tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738454327315817302024-02-07T05:00:50.437+02:00African WanderlustNotes from our villagePaulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-86817942390184791162009-08-18T20:32:00.007+02:002009-08-18T21:47:16.638+02:00PNGC 2009 Award Ceremony and Our FarewellLast Wednesday, August 12th, was a big day. Combined into one large event, held at the Seleka Community Hall, was the PNGC 2009 Awards Ceremony and a community farewell function for Jessica and I. We could not have asked for a better day to mark the beginning of our final days in Seleka. Despite a mountain of preparation, last minute details and communication across a number of different organizations in Seleka and the surrounding area, the event not only went smoothly, but was truly a celebration of all the achievements this community has had over the past two years.<br /><br />Our morning started at 5:30am, when a local tailor named Adam and his assistant stopped by to fit Jessica for her traditional dress. Seleka Higher Primary school had organized this dress as a gift for her. She had been measured only once and when she donned her new wardrobe for the first time, it fit perfectly. Adam is a truly exceptional tailor. He found out that I did not have a traditional shirt to wear for the ceremony, took a glance at me and said 'I know your size'. Unexpectedly, a couple hours later I was met by Mma Motshegwa and presented with a brand new, excellently fit, traditional shirt to match Jessica's dress. Truly incredible and a wonderful gift.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQth63MG0VM1m00L8rDTI1TQz6pDeamkJufyqSVvoIZ1b-1WJXDTQ6FzUYxHVYLqlNF25BYTs2Qs4oU-ySFp8ZBef1PP9uU47BKNLR6N86xZhfmVhbyIpi9kaPGu764ZcMatErfooZiVp/s320/530am+Dress+Fitting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371377470744498146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Jessica, Adam, and his assistant</span><br /><br /></div>After our early start and a strongly brewed cup of coffee, we made our way to school. Upon arrival and after many oohs and aahs at how beautiful Jessica looked in her dress, she was quickly ushered into Mma Modipa's classroom where a second traditional dress awaited, much to her surprise! The teachers shooed out all the men, helped Jess out of the first dress and into the second. We men were then called back in to admire the new look, which again was beautiful. A number of photos were taken, and then the men were again shooed away as the women decided which dress Jessica should wear for the day. They decided on the first.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Qh3jvYvQEcQ4w8xHJmKvKPYBBRbjU2-nd5jUdjmC7jQVkSypr5My5SaDCtVtx7aFo01HUubgwDGeCd_MtnVLHMtZubzr4Zm2Cj5OWXPRjDOYaBg-hEWIcQ3QX3TJbawVnCniwcDhqiIr/s320/Dress+%232.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371377485830353282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Jessica (dress #2) and Mma Kgang</span><br /><br /></div>The ceremony was scheduled to begin at 10:00am. Knowing that it would not start on time (its the way of any event in Seleka) and having completed all our preparations in the previous few days, we were able to spend the morning on a few last details with the teachers and community members; setting up the PNGC Craft Sales table, making copies of the program for the day, setting up and testing the DVD player, etc.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBf0RtMNoHWYpss3C1OU0ZxTHqY98QUI0phTvkjdTIlYmZZvtSPyocRXk1U2z43ptMKwCPYZ4JcYIc9TQPHsmBiJF89Dp8fjMW0pVxH6I2rQiUltgl3tPoptxWVlTba9t7VUJgFyfT_0C/s320/PNGC+Craft+Table.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371381276582660866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">PNGC Craft Sales Table - Business was good!