Hello from Swaziland!

Just a quick hello as we explore the "truly African" country of Swaziland! It was an 8 hour drive from the Durban area, and after some adventures finding accomodations, we landed at a "Backpacker" in the middle of a game reserve! We arrived in the dark, and were suprised to wake up to see warthogs and ostrich grazing a few feet from our door! We've been able to pick fresh grapefruit for breakfast off the trees on the lawn, and eat Swazi food cooked on the open fire. This country is unusual because it is actually still ruled by a real king...and we met him yesterday! We stumbled upon a ceremony in the game park where he and several of his 16 wives (for real!) were attending. Quite an experience! Poor Dan has his hands full with just one wife, but I think he was a bit jealous anyways!
Today was spent obtaining a visa for Mozambique and visiting various craft markets. Tomorrow it's off to the coast of Mozambique!

Acts 20:35

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Wrapping Up at GGA

As many of you know, we leave GGA on Monday morning to embark on a time of relaxation and adventure before coming home.  We’re continuing to wrap up all the projects that we’ve been working at.  There are still reports to write and files to organize.  Dan threatened to pull an “all nighter” in order to get everything done, but instead he has been waking up way too early in the mornings.  I have tried hard to wrap up my office in order to concentrate on organizing the packing.  We’ve realized that we can only bring home about ½ the weight we brought here, since South African Airlines is much stricter than Air Canada on luggage weight restrictions.  That means that in order to bring home some of the cool African things we’ve bought here, we have to leave many of our clothes and books here.  This is not too bad, since they will be well used and appreciated by those we give them to here.  The packing is a bit tricky, since we need to pack some things that we’ll not need until Canada, some that we’ll need on our holiday here in Africa, and some that we’ll need for our stopover in London.

 

So, here’s the plan for the next few weeks.  We will leave our little home on the farm on Monday morning (the 26^th) and head north into Swaziland.  We hope to lay low there and just relax and recover from the stress of the past few weeks (and months!).  There’s a great game park to visit, good hiking, and wonderful craft markets in Swaziland!  Then we’ll head east to Mozambique to spend a few days days in the coastal city of Maputo.  Apparently the snorkeling is world class (comparable to the Great Barrier Reef, Australia), and the seafood is great!  Since this is quite a way north of where we are now, we hope to hit some hot weather.  Due to finances, we had originally planned to stay in the Durban area for our last 10 days in SA, but we’ve decided to throw caution to the wind (what’s a little more debt!?) and see a bit more of Africa before we leave.  We’re all excited about the trip, and about our 3.5 days in London on the way home.  This will bring us back to Calgary on the afternoon of July 10^th!  I think I’d told a few of you that we are coming home on the 14^th, but that is incorrect.  Good thing I looked at our tickets recently (blonde moment!).

 

The good-byes have begun, and we’ve had a farewell party every day for the past 4 days, with 2 more to go!  On Wednesday, the lovely Zulu couple that live at the farm with us had us all over for supper.  This was a BIG deal, since they served us meat that would have been very costly to them.

On Thursday, the Outreach office staff had a dinner for us.  The speeches were so touching, and tears were shed.  Some of the Zulu staff said that 15 years ago, they would never have dreamed that they would someday share true friendship with “white people from Canada”.  At that time, it was illegal to speak to a white person, and a gathering such as the one we had would have landed them in jail.  These dear people grew up with this fear and oppression, and it’s to their credit that they’ve taken us in as family.  They have loved our girls and in turn, Jess and Micayla have loved them back.  Micayla was recently given a Zulu name which she is VERY proud of.  She is called Ntombanhle, which means “pretty little girl”.

On Friday, we had a farewell party at the main preschool, which was attended by ALL the teachers from the preschools that Dan and I have worked with.  It was heartbreaking to say goodbye as the children sang for us and the teachers showered us with hand-made gifts.  With tears, the teachers said, “we hope you will come back to us, but if not, we’ll see you in heaven!”  Dan was too choked to give a speech.

Today is packing and cleaning day, and tonight will be a farewell party with the other volunteers from GGA.  Tomorrow will be our last farewell, as we’ve planned a special dinner with our dearest fellow-volunteers here at the farm.  We’ll certainly need a holiday after a week of teary good-byes!  It’s stunning to us that we’ve managed to fall in love with a country and its people in 6 short months. 

