This week has been filled with fear, laughter, tears, sweat, and blood. The trivial highlights of the week consisted of the mothers here at the Village teaching me how to cook and I only needed two band aids after peeling potatoes and grating carrots for two hours! For those of you who don't know my lack of skills in the kitchen, for me to only need two band aids was a feat in itself.
Roman, Antonia, and I have begun exercising every night and running around the property for at least thirty minutes. We have found it is good therapy for rough days we have. The funniest part about it, is that I run with a head lamp on so that we can all see. It is truly entertaining for the security guys who sit back and call us silly, white kids.
I went to the actual Haven on Monday. there are about twenty mothers and about fifty children. It was utter chaos and all the children were completely fascinated with my tattoos and earrings and tolod me my "hair is like china" (because it is black). It was fun, but I have decided I would rather work here at the Village with the sick patients. I never thought I would be changing diapers on a 33 year old, paralyzed woman and actually looking forward to it, but there is something special about her trusting me to help her and bathe and feed her every morning. Her name is Tuli and she truly is an amazing woman.
Gugu decided she wanted to play with her gum and it took me an hour to get it, and the grass she had stuck to it, off her fingers. She continues to be my sunshine every day, even though she can be a bit of a pain when it is her bedtime. My favorite is in the mornings before she goes to school and she walks towards me, her arms too tired to lift them to hug me, and she falls into my open arms with sleepy eyes and a partial smile. I have no idea how I am going to leave this child behind when I return to the states.
Amanda (the 15 year old who was raped) and I have become like sisters now. I found out she enjoys writing and reading poetry, so I give her a new poem and inspirational quotes to read every morning and then we talk about them in the afternoon. She even wrote a poem on Ubuntu in her Zulu language and made me a copy and explained it to me. We went to the hospital this past Thursday to get her HIV results and they were negative and so I went to her counseling session with her, regarding the fact that she would be in the acute phase if she had contracted it, which means it wouldn't show up and she needs to get tested again in April, so please keep her in your prayers. She still has to be in isolation from the other mothers until we get her TB test results back, so she and I have been hanging out in the garden a lot and playing cards. I try to spoil her with candy and other things as much as possible - she has a great life ahead of her and a second chance now, thanks to Nkosi's Haven.
This morning, I went with some people to Soweto, which is the black township here with five million occupants! We heard of a grandmother who was raising 8 kids in a shack, with no toilet, clothing, food, etc. So we brought food, mattresses, clothing, blankets, and toys for the kids. The shack was made of brown paper bags and metal sheets and was 10 x 12 at most. Feces were all over the "yard" and they had one bed for all of them. It was horrible, but I was so happy we were able to help them. We are going back next week to bring more things to them and will hopefully get the kids enrolled in school. How these people maintain smiles on their faces remains a mystery to me, but continues to be an inspiration.
Other than that, I am settling into my life here for now and will make the most of my time. Tomorrow, I have promised Amanda that I will put on my climbing shoes and climb up the giant coconut tree in our yard for her entertainment. She thinks I am crazy, but we have to get creative here, lol. Sunday, the girls and I are going with some friends to a national park to see elephants and lions - woohoo, bring on the wildlife!
I hope you all are well and please continue to keep me and the people around me here, in your prayers and don't forget to cherish everything you have. Lots of love.
Ubuntu.