</span><br /><br /></div>At the community hall, people began to trickle in around 10:30am. By 10:45am it was suggested we should begin, but then quickly postponed when it was realized that over half the honored guests, including all the PNGC Leaders and Jessica, had gone back to school to collect a few last items. Finally, at 11:15am the program started. For the next couple hours people continued to filter in as they arrived from different parts of the Seleka, neighboring villages and Lephalale. We were honored to have a couple representatives from Peace Corps join us for the day. Margaret Shebe is the Small Grants Coordinator and has been instrumental in assisting PNGC and Palala Clubs to get their funding and also to promote apron sales. Hendrik Matseke, Jessica's Peace Corps supervisor was also able to attend.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithyEafi0ftzjmazSqtmmcTbo8g-m4suNqsnAY6seDJnJAhUXV5H7_yutivId7wrCo-BNXL7HtckP6GXdCGNyqxNxj0Y_6kNfa-merRLSXOmnyrJXOgpcH_HYtSeW2ji1zAwAhGRdMDc-h/s320/Hendrik+Matseke+and+Margaret+Shebe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371377503472697778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Hendrik Matseke and Margaret Shebe, Peace Corps</span><br /><br /></div>The first half of the ceremony was dedicated to honoring the work for Palala North Girls Club 2009. A few of the leaders spoke about the achievements of the girls throughout the year and explained the essence of club to the community. A dozen PNGC girls performed two poems centered on HIV/AIDS awareness, and Junitah Maphoto, the PNGC winner of this year's essay contest, read her essay on 'How she will work to prevent HIV/AIDS in her life and in the community'. It was great to see everyone in the audience so supportive of PNGC, the leaders, the girls, and all the work they have done. To know that the entirety of Seleka is behind the club lets us know that there will be encouragement to hold club again in 2010.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugq9h-UMsa8PXMjMqfPJ2ZJ3jd7SHH241vB9AJmGYkoA8vI0Y8jyAcLX8QO7f7WICbkJXIfb7EVJf2q7F1Orft8Gut_W5V5VUU2noFNHCtLTzCxYd-9x42bHKFOyn6oA2BwoPAIkFf1PV/s320/Mma+Motsoko+PNGC+Leader.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371381251661528722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Mma Motsoko, PNGC Leader</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvSd3ceT87eF_URa4KbRRQ-UNqADQXgkKElMNfrwEecQ_l36LFrWGhePAaPhTEHVeF8hhOU7vDDg-PgKtSWVSNbknzRn_tKdtM2sjBJiRwiLJvsBbByHK8vvcKk_9xJGiA3H4Q6Z7JXG2/s320/Junitah+Maphoto.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371379240877246258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Junitah Maphoto, PNGC Essay Contest Winner</span><br /><br /></div>Towards the end of the PNGC part of the program, we had the privilege of presenting the HIV/AIDS ribbon quilts from 2008 and 2009 to the community. It was decided by the PNGC leaders that the quilt of 2008 should be donated to Kgosi (Chief) Seleka, to be displayed at the Tribal Office. Kgosi Seleka had arrived shortly before and his entrance was heralded with singing and dancing. The presentation process was very unique. When addressing a Kgosi in Tswana culture it is appropriate to work through his main councilor, who will then relay the message to the Kgosi, even though the Kgosi is standing next to his councilor and can hear everything that is being said. This tradition is a sign of respect towards the Kgosi. Graciously Kgosi Seleka received the gift of the quilt and then rose to address the crowd. He spoke highly of the work that Palala Clubs has done, not only here, but in Klipspruit Primary where it began with our good friends Brandon and Rachel Johnson and their leaders Mma Ditsela, Mma Tema, and Mma Khalo. All three of those ladies were in attendance and were able to be recognized in person, a great thrill for them! We were also deeply touched when Kgosi Seleka thanked us for our time in Seleka. He made a point of telling us, and the community, that we are no longer visitors, but we are part of the Seleka family, with the name of Seleka . This makes us brother and sister to Kgosi Seleka, a truly incredible honor. It has been so much fun to meet with Kgosi Seleka over the last couple years and his welcome has been wholehearted. To have him speak about Palala Clubs so fondly and to thank us for our time was a wonderful part of our day.