 

We may not be posting an update for the next 10 days because our internet access will be sketchy.  So, don’t worry about us…we’ll be out enjoying our final days in Africa.  However, we’ll still be checking email as much as possible.  See you all soon!

The Joy of Giving - Update on Ingcindezi Preschool

Inside Ingcindezi Preschool, before...

...and after.


The new playground!

The first phase of the preschool project we’ve been working on is now complete, and although it’s been hard work, I think we’ve never been part of anything so rewarding in our lives! Amazingly, everything went according to schedule (we haven’t quite been able to let go of the Western need for a schedule!) and the little school is now cleaned, painted, and completely outfitted with beautiful toys, books, tiny furniture, and craft equipment. There’s a little play kitchen, an area with blocks, cars, and a magnificent farm, a quiet area with dozens of books and puzzles, a painting easel, and so much more! The playground went in on Tuesday, and yesterday we threw a party for the kids, teachers, and parents. We had a great time!
On our previous visits to this preschool, the children stood around quietly or sat in the dirt. With absolutely nothing to play with, the school was absolutely silent most of the time. Yesterday, the most beautiful sounds of children laughing, playing, screaming and running filled the air. And the smiles! Cost of changing the lives of 30 preschoolers? 15,000 Rand (or about $3,000 Canadian). The smiles and giggles? Priceless!!
The principal of the primary school next door and the president of the parent’s committee came to express their heartfelt appreciation for all we have done and given, and we told them that all of this is a gift from Canada. They said that if Canada has such wonderful people, we must go home and return with many of our friends. So, there’s the invitation to all of you! If you want to be involved in some crazy experiences that will change your life, then start planning your trip to help others overseas. We highly recommend it!
P.S. Thanks again, Nikki, for helping us get some pictures posted.

Fathers' Day Update...Savouring the Moments

Today I (Dan) was able to start the day my favourite way...waking up before the rest of the family and sneaking outside to enjoy some quiet time as the sun came up.  I sat and read a psalm, then watched and listened to the birds as they darted from tree to tree or rummaged through the 3m high Banna grass in front of our home.  I stopped by the office to check email before being called home to enjoy a cup of coffee and breakfast with my family.  The kitchen was decorated with my favourite kinds of cards and decorations... hand-made!  The presents I received were perfect, all ones that will remind me of Africa for a long time.  We spent much of the day working at Ingcindezi Preschool, but the transformation in that place is already so amazing (more about that in a later blog entry when we are done) that it hardly feels like work.  On our way home, we drove the back roads through the valley of Kwa Ximba, the valley of a Thousand Hills.  Every bend in the corner (and there are many!) would take your breath away, either with stunning beauty or heartache, and often both.  We took lots of pictures, and even had our video camera with us, trying to savour some last looks at the area.   When we got back to the farm, Micayla and I picked a big bag of oranges...there's something I can bet none of my friends will get to do this Fathers Day!  Then I made myself a cup of real filter coffee (what luxury!) to enjoy while I watched the sunset (which is at about 4:20 these days, since we are almost at the winter solstice).  Finally, after supper, I got to enjoy a delicious chocolate cake that Jessica had made; how did I get so lucky to have a daughter who loves to bake?!

 

Fathers Day 2006 isn't even over yet, and already I'm looking back on it with that fondness that weighs on my heart like an anchor.  Every moment was a unique occasion!  With only a week left before we leave GGA, we are often caught savouring the moments.  With great nostalgia, Micayla said to me today, "What will I do when I can't run across a cow field on my way home?!!"  

 

Today's "recharge" was much needed, as our busy-ness has increased as we approached our final week.  Here's what the previous week looked like:

 

Sunday, June 11

After tending to some farm duties in the morning, we (along with some friends from Lily of the Valley, another NGO in the area) attended a church service in the community of Mophela.  It was our first rural Zulu church service...what an experience!  The highlights were...

