Melissa's South African Adventure

What YOU have helped me do!

2007-11-09T07:55:00.000-08:00

November 7th 2007

Here I am, 8 months into my African Journey. I have ten weeks left before I leave all this behind. My entire time here has been very reflective. My mind is filled with thoughts about justice, power, children's rights, politics, prejudice and God (love). So much has happened to me that it is often even difficult to explain how I feel now, but one thing is certain: I am a changed person.

Not only have I gotten to know more about the world and my place in it, but I have also gotten the amazing ability to see 7 African countries (South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozabique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Namibia). This blog though is intended to say a big huge THANK YOU to all of you who read this and support me both financially and emotionally. I thought I would compile a list of things that YOU(by supporting me) have helped me do here.

1. I was able to buy new black baby dolls for my little girls and cool police cars for my boys. Last week I had all of them close their eyes and put their hands out to recieve their new toy. They were so excited and immediatly began to play with them and continued for 5 hours!! Those cars were all over the playground and on every wall, while the dolls were held and kissed. That night the boys even slept with their cars!

2. Due to the chaos and disorganisation of this place it went unnoticed that one of the 9 year old girls did not have any shoes except for her school uniform ones. For her birthday some volunteers and I bought her a new pair of pink and white sneakers.

3. Some of the older girls were in need of their first bra so we bought them one.

4. There is a room in the oldest house on the property that is used for homework and "fun nights", it has been in need of some new paint and a remodel. Another volunteer fundraised all the money for the paint and supplies. I came up with the colors (avacado green and white) and had the idea for the older children to paint small "murals" on the wall. It has turned out so beautiful. Two volunteers are electritians and so were able to rewire the room for new lights and now the florescent light has been replaced with "gallery spotlights." The other day I was cleaning the bathroom in the same house when all the oldest children gathered in the room just to sing and talk. It was the first time I saw anyone want to be in the room because the atmosphere is so nice now.

5. I was able to buy nappies (when this place had no money) and regularly buy wipes for their little bums (there is never money for wipes... totally lame!)

6. And priceless is the amount of hugs, kisses, prayers and good talks I was able to give and also take!

This week alone has been very very difficult because the new little boy I wrote about before was taken home to live with his uncle today. For reasons I won't go into here, he was considered "unsafe". It makes us all so sad because we know that his uncle didn't want him in the first place because his mother (when she was alive) was considered "bad and shameful" to the family. I worry that he won't be loved and treated right. I hope I am wrong. So please remember to keep him in your prayers. He needs a safe childhood.

In other news look at my pictures. I have some new ones up. Also, I am sad to miss Thanksgiving this year. Some of us Americans are planning a volunteer thanksgiving with the germans. I will especially miss stovetop stuffing this year (hint hint)! For christmas it has been decided that we will take the children to the beach for the day! I am so excited. Christmas in a bathing suit!!

Love,
Melissa

a new child arrives....

2007-09-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

Two sundays ago my Norwegian friend and I walked down our dirt road and crossed over the interesecting road to a large overgrown field. The sun was high in the sky and the mood was right for exploring. All around us was tall brown grass and then we saw a glimmer of pink. And it was gone. And then again the magenta pink rose from the field. The sun caught the dazzeling wings of the most beautiful Cricket or Grasshopper or Dragon Fly I've ever seen. We started to follow it's jumps. While on the blades of grass it's body was brown but once it lifted it's wings to jump the magenta pink popped out! The most beautiful insect I've ever seen. We continued walking on our hill and noticed that far below was a lake so we climped down the hill and came to a peaceful river ravine that lead to a stagnant pond. Not the fishing hole we thought it would be, but still a wonderful place to discover.

On our way back I was greeted by someone informing me that Creche was about to get a new child!! In creche we have 8 children between the ages of 2 and 4. We have been told that no more little children will be accepted. The thought of one more seemed so exciting. I had no idea what a handful this 4 year old would be! He also has a little sister who is 6 months old, but is not in our care yet. Over the last weeks I've pieced together Spomandla's story:

His mother is very sick with diagnosed TB (and probably undiagnosed AIDS). She is dying. They had no home so were living in sugar cane fields and peoples outside toilets (which are only ever a few pieces of wood nailed together with a tin roof, maybe). Over the last year it was Spomandla's job to fetch food from the surounding villages. At three years old he was walking hours alone and somehow collecting food to bring home. His body is visibly scared from the sharp leaves of the sugar cane and even after scrubing his feet in the bath the dirt is still stuck. His little sister was most likely the product of his mothers prostitution or rape. Many women exchange sex for money as their only hope to support the family. We are currently waiting for the test results of the baby. She has TB and most likely is also HIV positive. The whole story breaks my heart. This beautiful boy has endured such hardship and now he acts out violent and strange behavior with lots of choking and biting other people. Just watching him alone is exhausting let alone our other 8 crazy growing kids! Needless to say I am exhausted.