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 285px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBA5Ic0CxcabIePezJs0Ex7LwQf2GZneSma2dgzLzBPRPN7apkZQiD-rtU7pbO7e4ccxCRUE6z3dTjI86jSrS0AAb26b1yPn-WWcNGx1N0LNzhrRUMPOa3DZvKS5JVuk2d43_cEmkgIqF/s320/Kgosi+Seleka+Speaking.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371379251115837378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Kgosi Seleka</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VUCira63mEId_QLq4MsvXRy9iqBsGxbAXet28tjeNT2Ibciho5vKRt46QgRxNGZ0p-6NoT7eacAKkh-rzFrpd40t4oGG-hSQ1Xqv20fT5izQnGpwW-CNbOE6natwW3oOVUIMGqZapyRX/s320/Andrew+the+Kgosi%27s+Councilor+and+Kgosi+Seleka.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371377471862800850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Andrew Mocheko, Kgosi's Councilor and Kgosi Seleka</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNcVXoD1Jm_nzY8vhn8aIKtnKJhvaqM0xF8nblse5c9edfYsWD0N5-luLBleJ9_0Fov4I9XIrzarnrgtXyhzttA-2pUVcQ8T6cuumHR4rbKfKzcNI9Hxs79ur3BungQD-4lVC7lTRMiDw/s320/Quilt+Presented+to+Kgosi+Seleka.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371382588357151250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Quilt for Kgosi Seleka</span><br /><br /></div>After presenting Kgosi Seleka with his quilt, it was time to present the quilt from this year. For this quilt, the PNGC leaders decided to have a communitywide raffle to raise money for PNGC 2010. In the week leading up to the ceremony, all the PNGC leaders and girls had been selling raffle tickets. Anyone could buy one, and the winner would receive the quilt. The quilt was unfolded and displayed before the hall and our emcee for the day, Grace Masalesa (also a PNGC leader) explained the process. People young and old were digging into their bags and pockets to remove their ticket(s), glancing at the number, and eagerly awaiting the drawing. Mma Tema, from Klipspruit, was our guest raffle drawer. She dug around in the box, stirring the tickets for a few seconds, and then removed one and handed it to Grace. Grace, ever an entertainer, proceeded to ask the crowd in Setswana 'Who is it?!' 'What name is in my hand?!', while the crowd began to call out 'Bua! Bua!' (Speak! Speak!). This went back and forth for almost a full minute until the name Martjie Manyako was finally called out. Jessica and I had a hard time distinguishing the name, but out of the crowd popped a very surprised young girl, who happened to be a PNGC member from this year! As she walked up front she initially looked completely overwhelmed and not sure what to do. The crowd was cheering; the PNGC leaders were excitedly singing and dancing as they presented her with her brand new quilt. After about 30 seconds it all set in and Martjie broke out into a large grin as the PNGC leaders wrapped her up in the quilt. For Jessica and me, it was such treat knowing that one of the girls who helped to sew the quilt had won. Not only that, but the next day we got an even bigger thrill. We found out that after the ceremony, Martjie had gone home with her quilt. Upon seeing this incredible prize that she won, her gogo (grandmother) sent someone out with R45 to buy a live chicken and a two litres of Coke so that they could have a big celebratory dinner to honor Martjie. For a gogo to do something like this, and spend that kind of money on her granddaughter (gogo's small income comes from selling sweets to school kids during lunch break) is a big deal and might have been an even bigger event than winning the quilt itself!!