• The friendliness!  Even though we arrived a few minutes late and had to leave early, everyone was so kind.  One of the church members spoke English well, and translated almost everything into English for us.  The pastor also spoke English, and at the start of his sermon expressed his appreciation directly for our work in their community.
• The dancing!  This was not an optional part of the service...it was the main part.  The "worship leader" is more like an aerobics dance instructor, and the congregation follows his or her every move.  Even "rhythmically challenged" people like me can't help but get caught up in it. 
• The volume!  This congregation of 50-60 people have their own sound system, and they turn it up loud enough for the entire community to hear!  Six of the men in the congregation have formed a musical group (The Mophela Brothers).
• The joy & hope!  Even though they live in a community stricken by HIV/AIDS (over 40%), unemployment (about 97%...honestly!), poverty (must be 97% as well), these people come together to sing, to worship, to pray, and give testimony of God's goodness.

After church, we visited the home of Rosetta, our manager here at GGA Outreach, and enjoyed getting to know her and her children better.

 

Monday, June 12

While I went to preschool, Cathy and the girls went to the community of Sankontshe to deliver a "food drop".  They unloaded a large truck full of rice and beans and other dry foods, made piles in long rows, and then each family who gets a food parcel came to stand beside their pile.  These families get a food parcel once each month, and without it they would certainly starve. Unlike some food drops in other areas that are just 1-3 families at a time, this one is a big event that takes place at the Community Centre.  Dozens of families come together for much needed assistance on that day.  

 

Tuesday, June 13

After preschool, I conducted our weekly Teachers' Meeting.  This week, Cathy came along, and gave an excellent first aid refresher course to the teachers.  They can often be the first line of defense in the community, when it comes to health care, immunizations, and first aid, so it is important for the teachers to be able to recognize infection and rashes and bandage basic wounds. 

 

Wednesday, June 14

A day to try to get organized for the next two days...ordering supplies, buying groceries, making phone calls.

 

Thursday, June 15

One of those days where we seemed to start running the moment we got out of bed, and didn't stop until we crawled back in.  In the morning, while I went to preschool with the girls, Cathy traveled in a big truck to Durban to pick up all the supplies that we ordered for Ingcindezi Preschool.  It sounded like a relatively easy task, but nothing in Africa is easy.  She arrived home 1.5 hours late and exhausted, but by then our afternoon plans were well underway. 

 

I had arranged to pickup all the teachers from the three local preschools that we are helping, and to bring them here to the farm for a braai (BBQ).  First, I took them all on a tour of an excellent preschool that I found about 1km from our farm.  It is a school that has been running since 1977, and while it would seem ill-equipped by North American standards, it is run by local women with excellent organization and efficiency.  The principal is a woman who started as a teacher at the school 29 years ago.  

 

By the time we got back, Cathy & the girls had the food ready; fortunately, she had prepared most it the night before.  The biggest treat for the teachers is meat, since it is a bit of a luxury item.  Knowing this, we bought lots and lots, and oh boy, did they ever eat!  After the meal they sang beautifully for us and were so thankful!   They are sad to be seeing us go after only 6 months, and I realize that the constant turnover of volunteers must be quite difficult for them too. 

 

Friday, June 16

June 16 is Youth Day, a national holiday in South Africa commemorating the tragic student-led uprising in Soweto thirty years ago.  Here in the province of KZN, it is also Comrades Day, the 86th annual running of a famous ultra-marathon between Durban and Pietermaritzburg (see www.comradesmarathon.com).  As Cathy mentioned in our last blog entry, she played a big role in organizing this day as an outing for 220 disadvantaged kids. 

 

We all got up at 4:45 a.m. (you can imagine how difficult that was!) because we needed to be loaded and bused to our viewing station before the road closed.  We were split into two groups, and our family went with two bus loads to a field by the side of the highway at km 71.  The municipality was supposed to have port-a-potties there, but alas we got valley toilets instead (i.e. find a bush).  In spite of it all, we had a great time together.  All the kids (including ours!) were well-behaved, appreciative, and so enthusiastic as they cheered and sang for the runners.  They somehow managed to keep up the energy for hours and hours.  We didn't get home until after 5:00 p.m. 

 

Again, it was one of those days we won't ever forget.  The highlight was when our neighbour and friend Baba Elliot Mbatha ran by, looking fresh and spry.  He later finished the race in less than 10 hours, and was back at the farm, working from 7:00-5:00 the next day!  What an amazing man, someone we are so proud of while he is so humble!  

