Week 2

Howdy!

Wedding was GREAT! Food was EVEN better! I really am glad I managed to attend a South African wedding 🙂   

  

“Leave all expectations at the door.”

This week has been a hard week.  Let’s discuss the weather for a moment. In the history of my 25 years on planet earth, I’ve never experienced thunder, lightning and rain like I did at the beginning of the week! I thought JESUS was coming back! No exaggeration! I literally hid under my covers and pillow the WHOLE night! If that wasn’t bad enough all the emotions you could possibly go through as a team we ended up experiencing just THIS week alone. Allow me to be honest on this journey – Frustration and discouragement has hit me real, Its only the 2nd working week but I’ve really wanted to go back home. (Phone calls back home haven’t helped lol) 

I’m such a people-person, so to have to deal with tension within the team or dealing with chaos (in terms of things to do) and no order has made me want to run to the easiest option and quit altogether. BUT God has a sense of humour. Lol. I was reminded of Psalms 16:9 – which then reminded me that ALL expectations should be left at door.

“When we are always waiting for what is NEXT, we miss what is NOW”

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” 

– ‭‭Prov‬ ‭16:9‬ ‭

This week I had the opportunity to facilitate (alongside my team) a ‘Sex Education’ workshop for grade 6. (Ha! Ryall I know you would be proud LOL! 😝).  It was such a great opportunity and also good to know that these young kids were aware of the importance of respecting one another!

  

We managed to also finish our flyers for #InchangaLitterDay – which I’m looking forward to! It’s going to be an experience but I look forward to meeting the community. Litter is a MAJOR issue over here. Looking for a way to teach the community the importance of keeping your neighbourhood clean isn’t as easy as I thought it would be especially with no signs of bins ANYWHERE.

  
 
 

This weekend, I woke up really missing my home church, Liberty Christian Fellowship  – but thanks to technology I got tune in online via periscope and be part of praise and worship! My heart was totally FULL! I also finally managed to go to Pavillion Shopping Mall with the girls and Andy  which was GREAT! Most importantly I got to stock up on my snacks lol!

 

Besides that, kids have officially broken off for 1 week holiday! So for 3 days we will be holding Holiday club at school. We’ve got so much planned – but I’ll update you next on how it went!!

Today officially marks 2 months until I return home. I must say, it feels like I’ve been here forever. My friend Ego said something which I really couldn’t have said any better – so I thought  would share with you: 

What have I learnt so far on this trip? To drop all expectation. There have been some highs, and some extreme lows but not everything has to be so deep! It’s impossible to change a whole community in only a couple of months; perhaps I’m here just to help a few kids with their reading and make a difference an hour a day. Perhaps the change I so desperately want to experience will come when I get back to London, and it will be internal. Who knows? I remain open to it all..

– Ego Ella May

Yup. That’s pretty much it. Oh yeah, something I’ve noticed is how passionate and strong willed I can be – above that I’m reminded that it’s not everyday I must voice my opinion/thoughts. There is beauty in knowing when to keep silent. 

Other than that I promise to keep an open mind guys! 

On this road to excellence.  

Unfortunately in life there is NO shortcut to excellence – so again I say, I must/will embrace and enjoy this journey. 

I’m looking forward to weeks + better days ahead. 

Your love and check-ins are greatly appreciated! Please do keep me in your prayers!

Loving you all

❤️

Week 1

Dreams take faith.

Don’t just set small goals; dream big, audacious dreams!

Sawubona! Unjani? (Hello! How are you?) 

Ngiyaphila! (I am fine!) I’m here! Ive made in in South Africa! Ive been in Durban for just over a week now – I can definitely say it’s taking  some getting used to! 

We arrived Sunday 6th September at around 6pm after 14 hours of travelling! Yup, you’ve guessed right TIRED was not the word!

We were greeted at the airport by the in-country manager and quickly led to our coach which was taking us to what would be our home and training ground for the next 5 days!

We arrived at Vuleka Trust training centre in valley of thousand hills (KwaZulu-Natal province).

The name does not lie, literally surrounded by thousand hills. The view here was absolutely breathtaking! The pictures do not do the scenery any justice!

  

Monday morning, we woke up at 6am to have breakfast for 7:15am to begin training at 8am and finish at 8pm. Yes. Long information filled week it was! 

By Thursday emotions were high amongst the UK volunteers and this could only be due to a number of things:

• tiredness from travel
• No wifi/communication with loved ones/outer world.
• Anxiety about meeting host families 

But the most beautiful thing about it all was how much of a support network we were for one another! 