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iV9JUYTnuhDllzSNDysy6CpauKhbJ893Dg8rKdaRO66fcCjJ43akl4MJNEWBi7Q10dAqp2Rn1Ul9ArkJsiCWZA-JJRCaq4H5SodcZIBTkUupYv5-B6N_TxOoWKfPxeeBhhcCjFergaug/s320/Quilt+for+the+Raffle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371381293298720850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Quilt for the raffle</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXc7rvPjJXsVDqexCVN7smJtDxcBaYXSV5LAZouB2oiSPgcg6izo2IWG1noKO_baRsQVFHOtjqeR9XINv4UZ6KgajqmV1rhjnXvkiXC07jFZQXydws4lkykjXoDOUk-vV4bQXSe3c1qtE/s320/Masalesa+Preparing+to+read+the+winner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371379292611547026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Grace Masalesa, PNGC Leader, teasing the crowd</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPy52ZYaH1g7zCNAqvIfZGPIoBaYuW6rvUS07bZLICSbQrhT31Y1VXQ7AlopemXgBMUUZT5t1xtlgMtDgXtTmacogUsugK_dBh6TP6AcXWZ0yH7H9F_9rnTZU4yBKZHefk5kp-kV7QmNM/s320/Martjie+Manyako+winner+of+the+raffle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371379282134652738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Martjie Manyako, PNGC member and raffle winner</span><br /><br /></div>With the quilt presentations completed, I then presented the PNGC girls with a short photo slideshow from the year. They laughed and pointed and celebrated as they watched a review of all their lessons and crafts. It was an exciting to watch them revel in this video that was all about them. Unfortunately Jess was not able to see the girls view their video because she was taken out quickly with Mma Motshegwa to change into a third (yes, third!) traditional outfit of the day!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajVEUoOumq6v1qfiC8_aYhlGz_0f0Ia8oNTFTIZOVLMyeR8DjKLX9RTsP4fsfNEteOhlWxEsw9C4_ClFLUe-tPoUwRDPXIYeWgyFZOiwyyRJK4JKnOcsfO3PF7zWsEk04glYw5CjWquFE/s320/Mma+Modipa+Jess+in+dress+%233+and+Nancy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371381239249281442" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Mma Modipa, Jessica (dress #3) and Nancy</span><br /><br /></div>The video marked the end of the PNGC section of the ceremony and we moved into our farewell that had been organized by the various organizations in the community that we have worked with. It was marked by numerous singing and dancing pieces, a variety of speakers from each organization and throughout all of this there was a hearty traditional lunch served in take-away Styrofoam containers to each adult in the room (children ate outside in the shade). Needless to say it was very moving for us. Mr. Motsoko, a retired principal from Seleka Higher Primary, related the story of how when we first arrived, we refused to type documents for people, but were very happy to sit down with someone and show them how to type a document. His metaphor of choice was 'Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime.' We were very impressed by his relating these stories, and also found it hilarious that they had grasped so early on the way that we wanted to work with the community just by the way we addressed requests to type! Other speeches included a touching farewell poem written by one of our grade R (kindergarten) teachers, a rousing speech from Mma Motshegwa, and a celebratory speech by the Itsoseng Elderly Group showing off all of the bead work they had created under Jessica's instruction.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpppxHE4eJAKqf_X0h5fN8HREp3fky3OXDx7RudbmhhqE84Us18r7PTnPsQDPr1mDh2s3K08T-iGfMC7duT2Ycn1ZT2NAceN1XMftSCvi4tnQcUz7YXGEcg5ssinIOenLmca1Le8dtpmji/s320/Mr.+Motsoko+Speaking.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371381266848602562" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Mr. Motsoko, retired principal from Seleka Higher Primary</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 237px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKpMK0vYNjX1w_zx4RXo0k1At5wOeyeBP8Fvl6y2c7u6tuaOJnTRFcwCzkD0mbdWmY0i5-YIjyCHQ3viRxw9XrxRcT2NMcW2wD73HTM80yeiT0cX_HFhMOv_2Jjg7dzbidrrNamFAVO4_x/s320/Mma+Chipana%27s+Poem.