South Africa 15 - It feels like home, and it knocks me out.

Tuesday 17/06
This was the first of our assessment days at a school called Fundokuhle. Hannah, Abby and I were all fairly nervous and apprehensive - as we sort of had a plan - but a lot of the time we were going to be making it up as we go along!

The morning started well with everyone being up early in order for us to have a team prayer huddle before we went out! As we had to be at CCP at 0715 everyday to be able to arrive at the school on time!
All in all things went a lot better than I had expected - we got all the assessments done ahead of the time we had scheduled and the children loved the games and things that were planned. I was in Grade 8B with Thabile and Themba. Lots of fun had!

The only slight problem was that the other school children went slightly mad when they saw that we were taking some sandwiches into the classes that we were working with.
This meant that in all the other schools we were exceptionally careful to hide the food to prevent some of the hassles and stresses that developed from that issue!

After the school assessments we had a pretty early finish from CCP I went home and got POST! More chocolate from home :-P yay! (i should clarify that the second reference to home was my British home rather than my South African one - weird as? huh!)

Then cell group as per usual. Good prayer sess and all that!

Wednesday 18/06
This was the second time at Fundokuhle - this time assessing Grade 9's (tues was gr.8). The second day was much harder as there were far more children in need and crying out for help. Abby and Hannah both interviewed children with traumatic cases; and there were a lot of children from that day who require intervention.
Having said that I now have a friend in Gr 9B who is seriously lovely and smiley!

In the afternoon we had a meeting with Rob(one of the managing directors of CCP - absolute legend..) and Di (intro-d many times on this blog....fundraising head of Gateway) to make sure that everyone was clear on the CCP moving-out-of-Gateway situation. Hannah, Abby and I were pretty clear as we've been involved in several meetings at Bethany House - but some of the other guys were a little confused by some of the things that they'd been hearing. It was a cool meeting, at one point I thought it might go on for several hours - as both Di and Rob can talk for England (though I suppose South Africa might be more appropriate!)

Then in the evening we had Kylie and her friend who had been visiting her from the UK over for homemade pizzas - a lot of fun! But unfortunately I wasn't the greatest of company as the two early mornings and assessment days had really taken it out of me!

Thursday 19/06
This was the first assessment day at Georgetown Secondary School, with the Grade 8's. I spent alot more time doing assessments as I became more confident in what was expected; unfortunately translation was a far bigger barrier than it had been at Fundokuhle - and so I needed a support worker or a member of the CCP Youth Group (also known as GOLD - Generation Of Leaders Discovered - Love it!!) in order to actually complete the assessments.

Its really tough to think that a lot of the 13 and 14 year old kids won't be able to have a well-paid job in the future because of their poor English - the support workers and youth were great at pushing the children to at least try and understand English - because in the long run not having adequate English skills ultimately continues the cycle of poverty.

After the assessment day Hannah, Abby, Ru, Jules and I headed out to Mugg&Bean for some good food and some chill out time. Tiredness beckoned rapidly!....

Friday 20/06
The boys went to a prison ministry with an evangelist(yes, that's her full time job!) from Eagle Christian Centre (ECC) which we attended as a team a while back. It turned out that they couldn't get into the prison so they went to a hospital instead and managed to get themselves into the paper(albeit as Phil Fital-Singh and John Cartala) but hey!

Meanwhile we went to the second day of assessments at Georgetown - for the Gr. 9's.
There was a far lower turn-out than the day before which meant that we finished even earlier!
I also left early with Rob, Hannah and Abby in order for us to get the letters to Zamazulu school in time for the assessment day the next week. I got out of the car at CCP to go to the loo while the other two got the memory stick - and ended up being left behind(!) so I got down to some serious counting of numbers for the admin side of things!

In the afternoon I headed out for a chill-out to the Botanical Gardens with Nai, Ru, Jules, Phil, Jenny and Izzy. Much sleeping/sunbathing! We also went to Liberty Mall and got down to some serious planning for Hannah's birthday the next day, which went on long into the night. Unfortunately I became zombie like pretty prematurely in the evening so hit the sack early!

Saturday 21/06
I rose a little later than usual - but was conscious of all the plans for Hannah's birthday so it wasn't too late...I was greeted on my way to the shower by an over-exuberant Hannah who had just opened her parcels from home. She got a few grunts that may have ressembled the words 'Happy Birthday' and went to wake myself up!

We had bananna pancakes made for us by the bananna pancake man himself (Jonno) and a few 0chilled out hours later we were on our way to the Botanical Gardens for a picnic.
Lots of fun, much music and a silly game with an orange later we were back at Gateway.

Four of the girls headed to a nicely decorated cell for birthday facemasks, the clutch cable on the car snapped, Jonno, Phil and Kat get stared at by many passing cars as we ponder how to get ourselves out of the predicament we find ourselves in.....

Car predicament is eventually partially solved (in that we are no longer stuck on the road) we phone someone else and get them to buy party food for us.
Kat gets to her facemask and the boys set about decorating the admin block for the party.

A few hours (and a lot of glamourising!! :-P) later there is a surprise party for Hannah, much surprise on the birthday girl's behalf, lots of playing of pass the parcel, musical chairs and too much food in general....
Abby is ill in bed with bad cold :S we missed her.

