowing the day before coming from the same spot, but if it was hanging onto the side of a vertical wall, it was probably only in there for minutes before I heard it. But it is alive, and will wander into our kitchen and ask for milk whenever it is hungry, and its siblings will tag along too. She is still a little timid, but there are times where she feels relaxed enough to play with our fingers. This story will probably bring out a few chuckles, at the very least a smile, but I tell you, I have never felt more anxious and scared than the first few moments when I saw it swimming around in that septic tank. As we said later, nothing deserves to die that way.

Kitten Description by Micayla

Micayla added this description of one of the siblings of Cleo of the septic tank:

Cat’s Description

• Gray with black cheetah markings
• A black line down the back
• Gentle eyes
• Silky ears
• White sock feet
  

Mood

• Playful, active
• Sometimes grumpy
• Shy
• Crazy
• Kind

NAME: Isis

Reflections on the Early Education project and Zulu women

Last week I (Dan) had the opportunity to visit all four of the preschools that GGA Outreach is assisting: two that I visit every week, and two that I have just visited for the first time recently.

The one at which I normally work daily is known as CRAFCOR Preschool, the name of which comes from the CRAFCOR Abattoir (Slaughterhouse) who own the building & property. This preschool was formed when the local chief and his wife approached GGA about the need for a good preschool in the KwaXimba area, and GGA decided to move it's preschool to this location 12 km away and to invite children from the "valley". The CRAFCOR Preschool is well-equipped by local standards, is reasonably well-run, and is well-staffed by four GGA volunteers, four local Zulu teachers, and a cook. One could even say the CRAFCOR preschool is over-staffed, but that's because it functions as a training centre. It has become GGA's pilot project for our other Early Education projects.

The second one, known as #9 Preschool, is one that I visit at least twice each week. The name comes from the name of the community: #9 is a village within the KwaXimba region that at one time was the 9th of 10 stops for a local railway. I've written about #9 before (see 23-Feb entry)...it is a temporary one-room classroom with about a dozen kids. GGA is helping them build a new school building later this year, likely in September, and we expect their enrollment to double for the start of the 2007 school year in January. My bi-weekly visit to this school happens to coincide with their Zulu dance lesson, so I get to participate (I'll pause to let you imagine that for a second!) and to observe the incredible improvement in these children each week. These kids have become exponentially more confident, happier, more coordinated, healthier, stronger, more verbal, and more capable of learning in the past 3 months. It is amazing to witness firsthand how important physical movement is to overall learning at this stage of development.

The third preschool, in Swayimane, is quite a bit further removed...about 45 minutes from where we live and work. Thandazile, the teacher at this school, saw the need for a preschool in her neighbourhood, and built a tiny one room mud structure with her own hands.

In this building, not much bigger than a van, she teaches up to 25 children. She doesn't just supervise...she is a dedicated early education specialist, who has actively pursued training for herself. This week, GGA's building team will be laying the foundation for the first phase of her new school: initially, a classroom, toilets, and outdoor play area; eventually, a second classroom and kitchen. Our friends Lilith and Bram have raised money from Holland to equip the school with educational materials, toys, and a jungle gym.

The final preschool, in Ingcindezi, is relatively close, about 4 km off the main road between the Outreach Centre where we currently live and the Residential Care Centre where we lived for our first 6 weeks. The Ingcindeze preschool has only recently been brought to GGA's attention, and it certainly is in need. Originally a part of a larger preschool, the teacher (Phumzile) was left on her own with a class of about 28 three and four year-olds when the five year-old class was moved into a reasonably well-equipped room in the local primary school. The teacher of the five year-olds now receives a government salary as a "Grade R" teacher (like our Kindergarten). Although Phumzile charges a very low fee, only about half of the parents can afford to pay; from this fee she purchases meager supplies, and only sometimes is there any left over to pay herself a salary. Again, this school is just single room with bare walls, no tables or chairs, shelves, cupboards, running water, nor toilets. We are in the process of trying to raise funds so that GGA can help.



These visits helped to rekindle in me an excitement for the value of the Early Education project that I have the privilege of working on. First of all, it is easy to see first hand how vital Early Education is, especially here where the development and safety of young children can be compromised because caregivers give priority to family survival. The importance of skill development in the preschool ages is well-documented: language, social aptitude, physical well-being, and even spiritual and emotional development are all in the process of formation.