This week I am taking a lot of time to myself. The children have one week of school holiday and half of them are in an all day on-site life skills camp. I am teaching a basic drawing/art class for 6 kids aged 11-17! It's been fun. This has allowed me some time to have no real responsibilty. I realized that for the last 7months I have spent 8 hours or more a day with children (with some great holiday time too!) but, I am tired. It feels so good to just be reading and sleeping and not hearing any crying or screaming or my name said 300 times to wipe their butt or tie their shoes or give them water or the pink cup or the baby or the blanket or "Malezza, Asanda hit me!" The peace and quiet is nice, I just hope and pray that I am up to the task again some Monday!

One of the main thing the children argue about are two beat up broken dolls. One of these coveted dolls has no arms and the head always falls off. We have 5 girls who always want to hold or sleep with these dolls. They always have to share and inevitably we are left with at least 3 kids crying. I don't know why it took me so long to realie that I can fix this problem, but I need your help. I want to buy 5 new dolls. Now that I am in Africa for 11 months instead of 6 my money is really running out. If you want to donate Please send the money to my parents who will then deposit it into my account: About $20 will get the children one really nice black baby doll. The children AND volunteers would all be very happy about you helping us! So you can post checks or cash Here:

Trombetta

8502 NE 66th St

Vancouver WA 98662

Or paypal using my dads account for newgrip@juno.com

http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_send-money

Please pray for strength because being here is a continual struggle. It's still very easy for me to feel lonely and overwhelmed!

Thank you again for all your support, just knowing that someone reads this makes me very happy!

love,

Melissa

this one is for Lizzy

2007-08-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

My best friend for the first 8 years of my life. We were both non-germans living a semi-normal german life. Then our families decided to move us to the opposite ends of the world. She went back to New Zealand and I to America. It's been 10 or so years since we've made contact and she left a comment on my blog! I love the internet!

So, I don't know how to contact you back except through this! Please email me at melissatrombetta@yahoo.com

I want to know so much more about you now.

Otherwise, this week one of my little girls broke her arm badly at preschool and she has now been in the hospital for 2 days and had surgery where they had to put 3 pins in her arm to hold it together. It was so sad to see her little body in the big hospital bed. She should be back home tonight if the doctor thinks she is ready.

In other news we are successfully potty training 2 of the children. It's so exciting to see them succeed at this new task!

Gotta go!

love,
melissa

Spring is here

2007-08-26T03:28:00.000-07:00

Life goes on for me now living in South Africa, on a hill, away from everything and everyone I know and love back home. I had begun the countdown till home and now the countdown has started over again. I went from 3 weeks till I see my home to 5months. But it’s okay because this defiantly feels like, and is, the right thing to do.

I realize that I don’t write enough about the actual work I am doing here. That is partly because I don’t want to use the children as a tool to gain support or sympathy. Volunteers have been coming in and out of these children’s lives for so long that I feel like every cute or sad thing that happens gets exploited by all of us who want to have a special story or moment.

On the other hand, I am having great moment’s everyday with the kids here. If I am feeling sad or lonely I need just to step on the playground and instantly I hear the kids calling my name (in their special pronunciation of it), and we start to play or talk and all my problems slip away. But I struggle with the concept of “taking” vs. “giving” to the kids. I don’t want to take hugs and kisses and stories; I want to give them.

There is a very special challenge involved with raising children. I find myself constantly struggling with and learning how to deal with each child and their needs. One of the youngest children (she turned 2 in July) goes into intense tantrums over seemingly nothing and I struggle with ignoring her or giving her hugs and kisses. I find that with all the children if I am more affectionate then they are more responsive to me. The other day I took an older child (age 12) into the quiet counselling room and we sat and listened to soft music and read some bible stories and then we prayed. It was wonderful, because this is a boy who takes medication for his ADHD and can barely sit still, and he had his head on my shoulder and it felt really secure. I realize now that these children get very little (if any at all) alone time with a “mother” figure. It makes me so sad because most of the problems we deal with could be solved if they had the undivided attention of a parent who knew everything about them. This organization tries to provide a home for these amazing kids, but the set up is all wrong for providing their emotional and physical needs. I don’t think in 5 months I’ll be able to fix any of it, but at least I will try to do my best.