Sunday 22/06
Over night on Sat I slept in Hannah and Izzy's cell as Abby was worried about disturbing me and I was going to Carter School (which is where an offshoot of NCF church meets) early the next morning as our cell group was on the tea and coffee roster.
Was exceptionally weird not to be in my own bed.

After tea and coffee serving at Carter we all (minus Abby and plus Naomi) went to the Botanical Gardens for the concert in the park that was being held.
Lots of lovely music, company and food.

Got a bit bored by the end of the afternoon of sitting and listening - but it was fun!
Was also very wierd as I could count on one hand the number of black/mixed race people present. Seriously couldn't get used to being surrounded by so many white people....it hasn't happened for a good two months now!!

That evening a lot of general bumming around was done - aswell as some watching of Mulan - I was beginning to feel rather ill with cold at this stage - just as Abby was getting over hers!

Monday 23/06

Abby spent a day in bed, recuparating and trying to be in good health for her birthday the next day.
There was alot of stapling to be done at CCP to get the registers for the other three schools which were still to have assessment days.
V.long team leader prayer sess - about nothing and everything under the sun - probably not aided by the fact that I was in a tired and rambly mood!

Bridget Jones's Diary was watched (or not watched in mine, Phil and Jonno's case!)
Abby's birthday planned!

Tuesday 24/06
I was ill as anything - but still persuaded my body that it should be dragged out of bed...this persuasion plus Abby being set on her birthday treasure hunt over breakfast = us being late for CCP and Ru's devotional :S

After said devotional we had a meeting to plan the Zamazulu assessment day taking place on Thursday as the Gr8 and Gr9 days were being merged into one day which = a lot more organisation required for things to run smoothly.
Then CCP Youth rocked up in the afternoon so we spent some time teaching them some cool games for them to be teaching the children, while we pull them out of the classes to do one-on-one assessments.
Then came back to Gateway to admire all the nice things that Abby had unwrapped after completing her Maths-themed treasure hunt.

In the evening we headed out to cell group - was good fun - but I had a hacking cough which made things a little less comfy for me and a little louder for evryone else!!
Needless to say I did not sleep well that night!

Wednesday 25/06
Decided to stay in bed in order to attempt to be better for the Zamazulu assessment days for which I was needed for. So I got up late, showered, had lunch, felt knackered enough to go to bed again.
Did not much at all afternoon - skipped the meal that everyone else went out to with two new volunteers from Northern Ireland onsite (well as of Sunday there's three of them...)
Cooked some pasta and sauce (yum!)
Later got chastised/laughed at for cooking about 4x the amount of pasta I needed (pasta salad the next day...) but in my defence cooking is not as yet my forte (not enough practice..) and I was ill so my brain was hardly in gear!!
ho hum!
Slept ok though!

Thursday 26/06
Zamazulu assessment day!
A lot of fun! Out in the sun!
Good times all round, even if I did have three kids cry :-(

I got cough medicine :D I think everyone in the cell block was bored of me having coughing fits while trying to sleep so Phil&Jonno took pity! They were also threatened with many things if they forgot to get some but that's a very minor detail.....

Hannah went and had some chillout/sleep over time with Nai!
We got pizza. I went on Skype - and stayed up late trying to make myself feel tired/stop coughing.
I failed and spent alot of time having more coughing fits while trying to sleep :S

Friday 27/06
Went to prison ministry (for real this time!) with the other girls - I found it far more difficult than I had originally imagined - and my throat felt constricted the whole time. It was rather strange - may just have been spaced out from cold/lack of sleep but it was a challenging experience - trying to talk to immates through cell bars and find a way of making sense to them. The people we were with were full of passion and just talking at them/prayering over them/with them. Just all felt a little overwhelming and really wasn't sure what to say or how to feel.
I'll try it again some time - but not too soon! lol!

After prison ministry we came back and I had a chilled out afternoon - Jenny and Abby went shopping for some things and I had an early night(i think!)

Saturday 28/06
Lie-in - very quiet morning. Walked(!) down to Mac's coffee shop with the girls - about half hour walk - five minute drive.
It was soo good to walk!
Came back - there was food being given out to refudgees onsite that the boys were helping with - which apparently got fairly hectic - with people fighting about food! But it was all over by the time we were back!
Went to the house where Jules and Ru are staying and had a braai and some good time with the children they were babysitting for!
Good games of sardines etc!
Late night back - we were all shattered!

Sunday 29/06
Early start to go to PCF with Hannah and Nai - some, erm, interesting(!) God channel clips watched!!
Back for lunch
Had Kylie over for a farewell meal - all very posh (and very filling!)
Went to NCF with Kylie and Dean - sermon was good but a little rambly (which I'm familiar with of course - but didn't really help in this situation)
Then back to the prison for carrot cake(!) and banter - up late!

Monday 30/06
Just spent the day packing and chilling.
I got to dash as we have half an hour till we leave for the airport and I'm not entirely sure that I'm ready!
What I am ready for though is some chillout time and fun filled banter in Cape Town!

We're planning:
Table Mt
Cape Point
1 Thessalonians
Robben Island
Food
Much sleep and even more banter!

Should be good!

We fly back on the 9th and go for a long game weekend on the 11th
so I'm sure I'll have a fun-filled blog the week after that!

Peace out! x