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!!