Here is a funny story:
The other day I was getting the kids in the bath. We have two volunteers for 8 kids. Our method is to get them naked and on the toilet and then they all go into the bath (which is very small). Sometimes they escape into the bedroom or even outside. So on wednesday it was a particularly crazy day and the same girl who throws the tantrums started screaming from the bedroom. I found her on the top bunk all alone ( I don't know how she got there!). She was naked and had pooped on the mattress and had gotten it all over her feet and legs and hands! I think it scared her so much that she was trembling. While cleaning her up (and getting some poo on me!), the kids in the bath were screaming and splashing and then one of the 4 year olds didn't want to get dressed and out of frusteration threw the cream on the floor and it exploded on all the shoes! I let out one loud "AHHH this is too much" and then all the kids were silent and one of the kids who was brusing her teeth from the sink said, "Meleezza, why are you screaming!" It was so funny to me and then I started laughing and all the kids joined in and we had a nice laugh together and everything was fine!

I got a note from a boy who is 12. He has an almost “sixth sense” about him. I can’t think of anything at the moment but he always seems to know how I’m feeling or what I’m thinking about. The note said,”
“…I just wanted you to know that you are incredible to me, and… I can’t say how much I love you, You are one of the best volunteers I’ve ever had in my life and remember that you have a very special place in my heart. From the oceans and blue waters you are the only one I find. Xxoo.”
How amazing is that? And this is why I find it so difficult to come home right away.

Now that I’ve decided to stay I’ve had to deal with all sorts of VISA and plane ticket problems. It’s been a bit stressful to sort everything out, but I am confident that it will all be okay. I have a couple requests:
Please continue to pray that God directs my plans and purpose here. I feel very overwhelmed and anxious at times.

Love,
Melissa

"the journey" pt 2 Plus VERY important news

2007-08-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

From Jo'burg we got on a 22 hour luxury bus ride to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe where we stayed with a man named Earnest and his family. Joyce and I met him here at the childrens home because he does some business of selling african crafts with the director of this place. He is a very kind man and opened his small home to us. Crossing the border into Zimbabwe took a very long time. We waited in many long lines and after hearing stories about the Zim. police I was a bit nervous about having to bribe the police or being questioned. After all we were bringing oil, mealie meal, and soap with us as gifts because they cost too much in Zimbabwe. I felt like we were smuggleing illegal items. But after 2 hours of waiting at 2 am we got through with no problems. We talked to some great people while waiting in the customs line. Again people were very suprised that two white girls were traveling into Zimbabwe. There were black market money changers on the bus when we found our seats. They offer the only affordable exchange rate, so the police turn a blind eye because they use them as well. They were thug looking guys whispering their rates to us. We decided to wait for Earnest's help before we got our money changed.

After sleeping very uncomfortably on the bus we arrived behind a wall at the bus rank. We collected our backpacks and waited for the gate to open. We were told that people behind the wall would be aggressive and try to steal our stuff. But of course, as our luck had it (the whole trip!) we were safe and Earnest and one of his daughers were waiting for us. A friend of his had an old Volvo station wagon with broken upholstery and rusted doors. We fit 9 people into it with our packs! In Africa there are no limitations to how much you can fit into a vehicle. I love it!

We drove through Bulawayo on a Saturday afternoon and it looked like a deserted American town from 1965. All the cars were from the same era and the shop fronts and wide streets seemed surreal to me, not at all the Africa of Zimbabwe I had imagined. Bulawayo was a large industrial town before the current Zimbabwean government messed everything up. We arrived in the township of North Pumela and all squeased out of the car. Earnest's home consists of one bedroom, one toilet, one bathing room (a square grey concrete room with one small window and a drain in the floor. This later became our bedroom with cardboard and some blankets) one sitting room with a DVD player and TV and a kitchen. There was at no point in time when the house had less the ten people in it: five children, one wife (who returned 3 days early from visiting her family 3 hours to the north just to meet Joyce and me!) the 92 year old grandfather, and countless cousins, nephews and neighbors who were around to visit with the white girls! The electricity was out when we arrived, as it is everyday between the morning and nightfall. We only spent about 30 hours with this amazing family but it was a life changing experience. We began to understand the real struggles of living in a country run by a heartless dictator.

-------
I am loving my time so much here. Everyday has beautiful moments in it. Every morning I sit outside in the sun and look over the hills to the cow pastures and huts that surround me and eat my breakfast in the quiet of Africa. The other volunteers are fantastic and I love my housemates. My job this week has been to update the volunteer manual: not an easy job. But I am learning all about jobs that I didn't know existed. Six months has given me just enough time to begin understanding this crazy place.
Here is the big news: I am 95% sure that I am staying another six months. This will give me the opportunity to see SO much more of South African life and give me a chance to learn more from these children. Some people here are even starting to call me "Auntie Melissa" and the Creche kids are like 8 little mysteries that I am just beginning to understand. I am reading a lot about children's development and it is helping me to get a better idea of what these kids need. Plus, by staying I get to have an African HOT Christmas.
I just have to sort out Visa things and Flight things. And to all my friends back home: I miss you, but this is too good to come home yet! Anyone reading this is welcome to visit me though!!!!
You can also send me post:
PO Box 453
Cato Ridge 3680
Kwa Zulu Natal
SOUTH AFRICA

Love,
Melissa

The Journey

2007-07-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

My Southern African holiday has come to an end and I am happily back with the children.
Words and pictures can't do justice to the incredible experience Joyce and I had. We tasted, smelled, heard, and felt the heart of Africa. The experience will forever be etched in my heart. I didn't know how much 17 days could change a person, or how much joy and sorrow I could feel within a few days, or that I was capable of sitting on a bus for 24 hours!! I don't even know where to start in telling the story. Perhaps I'll just start at the beginning and see where it goes...

