So, after a good night's sleep, Im now sat in a lovely new room , quite quaint and cosy, in a luxurious double bed, with a cup of tea beside me and a view of the bushland beyond my cottage. What more could I ask for??
Since last time I spoke to you, the pool has been up and running and since the older boys (Tsepho Nhlanhla, Tom and Kagiso) were off school for the week we had great fun in and out of the pool. Of course I could only go when I was on break from shift work but was still great. Their nephew Robert also came to stay for the week, who is ten years old, but we had lots of banter and laughter!
Im so excited to tell you that I had my first day out on Tuesday the 4th! Charlie, who comes from a near-by farm, agreed to take Kirstin and I to Gold Reef City. Johanesburg's big theme park. I have never been on a 'proper' rollercoaster, being strapped in and all, but I went on every ride! Even though it was school holidays the queues were only 10 minutes a time, and we went on the same ride over and over - one where you just get tipped up and down and get soaking wet!
That week one of our boys, who recently turned 2, was due to go back to his mother. She raised him for the first 11 months, but when he came to Tsepho Ya Bana he was incredibly undernourished and ill. Looking at pictures, you couldnt believe its the same child (which is a similar story to a couple of our boys here). But his mother didn't come to fetch him for a whole week, we were getting very nervous whether she was ever going to come, technically Chris and Mark has signed to papers over to him ont he 4th but he was still in our care till the 11th.
As I may have said before, Kirstin is off to Belgium for one year to au pair with a family. So that friday we had a braii for her and invited some of her friends over. It was a lovely relaxed evening and just stayed chatting outside till early hours of the morning. The next day I was on 6.30am start but the children were so well behaved for Auntie Gemma! And since some of the people stayed overnight it meant we als had some more helping hands, and a guy called Cameron for the boys to play with also.
That sunday I was also very happy to get the chance to go to church again with Mark and the older boys. It was a great sermon, it was at Constantia Park Baptist church. Its a very European style church (best way I can describe it).
Tuesday was my day off which was nice as Kirstin came to my room in the morning and said that two people we had met at the braii has invited us to come to Pretoria for an evening out. So again Charlie came with, and we met up with some new people. It was nice to meet some south africans my own age. Its funny out here because you either get the 'Africaans South Africans' or the 'English South Africans' so some are very similar in their ways to English people and some are very different.
That day I had spent most fo the day in the pool. We are able to take the three older toddlers in. Except on of our boys, doesn't like it very much and just cries and our other boy has really bad skin. So he cant go in water very much, and as you can imagine the chlorine is awful for his skin. But our third toddler absolutely loves it and jumps in the deep in even! Its so fun trying to teach him to swim and he's getting great. So he joined me in the pool on that tuesday.
That was also the day that Kamo got picked up from his mother, it was horrible saying goodbye but we know that it is much better for him. All of us, and the children, miss him very much. That evening when I put one of the boys to bed (he is about 16 months old and he and Kamo used to sleep next to eachother in cribs) started crying and crying. So had to keep rocking him to sleep.
This past week has been very busy as Kirstin has been packing to leave and on saturdya we had to say our final goodbye. It was very emotional because she's been my best friend ever since Ive been here, and she's even spoken about moving to England permanently so I know we will definately stay friends and meet up lots. She arrived in Belgium early sunday morning and as far as I know she said the travelling was long but the family seem nice.
So our last couple evenings we watched movies, all jumped in the pool with the older boys and all the other volunteers, and I stayed in her room one night and we were laughing and giggling till 2am! Again the 6.30am start was tough!
Now to tell you about our little girl, she is still no better. Luckily she is going THIS WEDNESDAY for an MRI, she is getting moved to a different hospital for 2 days to get the scan. Can't believe this is going to be her 5th week in hospital and she is still waiting for an MRI scan on her brain, meanwhile she is laid there not eating, not drinking, not talking, not moving. Lifeless.
Please keep praying for her.
Anyway I must now drag myself out of bed, these children need me to go make breakfast! We only have 3 days left where we can go for walks, because the lions get realised on thursday!! So I think I will be taking them on a nice long walk today!! Lets hope we see some animals!
Peace and love to you all.
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