Microflights and more!

Hi all!

So its already monday, time seems to fly here! Already commencing week 4 of my time her!

Last time I updated you was on wednesday, and Im not sure if I told you or not but later that dayw e had another little 6 month olf girl dropped off! She was absolutely beautiful, her mother and father were seperated and couldn't work out an agreement so decided for adoption. That evening I got to give her lots of cuddles to settle her in, but it turns out the next day her parents came back to pick her up. Somehow they must have come to an arrangement and decided to take her back!

So that was quite a whirlwind!

Thursday was my day of and I went for a big long walk for over 2 hours in the big wide bush. Got a little lost I must admit but saw lots of animals. When I saw imapala I was trying to follow them, although they are so quick they kept running off, somehow they led me back to our plot so I could find my way! Managed to also get qwuite sunburnt in the process, the African sun is beautiful!

Later that day Saskia and I were going on the microlight! So we left at around 4pm and drove over to the place. The guy who runs it is actually a believe, so during the whole flight we were having a great conversation about the bible, and our testemonies!

The flight itself lasted about 20 mintues and we were flying witht he sun in our eyes! I saw baby Giraffes, lots of Impala and Kudo, loads of Zebra and even 2 lots of Rhinos! There were 4 Rhino and as we went closer to ground they started to stampede! Then we later saw 2 Rhinos a mum and its baby sat sleeping on the ground! Incredible! And it only cost 300 Rand, which is around £30! Im hoping to do it again before I leave!

Friday was spent again with the children. But it was a lovely day as we had a Dutch family come to visit all afternoon who had recently adopted 2 girls from Tsepho Ya Bana! They were a lovely family and helped out with the children, and the toddlers were so enthrawled to see the two girls back they were playing and having loads of fun!

Saturday was a great day. I did the early shift so had a nice break off in the morning, so popped to Hammanskraal with Mark to pick up some bits. Then in the evening the older boys ahd put the tent up! So Kagiso, Tom, Nglanclan, Saskia and myself decided we would stay in the tent that night! Us volunteers chilled in the cottage for a bit then Saskia went out and joined the boys!

It was so much fun, I felt like a little kid again having a sleepover! I get on really well with the older boys, since getting the guitar started again Kagiso has started to learn some songs with me including 'The Lazy Song' by Bruno Mars because he absolutely loves that song! We were giggling and laughing for about an hour before finally dropping off to sleep!

Sunday I was up early for morning shift (trying to creep out of the tent without waking everyone didn't work so well!) then went to the African Church which is where Mama Joy (one of the cleaners that is employed by Tshepo Ya Bana) attends.

It was what some may call a 'real south african church'! We arrived around 9.30am and we commenced by going around and hugging every individual in the room before starting in song worship. It was such an incredible experience, the people are so loving and friendly. As some of you may know I am not the 'hugging' type!! But it is so normal in this land to greet people with a huge hug! Maybe I will come back a changed girl!

3 girls then moved to the front and began to sing, some were in Africanse and some were in England, and some even combined both! But the different voices and harmonies were beautiful, everybody lifting their arms and hearts praising God! The only instruments were people who had brought their own tambourines!

Then they took an offering and then we were led in a sermon. The preaching was fantastic, and the congregation are such a family, people start almost joining in and one elderly lady came up at the end to say somehting. She was speaking in  Africanse and the preacher tried to translate, but I didnt understand a word of it! Thought he congregationg were in histerics!

The rest fo the day I was back on shift wiht the children. When I had an hour break, I joined in witht he older boys and Uncle Hans as they wer eplaying football, or should I say 'soccer'. It was great fun!

We actually have past volunteer here for one week caleld Auntie Melissa, she is here with her brother from Holand. She was here about 2 months ago, and has been travelling around SA and has come back fr one week. It has really thrown the children off and they are a bit misbehaving and things because I think it is hard for them to understand why she has come back when she said goodbye.

Its so sad, whenever we hear an aeroplane the children go crazy (they love them!) But they relate any aeroplane to past volunteers, they believe that thats where the go to for the rest of their lives. Sot hey will look up and see an aeroplane and shout 'Auntie Wendy!' or 'Auntie Melissa!' and they keep saying to Saskia - 'You go in aeroplane'.

Its so sad, and makes me want to stay longer, although I am here for 6 months Saskia has only been ehr 6 weeks and leaving already!


Last night we had a great night, since its a Public holiday on tuesday the boys dont have school today or tomorrow. So we decided that we would doa  pizza and movie night with them at the Volunteer cottage. So there were us volunteers, the 4 boys and Auntie Melissa and her brother. It was greta fun, and nice for boys too! We even tried pizza with Banana on it!

Today is my day off as I plan to go to visit another orphanage near by. The lady who runs it is Mama Kathrine, so thats what we call it. I will be going with a local couple who have just emigrated here from the USA, they are a lovely fmaily and waiting to start a business here to in the meantime they visit local orphanages and help with the children etc. They are due to pick me up in about 40 minutes so I will elt you know how I get on!
Im told Mama Kathrines is a lot more basic tha Tsepho Ya Bana, Im not sure they even have running water.....

Speak to you shortly!!!!

Gemma