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371379306879359298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Mma Chipana, Grade R teacher and poet</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSIxbge6ER-hZ2Zuxd2_fmEP83rr-2aWgdmM8klqjt7BLitxxdkvMaAzKMtOTe3_dnFEW7v3POGUWmkmtE1i-5kjCq0QpdmtWnaAjKd9KMvO0LKo93y-zoTFTrwvmxGT9TKlWgKM7YS3d/s320/Itsotseng+Elderly+Group+Dancing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371377514671572994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Itsotseng Elderly Group dancing</span><br /><br /></div>As the speeches wound down and the food was being finished we were presented with a few small gifts from the community. They are some very unique pieces of art from South Africa that we will be able to take with us. It was such a generous thing to do on top of throwing such a large celebration for us. In response, Jessica and I proceeded to give our prepared speech (in English and Setswana!) to thank everyone and each organization individually, for welcoming us into their lives and their community. Without such a welcome we could never had succeed as much as we did over the last two years. As our gift to the community we purchased a mango tree for each organization that has played an important role in our service in Seleka. We have now planted seven trees around Seleka that will hopefully remind people of us once we leave!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGC2009CelebrationAndFarewellFunction"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVK_kSfuAvz8J4fWWFdRjJt5vh_hUOatu3BLmmyERDKizmsP9Mkv63OoI-YiUfbqfxsH0SmV3yE5EV4BLmIi8rXZgQE4Y86L_acNuSDAOqeTV7MX6UFXWNas5u0MFiR-mKxw4306adjbKe/s320/Showing+off+the+Baphoting+Mango+Tree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371382603295907570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Mma Seleka, Paul, Mma Motshegwa, and Nancy showing off Bahoting's mango tree</span><br /><br /></div>After our speech there was a closing dance and singing before people dispersed. We lingered, enjoying the laughter and conversation that always follows a jubilant celebration, despite everyone being rather exhausted. Noticing the sunlight casting long shadows across the floor of the hall, I glanced at my phone to see that the whole event had lasted for over five and a half hours! No wonder we were tired. We finished collecting our things and assisting with cleanup, arriving home at around 6:00pm, over 12 hours after we started our day! I think we were asleep within an hour or two.<br /><br />This celebration for us was such a grand event and so special for us. It was difficult knowing that this truly marks the end of our service. We are now in the closing days and weeks of our time in Seleka. Other than organizing our supplies and passing them all on to people to use here, we need to pack our bags and head to Pretoria. Each moment we have left is being spent with friends and colleagues. Many cups of tea and coffee, lots of laughs, reminiscing about an incredible two years together and dreading the inevitable last goodbye.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-38450528152699935662009-06-06T19:22:00.011+02:002009-06-06T21:22:32.907+02:00PNGC 2009: Weeks 1-11 in Review<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PNGC</span> has almost completed its second cycle here in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Seleka</span>, as we move into our last week on Monday. Unfortunately, one of our leaders from last year, Jacqueline, was not able to participate as she was on maternity leave for four months; however we've had two excellent additions to the leaders to replace her for this year: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mma</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Motsoko</span> (Jacqueline's sister) and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Mma</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Masalesa</span>. Both <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Mma</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Motsoko</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Mma</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Masalesa</span> teach at our lower primary school, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Baphoting</span>. Jacqueline just returned to school on Monday and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">PNGC</span> presented her with a quilt, made by the leaders (a huge thanks to Rachel for the donation of warm, flannel material!), to welcome her back!