Furthermore, these preschools are all incredible examples of the resourcefulness, determination, and commitment of individual Zulu women. I can't tell you how humbled and impressed I am by the selflessness of many of the women here. These women in the preschools are often pillars in their community, although not always recognized and never compensated as such. Please say a prayer of support for them.

Happy Mother's Day

Our thanks to all of you who sent your condolences to Dan and I this week upon the event of becoming the parents of a teenager. We ushered in this new era in our lives on Jessica's 13th birthday last Saturday! Aren't we MUCH too young to be the parents of a teenager?! We celebrated the event by spending a day at "the biggest mall in the Southern Hemisphere" in Durban, where we shopped, ate, and saw an Imax film. Jessica also conquered "the Rock", which claims to be the world's highest freestanding, indoor climbing rock, standing over ---- stories high! We still marvel at the fact that a mere 1/2 hour drive can take us from the poorest valleys in South Africa, to the materialistic world of shopping and entertainment. On the drive to the mall, we pass traditional mud rondavels, corrugated metal shanty towns, and also huge villas. We often wonder how long we would have to live here before we could flip between those two worlds and not feel the stinging guilt that reminds us that although we may live and work with the poor right now, we are actually among the wealthy.

Workwise, this week has been much the same as ever. I have been helping several young adults from the community write business plans for the small businesses they dream of starting. It is quite common here to speak to a young Zulu person and find that they are trying to start a business of some kind. Since there are literally almost no jobs in the rural areas (over 70% unemployment!), the young people have lost hope in being employed by others and their only alternative is to start small business initiatives of their own. The young adults I've worked with are motivated and ambitious, and want desperately to stay within their communities, and yet they feel the burden of financial responsibility. Most of them have no parents, aging grandparents, and younger siblings who look to them for help. One young man (Mkhonzo) is incredibly talented with a sewing machine, and designs and sews his family's clothes. He is currently in our Craft Program here at GGA, and is learning some business management and marketing skills. He would like to open his own shop one day. One young lady (Talent) dreams of opening a youth drop-in centre complete with a library and computers. She believes this will keep the valley kids "out of trouble", and give them a place to do homework. She loves literature and poetry and would like to share that passion with younger children. I also wrote a business plan for a group of young people who want to start a bakery.

It's neat to work with South African's who are the hope for the next generation. I love hearing about their dreams and encouraging them to set their goals high and not give up. They will have to be persistent. It's a challenge to set up a small business even in Canada, but imagine doing it when you have a limited education, no access to computers or internet, no capital to buy supplies, no contacts, and your target market has absolutely no disposable income! And yet, they really wouldn't benefit from being given a handout to start their business, because it would take away the process that will make them strong and proud of their accomplishments. Hopefully we can provide help and encouragement to move them to the next step.

This is once again our "work weekend", and our tasks are to clean the communal areas, pick up garbage, wash the vehicle, and sand the wooden desks that will be refinished and used in the training room. Hopefully we'll get most of that done today so that we can enjoy a more peaceful Mother's Day. We had a real cold snap again early this week, and I was awfully tempted to go out and buy a heater for our house. But, it would have to be a kerosene heater, since the electrical wiring wouldn't support an electric heater, and we only have 6 weeks left in our little house! So, we just put on an extra layer of clothes, and drank a lot of hot tea. Yesterday it began to warm up again, and today we are back up to 25 degrees...much better!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you out there! Whether you're an exhausted mom of a newborn whom you wake up to feed each night, or the mommy of a pre-schooler who asks "WHY?" at least 450 times a day, or the mom of a teenager who causes you sleepless nights, you are an amazing woman! God bless you.

Special hugs and kisses to you, Mom Taubensee...you are our prayer warrior, our inspiration, our encourager, and the best Grandma that ever lived! We love you dearly and miss you every day. A special tribute as well to my own mom, who went to live in heaven over 15 years ago. I still hear her voice in my thoughts and know that she is cheering me on! I was blessed to know her for 21 years.
Cathy

Holiday Pics Explanation

Below you'll find a few of the hundreds of pictures taken on our recent holiday (written about in our April 27th post).  In case you are wondering, the pictures are...