Our first destination was the small beach town of Tofo in southern Mozambique. It is situated on the very tip of a coral reef and thus hosts an abundance of brightly colored fish and turquoise waters! Our first stop would be Maputo and from there we thought we could find an easy way to reach our destination only 600km north. We heard about a youth hostel that offered a shuttle service at 5am; we would arrive in 6 hours giving us the day to play in the sea. We waited and waited for the shuttle to come. Finally at half past six we asked the security guard why the shuttle was not coming. He spoke no English but found us a taxi driver to take us to the closest public transport rank in order to find another way to Tofo. We arrived at the hub right as the sun was rising and the hustle and bustle of people selling and trading fruits and vegetables and earrings and toilet paper and bread and cameras and toys had just begun. We found a van heading north and hoped on. Then we waited. And waited. And waited until 9am when the driver decided the van was full enough to go. That's the thing about Africa: transportation is not quick or reliable. The music started pumping through the cheap speakers and we were off to the the sea! Or so we thought. Twelve hours later and five mechanical failures behind us the van finally wouldn't start again. We were still one hour from Tofo and it was dark. Only the driver spoke some English. He offered to call us a taxi to take us down the road to a hostel he knew of. As we were waiting by the road I noticed that our driver was underneath the broken down vehicle with a lit candle trying to fix whatever was wrong. Thank God there was no gas leak!

Without going into too much detail we found our way to the beach the following morning. The hostel owner in the town of Inhambane (where we ended up) was from Petermaritzburg South Africa,the same area we volunteer in! He took us to the beach where we soaked up the sun rays and enjoyed every palm tree and coconut. At this point I had started to get sick with a severe sore throat and fever. I pushed through and enjoyed the day at the beach. Our day ended with a huge feast of crayfish, prawns and calamari steak! Mozambique has the cheapest fish I've ever seen and the hostel owner cooked it all for us!

We had to return to Maputo the following day in order to catch our bus to Johannesburg, our next destination. Again the hostel owner was so helpful and happened to be on his way to Maputo as well. We arrived much quicker and safer than our way of arrival but the driver of this small bus thought it a very good idea to start playing the loudest African dance music at 4am!!! We got no sleep.

Now about Jo'burg. Statistics say it is one of the most unsafe places in the world with your chances of being raped, murdered or robbed very high. We only had about 24 hours. For the evening we stayed at the hostel and met some of the nicest people ever and had great conversation. The following morning we drove to Melville, a hip/trendy area, with some new friends from the night before. We ate cake and enjoyed some shops and that was the extent of our time there. For me it was disappointing that people scare you so much with all this "black-people-will-try-and-kill-you-so-stay-away-from-them" nonsense. Now having been many places as the only white person I see that people are only as scary as you want them to be. Which means to me that flashing a smile and saying hello breaks down all the walls of racial injustice and prejudice. By taking chances and allowing yourself to be the only white person on a combi taxi or hitching a ride like the black Africans do, you realize that fear is what keeps white people from interacting with black people. The media, the government, everyone, wants us to believe that black people are bad. They have succeeded in spreading this propaganda so well that the white people of South Africa now willingly segregate themselves from the black Africans without the law of apartheid to make it mandatory. Now its just a choice. A choice that is still being validated because of the fear we allow ourselves to believe. I really hate it.
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And that is as far as I'll write for now. In a couple of weeks (hopefully) I will tell the rest of the story.
Things at at the project are going unbelievably well. I am having a hard time realizing that in 6 short weeks I will be back to my previous life. I am not looking forward to it. Somehow through all the chaos and frustration this project has really shaped me in many important ways. I will miss the kids and aunties and gogos so much, and surprisingly the volunteers have also become great friends. I have learned that 6months is not enough time to really experience something new... Its only now that I am feeling at home.

i#

2007-05-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

May 25th

Life is good! Tomorrow Joyce and I leave for our 17 day cross continental trip! You can google our journey destinations; Durban-Maputo(Mozambique)-Johanesburg-Bulawayo(Zimbabwe)-Victoria Falls-Windhoek(Namibia to the orphanage Joyce started with)-Cape Town-Durban!! We will be using Luxery liners, public buses and chicken trucks to get around. We are both very excited and I am ready to get out of the cold weather here in the valleys.
This week South Africa experienced record breaking cold. It snowed 4 hours south of here (in a town we passed through last weekend) and Petermaritzburg was one degree celcius a couple days ago. We dont have any sort of indoor heating so it is just always cold. One night when I brought the kids back from dinner we went into the Creche to find it flooded (the tap was left open) and as we started cleaning the electricity went out. So I had to keep 8 kids happy and out of the water in the pitch dark and cold! Currently in my house the outlet for half the space is blown. So the fridge, burners, and outlets in one corner dont work.