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0XNmNBFPZTWN9WWUIAbx8xTGaUyN_AT7HxUa4Y-Tx08o21622N3Dr-M6TtG_1aRCIDp8zW_RLZ9119BqOegO1PTrMRYEz0F4bPKanoJsOzLT5Vomj8cNNd_J8p-SdHym8AKEQeNPRNc/s1600-h/DSC_0057-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0XNmNBFPZTWN9WWUIAbx8xTGaUyN_AT7HxUa4Y-Tx08o21622N3Dr-M6TtG_1aRCIDp8zW_RLZ9119BqOegO1PTrMRYEz0F4bPKanoJsOzLT5Vomj8cNNd_J8p-SdHym8AKEQeNPRNc/s320/DSC_0057-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344268905967612242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">PNGC</span> 2009<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG15zn-uORUU7V0SPVXkzwiGydTKypY6pdJYfMYU95uFcFbAt9PeT-BRu6XZY2oyGK3QXDnqnFrPnxMc7uJJmCl0_ecBpI8SGVvSP_GX_4P5eQL8JBwWoIZiNtVDhh9IrRXMuh0VmesD0/s1600-h/DSC_0064-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG15zn-uORUU7V0SPVXkzwiGydTKypY6pdJYfMYU95uFcFbAt9PeT-BRu6XZY2oyGK3QXDnqnFrPnxMc7uJJmCl0_ecBpI8SGVvSP_GX_4P5eQL8JBwWoIZiNtVDhh9IrRXMuh0VmesD0/s320/DSC_0064-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344268909889196034" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">PNGC</span> Leaders at Invitation Day<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHkzEe7MnMHP6qUAXJOSvCais_w-yLaJaY_1E7XXaGzBqRzTA2rNBBNNuk6RCXRTFUeUa81AfDQWB8WcH5JWRhaD1CF7Itm8wcKJAXVohAM_gnsrr8Qn6L_wJRIcFA0-p6KTzssPD9WI/s1600-h/DSC_0103-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHkzEe7MnMHP6qUAXJOSvCais_w-yLaJaY_1E7XXaGzBqRzTA2rNBBNNuk6RCXRTFUeUa81AfDQWB8WcH5JWRhaD1CF7Itm8wcKJAXVohAM_gnsrr8Qn6L_wJRIcFA0-p6KTzssPD9WI/s320/DSC_0103-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344277338607462386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Mma</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Masalasa</span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIpKI8duE2XZjSwFcWNaJc166CKRi4BVo5wEZIc5G7BJ-SLR0rRhmZK_ZXoweoiysjlzFeH7mvClWyjc9zI1IeA_JziKT-RXpU7pX3jDL49vU4AMMzfplizGtb8_bvltE4VXFjg_5qQc/s1600-h/DSC_0011-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIpKI8duE2XZjSwFcWNaJc166CKRi4BVo5wEZIc5G7BJ-SLR0rRhmZK_ZXoweoiysjlzFeH7mvClWyjc9zI1IeA_JziKT-RXpU7pX3jDL49vU4AMMzfplizGtb8_bvltE4VXFjg_5qQc/s320/DSC_0011-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344286104472807986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Mma</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Motshegwa</span> presenting Jacqueline with her quilt</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_-Llr4wMzrGTwOXBaMVLLVH1gPIdMHyv0TFLy5ca-ucLuMvHoVPPO8MdJBCQOwIaEjcfX63nNKkSjrca2KSbhyphenhyphenPQUYQ_MPh1aRy23hvXaZ280iH0mshG1Md4TJr2xwI8cNA1jTq8cnQ/s1600-h/DSC_0017-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_-Llr4wMzrGTwOXBaMVLLVH1gPIdMHyv0TFLy5ca-ucLuMvHoVPPO8MdJBCQOwIaEjcfX63nNKkSjrca2KSbhyphenhyphenPQUYQ_MPh1aRy23hvXaZ280iH0mshG1Md4TJr2xwI8cNA1jTq8cnQ/s320/DSC_0017-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344289434764109394" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Leaders with Jacqueline's quilt</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This year we have followed the same format designed for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Palala</span> Clubs: a lesson and then a craft We've moved our location from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Seleka</span> Higher Primary School Meeting Hall (which also serves as a classroom for one of our fifth grade teachers) to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Mma</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Seleka's</span> classroom (7<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">th</span> grade teacher and one of our girls’ club leaders). This has proven to make the set up and clean up run much more efficiently and allocated an extra 20 minutes weekly to club.