Week 2 in Muesenberg

I am finishing my second week as a volunteer and this has been an incredible and deep experience for me. On Wednesday, we started officially in the schools and reviewing their curriculum. So, a few of us are working on grades 1-6, and will begin actually teaching next Wednesday. What feels good is that all the volunteers that follow the current group will have a uniform curriculum that complements what the kids are being taught in class.

We will be working with children in those grades who did not pass on to their next grade. The school I have been assigned to is called Christian David and is a very poor school. I saw the classrooms and they are singular buildings that remind me of small train box cars. There is no heating or air conditioning so it can be quite unpleasant at some times of the year. One other volunteer who I share a room with, who specializes in computers, has been assigned there also. Everyone else (6) were assigned to another school called Steenberg.

I am happy with my assignment because it is truly a school in need of so many things. The money some of you donated will be used to purchase supplies that reflect the curriculum, so everything is coordinated and hopefully can be sustained for the year. One of the program leaders and myself are going 'shopping' this coming Monday or Tuesday. Twister was such a hit (they had an old game) and I am now using it as a reward for the small kids. If they can name all the colors and count the circles correctlythen they can play a game with me and of course they are guaranteed to win :))

I had quite the experience yesterday. I went with 4 of my young roommates to Robbin Island, where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were imprisoned. We took a ferry to the island and had quite a long tour. When we reached the building where the political leaders were jailed, one of them became our tour guide. His name is Sepo (which means gift) and he told stories that gave me waves of constant goosebumps about how they kept their spirit up, planned for a new government, and taught all the illiterate teenagers in prison how to read and write. To this day, he said, "I do not understand why they jailed the political leaders in the same 36 bed room!" Mandela had his own tiny cell, but the others were together. I could go on and on about yesterday's experience but words would fail. 

On a humorous side, my roommate who ordered our tickets confirmed for 1/16/14 instead of 1/15/14. When we reached the boarding area the guard noticed it and said we could not board until tomorrow, which is today!! Automatically, we naturally went into why he should let us board...all of us had a slightly different 'swan' song...after about 5 minutes, he told us we were so annoying one of us should go up and get the right tickets and go away on the ferry. Unfortunately, it made the boat 15 minutes late but we got on very grateful and very happy. Only to be even more grateful after the tour for the meaningful experiences we each had.

The first attached picture is taken from Robbin's Island looking across the bay at Capetown; the second is Emron, 10 yrs old and myself. He and I bonded in less than a handful of days. His parents were murdered in front of him and his 14 yr. old sister in their home. She is now raising him by herself. I can't imagine saying good-bye to these children but I remind myself I don't have to think of that yet. Many of their stories are unimaginable, and yet their is a resilience in them.