• Jessica at the lovely Yellowwood farmhouse restaurant in Howick
• Micayla with her favourite orphan lamb at Wagtail Nests, whom she nicknamed "Beauty"
• Celebrating the ascent of a mountain that we conquered (OK, hiked up) while staying in the area at Wagtail Nests.
• Making putu (traditional Zulu cornmeal porridge) for about 1000 people in the cookhouse at KwaSizaBantu
• Cathy with the orphan lambs
• Me and my well-traveled Tilley Hat at the beach in Shaka's Rock
• Donkeys on the road to Dargle
• The beautiful scenery of Shaka's Rock...and the beach doesn't look bad either. ;-)

Once again, thanks Nikki for helping us get these pictures posted!

Holiday Pics 1

Holiday Pics 2

Freezing...in Africa!?

It is "Worker's Day" today, which is our equivalent of "Labor Day", and this means that the day is moving at a slower pace than usual.  I know we often complain about the unpredictability of Calgary's weather, but South Africa is similar in that regard.  On Friday and Saturday, we were cooking hot, but today it feels like an October day in Alberta!  It's winter here now, and although it's still not much to whine about, it does get a wee bit chilly in our unheated house with unsealed windows and doors.  We have a piece of fabric stuffed under the door to block the cold breeze, the rain, and also the frogs.  We are quite used to sharing our home with froggies now, and often have 2 or three hopping about.

 

It was a bit of an adjustment to go from the state of "high adventure" we were in on our holiday week, back to the routine of daily life here.  Dan had a bit of damage control to do at the preschool, where food supplies were running out, a window had been broken, and an important key lost.  I came back to find several piles of paperwork on my desk that needed to be attended to, some medical supply shipments that needed to be located, and a funding proposal deadline that needed to be met.  It was nice to hear our supervisor mutter several times that she had really missed us while we were gone, and that she can't imagine how she'll cope when we leave.   It's nice to be appreciated!

 

The girls are also finding it tough to get back into routine, and have been a bit "resistant" to their return to daily schoolwork.  I must admit that after being a home school parent for these months, I think that those of you who do it full time are heroes!  To attempt to help a hormonal teenager navigate the murky waters of geometry seems to be beyond the capabilities of my patience some days, and I look forward to handing the job back over to school teachers in the fall.  Jess will be turning 13 in just 4 days, and keeps reminding us that she will then be a full-fledged teenager.  She tells us with a big smile on her face that she's going to be "really BAD" starting next week...oh joy!  Actually, she is a delightful young lady in spite of her threats, and most of the time Dan and I are able to chuckle and remember what it was like to be 13.  Other days...our 3 room house feels just a bit crowded!

 

Yesterday we made the trek into a town call Hillcrest to attend church.  Hillcrest is a rather "white, upper-class" suburb of Durban, and one street there is literally lined with churches.  We thought we might just drive down the street and find one that sounded interesting.  We had just pulled over between a Methodist and an Anglican church and were reading the signs to find out when their services start, when our attention was drawn to a heated discussion between two men on the sidewalk.  A shabbily-dressed black man had evidently been asking church-goers for money, and he was being confronted by one of the "authorities" of one of the churches.  The white man was shouting his disapproval, and telling the other gentleman not to come back here on a Sunday morning again!

It was one of those times where you see something happen, your mind struggles to understand the situation, your stomach literally turns, and even as you drive away, you wish had shouted, "No, stop!  This is crazy wrong!"  I must say that we didn't enter either of those two churches, but even as we listened to a sermon at at church down the street, we could not stop thinking about the solemn lesson that was portrayed on the sidewalk that morning.  Even here in Africa, the well-dressed church-goers don't like to be reminded of the poverty and death all around them.  I can't help but think that all the time, energy, and money that was spent in the dozens of local churches on Sunday morning could have been used so differently.  Why are there still so many churches where only the clean, well-dressed, and "acceptable" people are allowed to enter, and then only if they leave their needs and problems outside?  It seems ludicrous to us that people here deny the cries for help from fellow South Africans who are dying in droves just down the street, but we realized that we do no differently in North America.  The need less evident, and more easily ignored...but the lesson is the same.