<br /></div></div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKEZD_puVO5rQjrbaTu7lBTfDgbp5ayPFwj4XPpVQhr13ApFweN1UWzl1z_dEWhod-bIzd33P8fn18c5a-6iG_fmUHyB1vz3HXPg6h7gYNfiDAOdBd6tNeanpHd2ZG3jfTGPYf_2DTng/s1600-h/DSC_0105-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKEZD_puVO5rQjrbaTu7lBTfDgbp5ayPFwj4XPpVQhr13ApFweN1UWzl1z_dEWhod-bIzd33P8fn18c5a-6iG_fmUHyB1vz3HXPg6h7gYNfiDAOdBd6tNeanpHd2ZG3jfTGPYf_2DTng/s320/DSC_0105-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344268913463960498" border="0" /></a>We used three new lessons this year: Rape and Abuse, TB, and Physical Activity. The leaders and I were hugely pleased with the seriousness and sensitivity the girls used in participating in the Rape and Abuse lesson, ending with an excellent discussion of adults the girls could come to in the community if they or someone they knew were ever threatened/abused/raped, how one should treat someone with compassion if they have ever been physically, emotionally, or verbally abused, etc. The physical activity lesson was a huge hit, as we followed up the lesson by getting outside to do relay races. The girls had the opportunity to jump around like frogs, give piggy back rides, and do the potato sack race. Some of the girls suggested that we end the day by having a relay for the leaders, but since most of them were wearing high heels, they decided to hold off! Paul and I loved getting a chance to see the 'athletics clothing' that was worn for the day. There were old flannel skirts, grandmother's aprons, biker shorts, and slippers!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpDhZxtxReDmB_qSYSfqEoESzOn-njkv4CZipJ64hqjauZjzB1piGWnheJiyVtc_IwWWlxR4_fnjlbaUln3acBm-YLr5xKwYigIP4mb8EEzLIUa5fp1IW7zrN98zwFlKtrnY853rr8p0/s1600-h/DSC_0108-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpDhZxtxReDmB_qSYSfqEoESzOn-njkv4CZipJ64hqjauZjzB1piGWnheJiyVtc_IwWWlxR4_fnjlbaUln3acBm-YLr5xKwYigIP4mb8EEzLIUa5fp1IW7zrN98zwFlKtrnY853rr8p0/s320/DSC_0108-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344289436790237714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Frog Jump</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyXz5WA1pgxI6y0IMtaho4nddVFDpdIvYuXjj1MvMnULGrcFZI3a-xi8Th08oS0tm5_bx0VFE9dqFwqdkCZi74rcSGLBFQCEZB_VUYNJZ7w8R-jWAgu0PxISCn-wxc3m8lfCyPfRvyms/s1600-h/DSC_0208-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyXz5WA1pgxI6y0IMtaho4nddVFDpdIvYuXjj1MvMnULGrcFZI3a-xi8Th08oS0tm5_bx0VFE9dqFwqdkCZi74rcSGLBFQCEZB_VUYNJZ7w8R-jWAgu0PxISCn-wxc3m8lfCyPfRvyms/s320/DSC_0208-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344289440772659522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Piggy Back Rides</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZH279iiKoIe1rLWVWgom7ePamM0lGl23JSr-eRxLDj2YELi-8W4K679rWiXihm39CTuA4SAN_7RbX9YLFXrdgwya1b17q7UF0rXkgNVXcuQch4ZYhTROgnxWs2cUjVo_jkvFxsI58sx8/s1600-h/DSC_0130-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZH279iiKoIe1rLWVWgom7ePamM0lGl23JSr-eRxLDj2YELi-8W4K679rWiXihm39CTuA4SAN_7RbX9YLFXrdgwya1b17q7UF0rXkgNVXcuQch4ZYhTROgnxWs2cUjVo_jkvFxsI58sx8/s320/DSC_0130-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344289441165344306" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Potato Sack Race</span><br /></div>We have also tried out a few new crafts this year including tie dying (my mom and sister crated a full suitcase of tie dye materials from the States when they came in September---we owe them big time!), Bohemian necklaces made with leather cord and wooden beads, and link bracelets with beads that Megan's (Paul's sister) class at Lincoln Park <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Pre</span>-School so kindly donated. The girls were a bit leery when they eyed the plastic gloves they need to wear for tie dying, but it only took about five minutes for the die caps to come off and they dug right in.