On Monday it was back to a working week with Ethembeni. We start most mornings at the Care Centre (CC) and spend the morning with our mentors. I went on a few home visits with Mama Titi and another lovely lady who was being shown where her new paitiants houses were. In the afternoon we normally head to the Family Centre to eat lunch and spend time with the children when they come in from school. Tuesday was very similar, Chloe, Nicola and I spent the morning at the CC organising and marking prices on items for Ethembeni's jumble sale and chatted to the American nurses who have come over for three months study abroad. (They taught us how to take blood pressure!) At the family centre we found ourselves 'attacked' by a group of girls who proceeded to plait our hair. It was not the most relaxing experience but the end result was suprisingly good!
Today I have been with Mama Titi and Sara to Howick with a donation to spend on the 98 children who we visit during the week. We had a budget of 20 rand per child to buy them some toiletries. We were able to get each child one flannel, one toothbrush, one toothpaste and a bar of soap each. To put this into perspective for you all, 20 rand here is 1.45 pounds and we were able to get them all of this which will make such a big difference to them!
It has been a hot hot week so far!! Today it is 36 degrees! I am currently sitting in the family centre and the children are about to come when they finish school. This afternoon I think Chloe, Nicola and myself are going to try and start our English lesson plans for the ladies working with Ethembeni, wish us luck!
Love to all xxx
Wednesday 27 February 2013
Saturday 23th - Sunday 24th - A weekend in Howick
I am going to try and not write too much about the past 4 days but here goes...
On Saturday (23rd) morning Ruth and I had an unpleasently early start. We woke up at 5.15am because we were helping out with the Ethembeni breakfast cafe just outside Howick in a place called Lions River. This happens every week to try to use the profits to raise money for Ethembeni and is essentially a group of people who work together to cook, serve and sell good value breakfasts to mainly old people from the surrounding areas. Despite the early start and hard work running around with a try of burnng hot plates, I really enjoyed myself. It was a really good opportunity to tell people about why we are where and what we are doing with Ethembeni. The rest of the weekend was spent in Howick with Sarah, a lovely lady who came out to South Africa with Tearfund last year and is now working full time for Ethembeni as their first Occupational Therapist. She took us to Karkloof Falls, a stunning waterfall just outside of Howick. However, in order to get to the area where we could get out and paddle (some of us swim!) we had to go up the most bumpy, dusty and longest track I think any of us have ever driven up! At the top of this seemingly never-ending track we were able to paddle/swim above the smaller waterfall above Karkloof (which was still pretty high - Chole, Eli and Nicola jumped off it!) It was amazing to sit right at the top, watching vast amounts of water rush down, it was so beautiful. The rest of the day was taken up with a fairly amusing trip to the supermarket, a yummy braie (a bbq) and a relaxed evening with a film - a recharge that was much needed!
Sunday was also spent in Howick, going to the Howick Community Church (HCC) in the morning and evening and in between we were invited to a lovely couple's house who are called Vernon and Jill, who have said to us that foras long as we are here, we are welcome in their home, for a swim or to relax and read a book and even if we need a good nights sleep! One very noticeable thing about this country is that everyone is so welcoming and generous. Ruth and I made a Lasange for Nkosi, the lady we are staying with and she was so pleased, it is her favourite meal and she never has it! And that concludes our weekend in Howick!
On Saturday (23rd) morning Ruth and I had an unpleasently early start. We woke up at 5.15am because we were helping out with the Ethembeni breakfast cafe just outside Howick in a place called Lions River. This happens every week to try to use the profits to raise money for Ethembeni and is essentially a group of people who work together to cook, serve and sell good value breakfasts to mainly old people from the surrounding areas. Despite the early start and hard work running around with a try of burnng hot plates, I really enjoyed myself. It was a really good opportunity to tell people about why we are where and what we are doing with Ethembeni. The rest of the weekend was spent in Howick with Sarah, a lovely lady who came out to South Africa with Tearfund last year and is now working full time for Ethembeni as their first Occupational Therapist. She took us to Karkloof Falls, a stunning waterfall just outside of Howick. However, in order to get to the area where we could get out and paddle (some of us swim!) we had to go up the most bumpy, dusty and longest track I think any of us have ever driven up! At the top of this seemingly never-ending track we were able to paddle/swim above the smaller waterfall above Karkloof (which was still pretty high - Chole, Eli and Nicola jumped off it!) It was amazing to sit right at the top, watching vast amounts of water rush down, it was so beautiful. The rest of the day was taken up with a fairly amusing trip to the supermarket, a yummy braie (a bbq) and a relaxed evening with a film - a recharge that was much needed!
Sunday was also spent in Howick, going to the Howick Community Church (HCC) in the morning and evening and in between we were invited to a lovely couple's house who are called Vernon and Jill, who have said to us that foras long as we are here, we are welcome in their home, for a swim or to relax and read a book and even if we need a good nights sleep! One very noticeable thing about this country is that everyone is so welcoming and generous. Ruth and I made a Lasange for Nkosi, the lady we are staying with and she was so pleased, it is her favourite meal and she never has it! And that concludes our weekend in Howick!
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