Hi everyone,
Well, another week went by - this time we spent most of the week building a play structure at a satelite office about 40 minutes or so from where we stay - on incredibly rocky roads. The same road we traveled everyday for our camps but a little farther. It was sometimes a very frustrating experience because of tools, etc. We dug holes in very rocky soil and then made concrete from mix, water, stones. and sand - to hold the basic beams in place. That was two days itself. The next day the rest of the team build the platform about 5 feet off the ground while I tagged along with Paul - one of the "heads" of the Ingwavuma Orphan Care. We went to film for a short video that he's putting together. He has the goal of making about 100 videos that will be accessible through their website so that people can see the many many MANY things that the IOC does for this area. We were filming a man who has been running a leadership seminar for 100 local pastors for the past 6 months. Next week they "graduate". Jimmy, the man running the seminar, is extremely dynamic. I could have listened to him for a long time and he was speaking Zulu! Anyway, the next day was today. Three of us build the stairs and guardrails for the playset while Alyssa and Danielle were at the clinic. Alyssa had something majorly big in her eye and needed a doctor to remove it. They had an amazing experience there - spending the better part of the day in line to be seen. Watching people who seemed close to death, prisoners in shackles, patients who didn't know where they were, etc in a huge waiting room. There was singing and praying - spontaneously from those waiting. Meanwhile, because it was Alyssa at the clinic, I had my first driving experience - left side of the road in a manual transmission (meaning I was shifting with my left hand). I found it to be not as hard as I had thought because of all of the hours I've spent riding and the car... it was certainly easier than it would have been if I had been trying it when we first arrived as Alyssa did. Tonight we're having a surprise party for Alyssa because she's been an amazing driver - and she misses out on a lot of scenery because of that.
Next week we'll be finishing our playset and building another one at yet another satelite site. Originally I would have been going home on Saturday! Can't picture that at all. As it is I now have tickets home on the 29th and will arrive in Milwaukee on the 30th. It's possible that this will change if my travel agent can get me a 30th or 31st flight.
I'm typing this from the internet cafe of the Backpackers Hostel that we're staying at for this weekend. It looks like it'll be a lot of fun. Tomorrow we're going horseback riding on the beach - not sure if that's the St. Lucia beach ( saltwater lake) or the Indian Ocean. Either way we'll be experiencing the Indian Ocean in some way this weekend... isn't that amazing?? Look for St. Lucia on the South African map - north of Durban on the east coast.
Can't say enough good things about the group of people I'm with. I wish we could do this forever... it's hard to think of it ending. Hard to think of the regular life of a spoiled American that I normally lead. Unfortunately I think it'll be so easy to live it again. But I sure will appreciate it so so much more.
Take care everyone - look again this weekend for another email/posting.
Cheri