Finding my feet

I'm writing this with wet hair and all the clothes I was previously wearing this morning hanging on the line outside in the scorching sun...we had the paddling pool out for the children in the unit today and it turned into a water fight with very unfair odds (me versus all eight children) - I got well and truly beaten...and drenched. Not that I mind at all - its an incredible feeling to see how accustomed they have grown to me in two short weeks and how happy, secure and comfortable they feel spending time with me. 

It's been a VERY busy and a VERY hot week - we have a meeting every morning where we run through what we're all doing and I have a lot of my own responsibilities now to juggle - quite a challenge! The overall feeling I've got from this week is fulfilment and a sense of belonging - I feel like I've really found my feet, my spot on the team and that I do have a lot to offer the project (which is a wonderful feeling!)

Sports is still going really well and its definitely become one of my favourite parts of the day. There are two Dutch sports students over here doing some work for a few months and they're going to be part of a new life skills programme we are incorporating into the sports lessons. Every day I come back from sports thinking what an amazing way it is to get to know children and break down the barriers between us, whether they be language (mainly Afrikaans and Xhosa), culture, or just a timidity on their part. With the two Dutch students there will also be four older boys from the community, who want to become sports mentors - altogether an enthusiastic and internationally mixed team, which is lovely! These sessions facilitate other lessons that we are trying to teach children in the community, such as self-respect, self-esteem and working with others etc - in communities where there is a lot of abuse, and many children lack the care and attention they need, their vulnerability makes these lessons essential. 

We had a birthday party on Tuesday for one of our little boys who turned two. With lots of sugary food and drink, combined with the excitement of Pass the Parcel and bubble blowing, there was a lot of excitement, laughing, screaming and crying -  but I think the fact that they all kept singing Happy Birthday all week afterwards suggests they enjoyed it! 

I have started doing the school run on my own this week and I am really enjoying the responsibility - I managed my first solo run without any mishaps - partially helped by the fact it was a Friday, so all three girls were really tired from the week and remained pretty sleepy for the whole journey. They were rewarded with a sticker on their sticker chart for good behaviour - if they're good all week they get sweeties, but to be honest I think they're more excited by the stickers!

When I initially applied to volunteer here I expressed an interest in doing some arts and crafts work with people in the community and on Wednesday I went down to Thembacare on my own, to go to the little crafts class they have there. Thembacare is an adult hospice for those who are terminally ill and suffering with severe cases of HIV, aids and TB. ARVs (antiretrovirals), which are taken to combat HIV, have very unpleasant side effects and leave patients feeling much worse, even if they are helping in the long run. As a consequence, many of the patients at Thembacare are tired and just want to lie in bed all day. This obviously does nothing to improve their condition physically but is also mentally detrimental - promoting no sense of positivity, hope or determination.  The craft session gives a few of the women/girls there something to focus on and something to take pride and ownership of. When I arrived there were three older girls learning to use a sewing machine and I managed to dredge up enough GCSE textiles knowedge to teach them successfully. They were also starting some beading work so I went back the next day just to sit with them and do that for the morning. They were all very quiet and there is a language barrier, so conversation was limited but I like to think the company is something different in their day and they all seemed quite happy to sit quietly working together.

So this week brings the start of the Life Skills Programme, more solo school runs and hopefully some more time spent with the women at Thembacare - so I'm going to throw myself into all of it and see what  happens...