Today Joyce and I ventured into Peitermaritzburg alone. It is the capital of the KwaZulu Natal region about 30 minutes drive from GGA. We started on Church St and went shopping by bartering on the street. We were some of the only white people around. It is a strange feeling to know that white people and black people still dont mix, and all of it is fear based. We were warned twice by white men in cars that it was unsafe to walk around the city. Another shop owner even recommended that we walk on the street away from the allys so as to not get mugged. I find it very interesting that the `black`areas are still the unsafe areas. But it’s confusing to me because you see old women and kids and it’s almost as if every warning we got secretly said „Ist unsafe for you but we dont really care thats it’s unsafe for the black africans.“ This is a concept I want to study more when I get to back to school.
We finally found the taxi rank (which is NOT like NYC!) and asked for the Taxi Buses headed to Cato Ridge. People were very suprised that we wanted to take public transport. Here they fill vans very full and drop you off where ever you need in a specific direction. It’s very convinient and cheap. By the time we made it to our dirt road it was dark and cold and then we ran the last mile home!

It’s hard to explain all the experiences I’m having here, but I currently feel very content. Since my last entry I have travelled to the St Lucia Wetlands park 4 hours north. It is an area that boasts 5 ecosystems in a very small area. Here was our day: first went on a very short hike and happened upon a watering hole where Zebras, and Wildebeast and Impala were hanging out! It was magical! Then we drove 30minutes and arrived at the pristine ocean beach of Cape Vidal. The waters were turquoise and warm. We were the only ones in sight! After swimming and running down small sand dunes we headed to Lake St Lucia and took a boat ride to see Hippos, exotic birds and Crocodiles at sunset! The next day we went on a 12 hour Safari and saw elephant, giraffs, antelope, worthogs, rhino and more zebras!
Holiday in South Africa is simply amazing.

The following weekend we drove 9hours south to Coffee Bay(the same distance from Holland to the south of France!). It is in an area called the Wild Coast where the Xhosa people live in bright turqiouse Rondaveles. The first day I took a 4 hour intense hike led by three local boys who wanted to show us the way. The hike led us through grassy hills and steep cliffs with goats and donkeys, cattle and sheep. We passed through villages and at all times we could see, smell and feel the ocean. Our destination was a place called the hole in the wall. It looked like a site for a pirate ship to be sitting. The hike was more beautiful than I can explain. We ended our day drinking beers and watching the big rugby game with some local old guys in a pub we came across! The second day we went horseback riding up and down the hills and onto the beach. It was so fun to be on a horse again!!

So as you can see I am very much enjoying my time. I would write more about the children but I think it’s a little too personal. This weekend we are doing a creative prayer event with the kids and I look foward to the conversations that come from it.

Thank you fort he support and letters in the mail. Even though I am happy right now I still get lonely and start to miss home.

Here‘s a long one....

2007-04-28T11:18:00.001-07:00

April 28th 2007-04-28

Sabouna, Kunjani?
All is well with me.
I have a new roomate. She is also Dutch and we get a long very well and have many of the same ideas about life, which I find very rare here.
Today the weather is cold cold cold! It’s windy and rainy and very much like a Northwest winter. Everyone is wearing sweaters and hats-- Africa is suprising!

I will be spending the next three weeks here without a weekend off because the director of this place thought it would be a very good idea to take 9 lucky volunteers on a three week holiday through Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa. At the same time 5 other volunteers had a preplanned holiday for 7 days. Needless to say there are very few of us left. Suprisingly things have gone alright for the first couple days. Those of us left behind have to work together and it’s sort of nice for group bonding!

I was reminded recently by my friend working in Cape Town that I am here to serve. Service means that it won’t always be perfect for me, but in the end I will have learned a lot about myself and my God.

The children continue to be amazing. Today I have begun working with a boy age 10 who has Cerebral Palsey and is wheelchair bound. He doesn’t talk and has no real controll of his body. Working with him gives me great joy though because when he smiles it lights up the room. I think it’s important that he gets more attention and physical touch so I massage his arms and legs and back and it seems that he likes it very much.

The young children are more and more wonderful everyday. Yesterday we were getting ready for bath time and they were all running around naked. I walked into their bedroom to find all of them ‘hiding’ under the curtain and the only thing showing were their cute little bums and legs! SO CUTE!