 

Saturday, June 17  

Even though it is technically our "off" weekend, we have stayed around to work, particularly on the Ingcindezi Preschool.   Once again, more on that later.

 

We are now into the final week, and it looks like it will be just as full as the last.  Thanks for your prayers!

The best song

The best song of any

Is bird song

In the quiet

But first

You must have the quiet.

    Wendell Berry

 

"I find it interesting that when anybody—no matter what they believe—enters into an untrampled place of creation, a sense of awe and wonder is almost always elicited"

    Calvin B. DeWitt

 

"The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.  His work is honourable and glorious..."

    Psalm 111:2-3

Stories of hope!

I'm afraid that as time goes on, we're getting worse and worse about posting blogs regularly!  It's not that there isn't much to write about, because every day is a new adventure!  One does start to feel more and more removed from "life at home" though, and as things don't feel "new" to us here anymore, it's easy to forget that those at home may be interested in our daily happenings.

 

Here are some highlights from the past 2 weeks:

 

1)  There's one old Gogo from the valley we live in that has become a friend of mine and visits me here at the office once a week.  She is raising her grandchildren, and first came to the outreach farm because her 11 month old grandson had the worst case of scabies imaginable.  Scabies is a nasty skin rash caused by tiny fleas that borough under the skin.  It's extremely contagious, but mostly spreads to individuals who's immune system is compromised.  This baby boy had oozing sores all over his face and body and could hardly see.  It's evident he's HIV positive just because of the severity of his condition.  I  was able to give the Gogo some medication for the little guy, as well as some rice and chicken food (to keep the family chickens fed), some vitamins, and some warm clothes for the kids.  I've treated the baby for several weeks now, and over the visits, have come to enjoy chatting and visiting with this strong woman.  I'm always happy to see her walking down the street toward the office with a big smile, the baby strapped to her back, and another grandchild or two walking along side.  Her spirit is beautiful, and her courage is amazing!

 

2)  Our monthly team meeting took place this week.  This is a meeting of the 12 or 13 outreach project staff that work for GGA in various capacities.  Some are Zulu and live in the valleys, and some of us are international volunteers.  It's always so cool to hear the dreams and plans of each of these people, and to learn from each other as we talk about the challenges of our roles.  I've never before rubbed shoulders with so unique and diverse a group of people.  What a neat thing when people of different nations come together out of the love and compassion for South Africa.  In spite of the frustrations with management and disorganization here, these meetings keep us focused on the good things that are happening in this organization. 

For example, the agricultural projects are growing in amazing ways under the leadership of Claudia, our German volunteer.  She's currently working with over 70 farmers in the area to help them prepare their fields, increase the yield of their crops, and access government helps.  She is also mentoring Wesley, a young Zulu guy who's become a good friend of ours.  Wesley has a real passion for agriculture, and has built great relationships with the farmers.  Wesley and Claudia are also introducing a "clay pot" gardening system for several large communal gardens in the area.  This is an innovative system for drought-resistant gardening that I will be trying in Alberta!  Many people believe that South Africa must return to its agricultural roots in order to rebuild, since farming and gardening keeps men and women at home and keeps them from leaving their families to find work.  It seems one of the best ways to combat hunger, poverty, and the breakdown of the Zulu family structure.

 

3)  Dan led a great parent meeting at the main preschool this week!  A parent committee was elected, and there was a real positive feeling of excitement and ownership among the parents.  To Dan's credit, this school has come a long way in the past 6 months toward becoming an independent and community-run preschool.  Instead of looking to GGA for help and hand-outs, the parents are beginning to catch the vision of making this preschool something that unites and strengthens the community.  As this school becomes established and independent, more existing schools can be helped.  If I may brag, Dan's done a great job in this community in the last 6 months, and the people love and respect him.  Not bad for a white Canadian boy who's never run a preschool...in Africa!  Of course, he would tell you that it's not been his doing, but rather the hard work of the teachers and parents as well as God's blessing on this project.  I think it's all of those factors combined!

 

4)  The girls and I recently had the opportunity to hand out some donations of baby clothes at several local clinics.  Talk about two-tiered health care!  When I had strep throat here some months ago, I visited a city clinic much like our walk-in clinics at home.  I waited about 10 minutes, saw a kind, efficient, doctor, picked up my prescription, and went home.  This is what happens if you can afford to pay the R120 ($24 Canadian) that it costs to see a doctor. 