After 5 days of praying, singing, crying, laughing and playing lots of games together – that dreaded moment came where we all had to split up and make our way to our host family homes! Gosh, it was emotional! (shout to my little sisters Lauren, Zoe.R and Ego! Love + miss you ladies!)   

So we begun our journey to our host family home. I had so many mixed emotions! We arrive outside the gates, the door opens and that moment I’ve been waiting for is finally here- my host mum with her baby boy greeting my in country volunteer partner and myself with a great big smile! For the first time in a long time, I was quiet and shy! 

Our host mum was ever so pleasant and she did her best to make me feel at home but at that moment I realised I had A LOT to adjust to! 

1. No hot/warm running water! So yup! Bathing was going to be bucket baths which consists of lots of splashing water! Lol!
2. HANDWASHING! Gosh, I was not looking forward to do that!
3. Their 8pm was equivalent to MIDNIGHT.
4. This one, allow me to pause on this one! MEALS. Firstly, 3:30pm evening meal?! Sigh. Secondly, I mean coming from an African background – I should be already used to this but South Africans get an award for this. EVERY meal so carbohydrate heavy like WHY?! Lol. That’s breakfast, lunch and DINNER! 

FASTFORWARD >>>>

Sunday we went to church with our host family – which was something I was really excited about simply because South Africans REALLY do know how to sing! Like harmonies and everything! 

We arrived at the local community church, greeted by several members of the church. Guided to the front. Little did we know that during the service they would call us up, make us greet everyone on the mic, tell them our names and how much we love God?! (most awkward moment lol!)

The whole service was in ZULU so us English folk did not understand one word but it was ever so nice to be amongst people who love God! It just so happens that this particular service was led by Sunday school kids! (Little did I know I would be teaching them at school, but we shall discuss that later!) My heart was completely full when I saw kids as young as 6 leading us in this amazing service! 

Service was vibrant, LOUD and exciting! I was very glad that I was able to be part of it all! 

 This young boy, Jeremiah gave the word (preached) and alongside him is my room buddy Lihle.

THE Team.

Out of all the volunteer groups, my group is the BIGGEST! Our team name is  “#TeamUmndeni or Umndeni 3:18” which simply means Family (and then 1 John 3:18) There’s is 13 of us in total – (3 guys and 10 ladies) you can imagine how noisy it can get! Not just that but 13 different individuals coming together and learning how to work with each other is a task in itself – something we are working towards learning to do very well (pray for us! Lol) 
Monday. I was ever so excited for this day – I couldn’t sleep the night before! We arrived at Inchanga primary school for 7am. Ready to be given the download for what would unfold over the next 8 or so weeks! At 7:45am the young children had assembly outside. Let me just talk about how AMAZING the greeting was! So right after we all introduced ourselves the kids went on to sing to us “Shine, shine, you shine like Gold!”

Gosh. My heart melted! These kids are EVERYTHING!

Anyways, we were told what would be needed from us over the coming weeks. All I can say is a lot needs to be done with little time on our hands! Litter is a BIG issue here! 

I am delighted to be overseeing or putting together the HIV/AIDS workshop as well as the sexual reproduction workshop for the grade 5,6 and 7! Big issues over here in S.A! These kids are ever so bright so I can’t wait to pick their brains!

Slightly off topic

Before I go, the previous team started off a hashtag that must live on. Any memorable event that couldn’t happen anywhere else must be said followed by the hashtag! I’ve only been here technically 10 days and I’ve already got one! So here it goes: 

Police officers dropped a dead chicken outside their car window – kids run to it and begun playing “who can throw it the furthest.” 

#OnlyInInchanga

Yuck. I Know! 

In conclusion, I just want to say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who has been checking up on me! Your love really does go a long way and means A LOT! 

I really am excited for this Journey I’m embarking on. I didn’t realise how “brave” it was until now. Lol, honestly all the glory goes to God!

Special shout to: Mother, Louise, Fernandes, Ryall, Mummy G, Twesigye + Hlambelos! These humans are eveything! ❤️

Look out for my next post! Why, you ask?! Well, I’m excited because I’ve got an amazing weekend ahead! I get to attend my FIRST ever South African wedding! Pictures shall posted in the next blog!

Until next time! 

xox
  These kids really made me reflect on life. They may have little and want the material that western folk have but I believe that they are richer. Why? Because they have one thing thing we all need – JOY! So infectious. My heart is FULL.

Sometimes you have to be willing to experience discomfort in order to grow and move to a new level of maturity. Be willing to step out of your comfort zone…. That’s where growth takes place! Be willing to shift to a higher gear.