I am also getting to know the older children better. Two nights a week I open the library for computer time. The idea is that they learn how to use the computers. Last week I asked them to all close down their games and open up a blank word document: We were going to learn how to type! Suprisingly the four 16 year old boys and one 15 year old girl all listened! Most of them didn’t know how to open WORD so that was the first lesson. Then I thought them the ‘home row’ and made them type ‘the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog’ over and over while I walked around and helped them place their fingers properly! I allowed them to listen to their music and it was suprisingly fun. When the lesson was over we all laughed while looking at old pictures found on their computers! It’s nice now because they know me and talk to me outsidc of the library.

Yesterday was South African Freedom day! I asked one boy who is a notorious trouble maker what Freedom day meant. He went into great detail about Nelson Mandella spending 23 years in jail and when he was released he worked even harder to change government policies. Finally it worked and now we have a black government ‘free of white people’s corruption’ he said. We then got into a good discussion with the other kids around about corruption and racial issues. Many of them felt that black and white people could never agree about politics. Aparthied left such an aweful legacy for all colors. It makes me so sad.

Last week I went to church in a township outside Durban. It is considered one of the largest townships in the area. We were 4 white people driving in one car as we passed by the people walking we noticed everyone looking at us. Once in the church, held in a tent, we were the only white people there. An ex volunteer from Germany now plays guitar for the church. It was his last Sunday before returning home. The pastor and his wife prayed a special blessing (in Zulu with an English translator just for us 8 volunteers from GGA) that God would bring more white people to their church and community so that it could be a church of all nations. The church probably had 200 members. The first part of the service with singing and praying made me cry. I could feel that Jesus was really the hope for the people. The township is large but it was obvious from the attendants that not everyone is poor. But for me Townships are just one more sad reminder of the not so distant past here.

So there is a glimpse into my life now. I will try and post pictues but it just takes SO long for these old slow computers!

To all of you that support me financially: you mean the world to me. Without you I wouldn’t be here. Thank you to everyone praying as well- it gives me the strength and wisdom to keep on with this project.

Love,
Melissa

Here‘s a long one....

2007-04-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

Easter

2007-04-21T02:22:00.000-07:00

april 8th easter
Sabouna, Kunjani? (hello, how are you)
Gniapilla (I am fine)

My command of the zulu language is getting better everyday. I have learned to shout at the kids and be courteous to the gogos!!!
It's all the matters here! The word "shy-a" is used all the time, it means "I'm going to hit you." Kids use it for play (and when they're mad at me) and adults use it as a threat! Also the words "tulla" (quiet) and "shalipants" (sit on your bum) are important. Some gogos will just start talking to me in Zulu and then we laugh and say "Yebo" (yes!).

today is easter sunday, unless you are south african in which case easter is on monday in order to have a four day weekend.
yes that's right: stores everywhere closed early for good friday and then again are closed on monday! When I tell the africans here that places don't even close on christmas in America, they are suprised.

We had an amazing Good Friday service in the field behind my house. All two hours were in Zulu with lots of singing and then some talking and then more singing and then more talking and singing... and it was all so wonderful. I didn't understand one word... but it still felt powerful and beautiful to be in the African outdoors remembering Good Friday. Today we had an easter service but my children couldn't sit still for more than 5 minutes, so I was distracted and mad!

The kids are fantastic. Every day I get to know them better and enjoy them more and more. I mostly hang out with children aged 1-8. The older children are more difficult for me to get to know since they do very different things with their time than my little ones.

I have learned how to play Poker from a new German volunteer! I think this will be my new hobby. I won a couple big rounds and I find the bluffing/lying thing very fun! We play with 12 Rand in coins each, which is less than $2. Each night it returns to the little plastic bags and is used again the next time. The problem I have is that I always want to keep my earnings! Don't worry though, I will not have a gambling problem on my return home from an african children's home!

The same night I learned poker I discovered a very large spider (note pictures!) outside the front door. It was (is!) stripped brown and black with a red heart shape on it's chest. It is probably 3 inches long including legs! It is known to be very poisonus. We decided it needed to die, but couldn't find any spider killing spray. All we found was pepper spray. We thought it would be a good idea to spray it and then quickly close the door. The idea of wind never crossed our mind and within seconds we were all coughing and burning. And guess what? The damn spider didn't even die. Now I don't know where it is, and I try not to think about it. I read an article that noted this area precisely as having the most diverse and plentiful natural array of spiders!! AHHH! I learned from my smart boyfriend that pepper spray only works on mucous membranes which spiders don't have!
Look at my pictures for other wonderful creepy crawleys found in and around my home! I have yet to get any terrible bites, just one or two little itchy bites so I am still fine (for those of you who remember my "boils"... this is nothing!)