If you have no money, you can receive "free" health care at one of the clinics in the valleys.  The ones we visited were run down buildings without proper roofs.  They have benches outside where 50-100 people wait all day in the broiling sun to see a nurse.  The doctors only visit once each week.  These people looked sick!  One tiny new-born baby was burning with fever and had a very rapid pulse and respirations.  She seemed near death.  Another child had a severely burned face.  There was an atmosphere of general chaos and despair.  I think this is the most helpless I've felt here in SA.  We gave out warm winter clothes and blankets to the babies, but walked away feeling the questioning stares of those we couldn't help.

 

5)  About 2 weeks ago, Dan and I were able to get away BY OURSELVES for a wonderful weekend at the coast!  Our dear friends here at the Outreach farm had offered to look after the girls and give us some precious alone time to rest, relax, and plan for the future.  The girls had a great time, and so did we!  We stayed at a lovely B&B at Imanzimtoti Beach, went for walks, slept in, and went out for a 4 hour dinner one night...unheard of!  One of the challenges of this trip has been the fact that we are never separated from the kids.  They cannot just "go out to play", and have no peers to keep them entertained.  So, we have become their teachers, friends, confidants, and playmates.  They in turn have had to learn to keep adult company almost 100% of the time.  I will always look back on these months as a precious gift of togetherness as a family.  BUT, a whole weekend just for the two of us sure was nice!!  ;-)

 

We're heading into another busy week.  All of the preschool supplies we've ordered will arrive this week, and we will level the ground for the playground and paint the school.  This is also the week of the "Comrades Marathon" which is an 87km, world-famous marathon between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.  One of GGA's biggest funders is heavily involved in the marathon, and each year they want us to gather the 220 children that they sponsor in the valleys and take them to watch the marathon.  And guess who gets to plan that event this year?  Aren't I the lucky one!  So, how do you efficiently find the RIGHT 220 kids out of thousands, board them on 4 busses at 6am, and feed and entertain them all day while they watch the marathon?  I'll let you know after Friday!

One of our dear friends who lives here at the farm, Baba Elliot, is running in the Comrades this year!!  This is a 58 year-old Zulu grandpa who gets up between 3 and 3:30am every morning to run about 25 km, then is on the job by 7:30 and does hard physical farm labor all day long.  He is in incredible physical condition without ever having seen the inside of a gym in his life!  He is so proud of his new Nikes that he got recently (purchased for him by GGA), and is pumped to run on Friday.  May God be with him!  Although, I told him yesterday that I'm not sure who I feel more sorry for: him running 87km, or me on the side of the road for 7 hours with 220 kids!

Have a great week everyone!

Cathy

Only 3 more weeks!

