Blog courtesy of Mum...her first week

Becky has been very remiss in not keeping up with her blog so I thought I would write one myself!

Well here I am in South Africa again – whoever would have thought a throw away remark back in September 2010 when I was visiting, would end up becoming a reality!
Last year when Tim and I came for a holiday we visited the crèche and I was shocked to find them in a playroom with only a box of broken toys to play with. I said then, maybe I could do something to help and a seed was sown.

I asked Mbongiseni if he would like me to come back for six weeks to help in the crèche and he said they would welcome some help. Tim was amazing and encouraged me to return even though it would mean having to learn to use a washing machine and cooker for the first time in our married life!

I decided to start by buying a selection of dolls to take out with me and got a few lovely people to help me make extra dolls clothes and blankets for them. These were duly packed together with the pencil cases filled with pencils, felt pens, calculators and 30 dictionaries, all given by the parishioners of OLOR church.

We arrived at Jo’burg airport weighed down with our four enormous suitcases and were picked up by Mlondi for the four hour drive to St. Anthony’s. Unfortunately we were delayed en-route by a terrific thunderstorm followed by dense fog over the mountains – but we eventually arrived at 7pm to a lovely welcome from many of the staff and the older children. We were exhausted and fell into bed!
Next morning we woke up early to be at the crèche by 8am. The children were overjoyed to see “Auntie Rebecca” back and were clinging to our legs, all with smiling upturned faces. We spent the day with the children and I found it heart breaking that they had so little but they all enjoyed singing and doing the Hokey Cokey that we taught them.

At the weekend we got to see all the older children and gave them their new pencil cases for which they were all extremely grateful. I don’t think they have ever had so many pens and pencils to start the new school year and the older children have certainly never had dictionaries and calculators to call their own.

On Sunday we went to Sacred Heart church for 8am mass. It was packed as it is the only Mass at the weekend in Blaauwbosch. The singing was amazing – one lady starts all the singing and the rest of the congregation join in with harmonies, it was absolutely beautiful. The whole mass was in Zulu so I couldn’t join in but the 1hour 20min mass flew by. Afterwards we spoke to Fr. Anthony and some of the sisters from the convent next door. Everyone was very nice and I felt really welcome.

On Monday it was back to the crèche – the children are all so lovely but the crèche is in serious need of our help. They have their one box of broken toys and pretty much nothing else! On Tuesday we were given boxes and boxes of stuff to sort – most of it was rubbish but we did find a few cars and some plastic meccano so we decided to head to town to see what we could buy. We did quite well but will buy more toys when we go to Jo’burg later in February. We now have six boxes of toys – all sorted and labelled: Art and Craft (they love Playdough!), Educational, Cars, Dolls, Construction and Imaginative play (tea sets and doctors sets etc.)

They also have lots of hygiene issues, not least the fact that the floor only gets cleaned at weekends! So Becky and I have started mopping it each day at 4pm when the children go up for their baths.

On Thursday we met with all the staff and discussed making a plan for each day’s activities. Becky went off armed with lots of plans and produced an amazing wall chart, divided into different sessions of activities and laminated! Now we just have to implement it! Hopefully we will get a routine going where the children have the chance to learn through play.

Friday dawns and I am up bright and early having been woken at 4am by the cockerel (or two) who live just outside my bedroom window! The morning starts with prayer at 8am and then the children were all sat on the floor on blankets. Then we gave them all the beautiful dolls we had brought from home. Well you should have seen their faces - they could not believe their eyes, even the boys were more interested in playing with dolls than the cars and new road mat we had found them!

Having undressed and re-dressed all the dolls the girls then started putting the dolls on their backs and asked us to secure them with the blankets – just the way all women in Africa carry their babies! It was the cutest thing I had ever seen.

At 10am it was snack time and everything was put away, then at 10.30am we put out three little tables with chairs and gave each child a tiny pot of Playdough. These pots of Playdough were sent out for the little children from OLOR with the pencil case appeal. We had found some plastic spoons and rolling pins and again they were absorbed, making shapes and rolling out the dough until it was time for lunch.

Following lunch they have a sleep for two hours and Becky and I go back to the cottage for lunch and a rest.

Back again at 2pm we organised educational puzzles. I struggle because I know no Zulu but Becky has picked up lots of words and is better able to communicate with the children.

At 3pm we decided to go outside and play with balls and enjoy the sunshine. Also the older children are back from school and come and join us for a chat about their day and to play with the little ones.

Wow, what a difference a week can make! From a box of broken toys to a structured day full of toys and education. Not bad for a couple of ordinary people with a bit of hard work, organisational skills and some money from kind donors!