I'm also doing lots of haircuts and keeping busy with cooking, reading and playing poker!

Thank you for all the prayers and support, I am really grateful to have the opportunity to be here and you all reading this helped to make it happen.
Siabonga (thank you) Yebo!
Melissa

The Drakensberg and Lesotho

2007-04-21T02:20:00.000-07:00

april 2nd 2007

I just had my second weekend off. 5 of us ( my Dutch roomate, a doctor from Germany, a quiet Swiss girl who works in Creche with me, and the German volunteer coordinator) drove in a rented car 3 hours north to the Drakensberg mountains. I'm pretty sure that I experienced the most amazing natural beauty of my life!
The backpackers (youth hostel) we stayed at hosted day trips to the Tugella Falls and Lesotho (pronounced Le-sutu). We did both.

The first day we left at 8am and drove another 2 hours to the northern most area of the Drakensberg. We climed abouth 3 hours up, up and up! We climed up rocks, and hiked narrow paths on the edge of cliffs. We were at a very high altitude and I was out of breath for most of the hike. Every time we turned a corner a majestic site more beautiful than the last would appear. Finally we came to our destination: Tugellla Falls. The highest waterfall in Africa and the second highest in the world! And I was on the very top of it!!! What an amazng feeling! Don't forget to look at the pictures. The area is experiencing a terrible drought, so the falls were not heavy with water, it was more of a trickle going down the mountain! We were on top of it so I was unable to see it's incredible length (3,000 meters).

On Sunday we took a tour of Lesotho, the most beautiful country I have ever laid eyes on. They call it the "mountain kingdom." It is home to the Bosotho people who still dress very traditionally (in blankets and animal hide) and ride horses and donkeys! Lesotho is mostly farm land. All the people we saw are self sufficient and no one has cars. Some kids walk 1 hour to school and most boys have to stay home and help on the farm while the girls get educated! We met a Sangoma (traditional healer who speaks to her ancestors and has visions and heals with herbs), we saw rock art from the original San People ( where the term "bushman" comes) and drank pineapple beer. It was a guided tour so I felt a little bit like the "stupid tourist" but it's really the only way to get into Lesotho. I found out why they build houses round (like mine). Guess why... Okay here's the answer: The traditional people believe that ancestors return in the form of animals and spirits. If you live in a square house, the evil spirits can hide in the corners. BUT, if you live in a round house, the spirits have no place to settle so they can't come in. Thus, square= evil, round= safe. Interesting huh? Good thing I live in a safe house!
The most amazing thing about Lesotho was how excited the people were to meet white people. The tour we went on is the only time the locals see white people. The kids would run and wave next to the car, and everyone (young and old) would stop what they were doing and wave as we passed by. I started to imagine myself as a social worker in Lesotho teaching people about Aids and TB (the most common causes of death). Life feels so exciting now.

I am enjoying every moment of being here. I've come to a certain level of peace with the project I am working on because I am falling in love with the kids. I don't care that everything is unorganized; the kids need me. Today I got out my fingernail clippers and started clipping kids nails. Some kids hadn't been taken care of in a long time. One girls aged 7 had SUCH long toenails and fingernails. It made me realize that these children need very practicle help with basic needs. If they had good mommies and daddies, they wouldn't be here. So now they need someone to guide them through life, and for these next 5 months I will do my best. I bought disinfectent spray and am cleaning the creche regularly to try and keep the rate of shared infection down! I also give the children water now so that their urine doesn't smell so terrible!! It's basic things I can do that I know help in small ways.

Internet is still complicated, but thanks to everyone who is sending letters and packages! It makes me unbelievably happy.
Thank you Missi, Mama and Papa and Ryan!

I miss home, but thanks to Ryan's parcel I can now drink coffee, very exciting!

Thank you for your prayers and support.
love,
melissa

written on a laptop on the 15th of march.

2007-03-18T02:05:00.000-07:00

As I am writing this there is a terrible thunderstorm outside. The lights are flickering on and off and the thunder sounds like its right on top of me, it's so scary. Outside the banana tree is almost getting knocked down by the wind and the sky looks like a constant strobe light. AHHH it's so loud!!
Joyce and I have candles prepared but the electricity is still on!