Yes, today in 3 weeks will be our last day of work at GGA! The time is going faster and faster, and at this point we're a little panicked about all the projects we still have to complete before our departure. We want to leave organized documentation of the work we've done while we've been here so that it's not lost to future volunteers. We just recently helped to network the 4 computers here in the Outreach office (with some funds and expertise provided by a group of visitors from the States), so now proper backups can be made and shared files can be accessed. In the disorganization of daily life at GGA, these administrative details just don't happen unless someone takes the time and energy to facilitate them for the benefit of the future.
We're especially excited about a BIG project that we've taken on. In a recent blog entry, Dan wrote about the 3 new preschools that GGA is supporting. Dan has been instrumental in visiting these preschools, assessing their needs, and beginning to help. The teachers of these schools are receiving some teacher training this year, and a GGA volunteer teacher will begin helping them in the near future. As Dan described, we found just a couple of months ago that the Ingcindezi school currently has about 25 children (aged 3-5) attending. One teacher looks after them in a 3x7 meter hut that is completely bare other than 3 or 4 old wooden desks. The children spend over 5 hours per day there, mostly just sitting in the dirt outside, since there are no toys, books, or art supplies for them. Some of them bring a lunch, and those lunches are shared around. Phumzile, the teacher, does songs, stories, and basic learning with them, but finds it hard to teach effectively without any supplies. Imagine entertaining over 25 hungry little ones from 7:30am until 1pm in one small room with no toys or paper. Most months there is no salary for her.
Some of you may be thinking "But these are just preschools, and those little kids don't really need to go to school yet anyway!" But the fact is that the families (usually single mothers or Grandmothers) of those little ones are so focused on survival and finding work and food, that preschool aged kids are often left alone at home, or with unreliable relatives. So much sexual and physical abuse happens in these hours when even 3 and 4 year olds are left to fend for themselves. So, here in SA, preschool is not just a luxury to "enrich" the child's learning, but really serves as the only means of protection, safety, and food that these kids have.
Before we embarked on this journey (and while we've been here), so many of you have supported this project with your financial gifts through Samaritan's Purse. Initially, we were prepared to fund this adventure on our own, but many people encouraged us to "allow" those of you who wanted to, to partner with us financially. We were very reluctant, and the process of receiving from others was very hard, and very humbling! One letter sent to close friends and family resulted in an outpouring of funds that has provided far above and beyond what we ever expected. In coming to the end of our time here, we saw that there would be a significant surplus of funds. We began to look and pray for a project that we could get involved in and fund before our departure, so that all of you at home will see the direct and powerful impact that your generosity has had. Several weeks ago, we identified the Ingcindezi Preschool as a good fit for this plan, and began to make the necessary arrangements with Samaritan's Purse to direct the surplus funds to this worthy project.
We have now received official approval from SP, have assessed the needs of the school, have created a 3-phase plan to vastly improve the existing school, and have begun to order supplies. We are so excited to share with you the plan of action that we are working on!!

Phase 1 (to be completed by the time we leave SA!)
- We began the process this last week by purchasing building supplies and having the GGA building team install secure doors and windows and proper locks on the small brick building that is now the preschool. They also built shelves on one wall.
- We will paint the stained, dirty walls with some nice, cheerful colors.
- We've worked hard this week to order TONS of toys, books, games, and puzzles. I found another NGO in the Durban area that trains Zulu men in woodworking skills, and ordered the wooden puzzles, blocks and toys from them. How cool to support one organization while helping another! As you can imagine, Jess, Micayla and I really loved picking out all the stuff! We also ordered art supplies like paper, glue, crayons and paint. Many of these kids will NEVER have seen things like this before!! There will be dolls and trucks and a kitchen play center, as well as small tables and chairs and a cool new carpet.
- Best of all, we ordered a wonderful wooden Jungle Gym playground for outside the school! How cool is that? This week we'll hire 4 or 5 Zulu men to level the area in front of the school, and on June 19th, the playground will be built! I can't wait to see the faces of the kids! This preschool is right beside a primary school which has no playground at all. In fact, there's no playground for miles around, so I'm sure this one will become the neighborhood attraction!
- A GGA volunteer (who is an experienced teacher) will begin helping Phumzile teach one or two days per week in order to help her begin to use all the new supplies effectively.

Phase 2 (to be started in September, and completed by the start of the next school year in January)
- The area will be fenced.
- A brand new, larger, safer building will be built beside the existing preschool!! It will include a small kitchen for cooking simple meals as well as its own bathroom. The preschool kids currently use the outhouses of the primary school next door, but there are safety issues since apparently the little ones sometimes become the victims of physical or sexual abuse there. One teacher simply cannot supervise all the children all the time. Can you believe it? A whole new school! Approximately half the funds for Phase 2 are already in place.

Phase 3 (already begun by Dan, but the process will take a year or two)
- GGA Outreach volunteers will work with Phumzile to register the preschool with the government. In order to do this, they must form a parents' committee, write a simple constitution, and open a bank account. Being a registered preschool will entitle them to government funding for supplies and a teacher's salary.
- Phumzile will continue to receive training in Early Childhood Education.

So, this is what we've been pouring our time, energy and passion into for the past weeks! We were not really able to talk about it publicly until we received official confirmation from Samaritan's Purse, but they have agreed that this is a very worthy cause. We really wrestled with the question of how to spend the money in a wise manor that would impact many children for years to come. I think God showed us just the right project. We love the fact that our girls can really get involved. It's also great that some of this can be completed while we are still here in order to immediately improve conditions for the kids, but that they will also receive a new building and help for the future.
None of this could happen without the generosity of amazing people in North America. Thank you all!!