Yesterday our water heater exploded twice. It is on top of the wall which divides our room. (the walls don't go the the ceiling) When I came home Joyce was mopping up 3 inches of water. Right as we had it all cleaned up it happened again! This time the boiling hot water sprayed clear across the room and the wall got all wet as did everything on our shelf. And the floor collected another 2inches. As it was shooting out Joyce climbed up and put a bucket on the water and I ran for help. it was really funny. so then we had to clean everything again. so now all of our stuff is outside to dry but with the storm now it won't be dry for a long time!
The thunder is so loud it sounds like a war is happening right above my head

So Africa is full of suprises. Not at all what I thought it would be like. Timing is very different here, no one is ever in a hurry and things move along very slow.
I've only seen little bits of the poverty that surrounds GGA. We really are up on a hill and away from much of the sadness.
I work with the Creche, so basically I care for 1-5year olds. I change "nappies" and fold clothes, and play and put the children to sleep for "la la" time. It's fun, but I feel like I work at a daycare again.
I'm trying to get a second job in the outreach projects but things are very unorganized here and it's hard to communicate with the right people at the right time. So for now I have a lot of down time and am reading, thinking and getting sun burned.
This first week has been quite hard as I am just getting used to everything and feeling really lonely, but that will all change with time.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support. A couple times I've wanted to leave here and go traveling instead of being here but then I remember all the amazing people back home who are behind in this and it gives me strength to go on and keep at this work even if it isn't what I thought it would be. I am waiting for God to show me where he wants to use me here since I do believe he brought me here for a reason.

I get to use internet once every 2 weeks so hopefully these updates will be that often.
If you want postcards you must send me your address. (ahem: Manda, Janaki, etc.)
I love and miss you all.
melissa
Don't forget to look at the pictures!

Durban

2007-03-18T01:47:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last two days in Durban at a wonderful backpackers. Durban is a city much like LA that has no central area just lots of suburbs. They beach is beautiful with some of the strongest and biggest waves I've ever been in. The water was so warm yesterday. I could live my whole life on a beach! But tragedy struck when one of the people I'm traveling with got her bag stolen right as she was changing her trousers. The snatchers came right up next her while she was putting her trousers on and swiped it from under her feet. They quickly got lost in the crowded beach. Really sad.
There are lots of things about South Africa that are hard to understand. Things are very chaotic and unorganized here. For instance things get made and then break easily, I asked a man at our backpackers why, and he said that many people here are "self trained" plumbers, or electricians etc. so things aren't done right the first time. For example a huge radar beacon was built on a bluff off the coast, but the engineers didn't build it properly so now the "millennium project" is a structure that doesn't rotate or work now so it just strand on the bluff not working.
Or also our water heater in my room at GGA exploded twice in one day for no reason at all. Boiling water sprayed clear across the room. Or also I bought a cell phone (they sell used ones for cheap at the mall" but now it doesn't work (I have to sort that out today!) Also GGA is really unorganized to my standards and I have a hard time making sense of how the organization I had so much hope in works. I could go on and on about the things that don't work properly here but I will stop.

Anyway. I miss home, but am doing my best to be positive and hopeful. It's hard to be far from friends and family who understand my jokes and feelings. I am learning a lot.
Till next time,
-melissa

photos

2007-03-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

AHH
i have no time to write... but check my photo's page for an idea of what I am doing here!

I love you all and promise more info soon.

I made it to switzerland

2007-03-03T05:57:00.001-08:00

I am trying to navigate my way through the german version of blogspot and am having a hard time. My german is not good at all. Today we went to the local cheese shop and watched and listened to the cheese man tell all about the process of making the best damn local cheese. he spoke in german, swiss, and english so I understood most of it.

look at http://www.flickr.com/photos/meltrom/ for pictures

For most of the flight to Zurich I slept so I am feeling very good now. No real jet lag suprisingly.

I love how clean, lovely and beautiful Swizerland is and am very much enjoying my weekend stay with my Aunt and Cousins son.

We are in the countryside of switzerland and it doesn't get much more beautiful than this.

36 hrs to go...

2007-02-27T20:41:00.000-08:00

And I'll be on a plane to Zurich for 4 days and then on to Durban.

I'm freaked out, and excited and numb all at the same time. In these last few days I've been overwhelmed and humbled by people's generosity, and encouragment. When Human beings come together for a common good it amazes me how beautiful it is.

Next post will be from South Africa.

I have no home...

2007-02-16T14:37:00.000-08:00

Last night at midnight I finished boxing up my things and moved out of my little apartment. It's always sad to move. All the memories are left behind. The apartment was only home for 5 months. I never really got the decorations quite right and I didn't keep it clean and tidy like I thought I would.
But from day one of living there I knew it would be temporary.

I've been planning on leaving for over a year. The destination has changed 3 times. First it was India, then it was Greece and northern Africa. I knew in my heart that I've ALWAYS wanted to see the real Africa, with Lions, and Elephants and Tribal people.

The excitement of leaving in only 2 short weeks is starting to freak me out! But somewhere in all my planning, moving, transitioning, etc. I find peace. It's a peace that tells me everything will be okay, everything in my life I feel has been leading up to this moment: and I'm ready!!

In the beginning...

2006-12-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

I have decided to start a blog. I am here in order to document my preparations for my stay in South Africa, and keep friends updated on my life at God's Golden Acre.

Today I am researching Vaccines, Visas, and travel advice.