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SVZVWGUPYDQamagSOwfCliPigvjNHeLmE3vQH2QsldEg4hk3K5u9qSMuftVPrJw9yUR6LUAf42D6gjF1ChNAppBd0wY4InKGoobUO-1fwX5OKHUPpPSn77SDBPqKx_iPmd6xo0yQYc4/s1600-h/DSC_0440-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SVZVWGUPYDQamagSOwfCliPigvjNHeLmE3vQH2QsldEg4hk3K5u9qSMuftVPrJw9yUR6LUAf42D6gjF1ChNAppBd0wY4InKGoobUO-1fwX5OKHUPpPSn77SDBPqKx_iPmd6xo0yQYc4/s320/DSC_0440-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344277335836622418" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmO9LOpMlFrPQWvxKd4wtTYz4XgflBTdwXZJzuDCTDSfwcfMTVVB9RLtxk2i0ZgJMlaJ0j1RuHmm-xeIAK0VdnJWBWYqnMTUdwiN0iADpwKIDUea2p8DCH4t51ysUSWAnerT8eiky6YOQ/s1600-h/DSC_0483-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmO9LOpMlFrPQWvxKd4wtTYz4XgflBTdwXZJzuDCTDSfwcfMTVVB9RLtxk2i0ZgJMlaJ0j1RuHmm-xeIAK0VdnJWBWYqnMTUdwiN0iADpwKIDUea2p8DCH4t51ysUSWAnerT8eiky6YOQ/s320/DSC_0483-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344277334825856642" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9Y6Q-mgF4FtvC8zM3rZjfz54IRD9gjXs5kq3pXz4Tm3NmfCugg-kD9g1h1eldSo90f6pp0QEOCdi30wrM4Faelvw3xmzuK35SzH1p5Ahrg2xEeUih3ewC_NXAJnt-7xc8ZwKhMr_6j4/s1600-h/DSC_0116-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9Y6Q-mgF4FtvC8zM3rZjfz54IRD9gjXs5kq3pXz4Tm3NmfCugg-kD9g1h1eldSo90f6pp0QEOCdi30wrM4Faelvw3xmzuK35SzH1p5Ahrg2xEeUih3ewC_NXAJnt-7xc8ZwKhMr_6j4/s320/DSC_0116-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344280141289771250" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifv6OawBKwgrktWoDqRL9T4pFv2W8kyqagqAdQVlTCRQhfw9IIogmm5eRtL9VWeBpRX6Bu0N53I2geqNInPvGswylTpoK9xQekOLej8vsabbNiAwzXhJCied52SdzbQhXooyETd40LLCw/s1600-h/DSC_0121-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifv6OawBKwgrktWoDqRL9T4pFv2W8kyqagqAdQVlTCRQhfw9IIogmm5eRtL9VWeBpRX6Bu0N53I2geqNInPvGswylTpoK9xQekOLej8vsabbNiAwzXhJCied52SdzbQhXooyETd40LLCw/s320/DSC_0121-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344280151977120050" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgxE6tr0g6b-zZU0cwTynZv_DXESThOiFSeedKHY9e6qSoAHkp-0jOKliGNHWeprkAuMnhYvMVNjaSTRzUi7iqJUGJ3BWgLJkxZJjMiIE4HgGu4JPehtEgkJf8-Tm0Q3veIren7cmdHE/s1600-h/DSC_0182-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgxE6tr0g6b-zZU0cwTynZv_DXESThOiFSeedKHY9e6qSoAHkp-0jOKliGNHWeprkAuMnhYvMVNjaSTRzUi7iqJUGJ3BWgLJkxZJjMiIE4HgGu4JPehtEgkJf8-Tm0Q3veIren7cmdHE/s320/DSC_0182-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344274759111750850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Memory Wire Bracelets<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElRzrQdmTiC-yUPBKvgumt1PuqtgosONeiv4-NThTZ215rdIsV_ukkQ2WFcSAE_oIEJNVy6iuwCjCkjChpzb-cOUNxX2najtTSaWDEHI_XiLWElGjut1mi-gfOB6xf_dH72g-RY6wf4E/s1600-h/DSC_0106-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElRzrQdmTiC-yUPBKvgumt1PuqtgosONeiv4-NThTZ215rdIsV_ukkQ2WFcSAE_oIEJNVy6iuwCjCkjChpzb-cOUNxX2najtTSaWDEHI_XiLWElGjut1mi-gfOB6xf_dH72g-RY6wf4E/s320/DSC_0106-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344274760505232674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Chain Link Bracelets<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSP1TWobrVO_3EHRpdCveA4KgzIuQTouVuaIw6HLPTyyRtO4_VJ6POevDhvix-gbcDR8t8P1Nb6VVgrYNlDTQfIGNcAYm3j1wPU9NLmSa17dU0TBIlrU1moscY7m_na9YgSlgxY-f3JjE/s1600-h/DSC_0018-2-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSP1TWobrVO_3EHRpdCveA4KgzIuQTouVuaIw6HLPTyyRtO4_VJ6POevDhvix-gbcDR8t8P1Nb6VVgrYNlDTQfIGNcAYm3j1wPU9NLmSa17dU0TBIlrU1moscY7m_na9YgSlgxY-f3JjE/s320/DSC_0018-2-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344274758291844498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Mma</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Makhura</span> helping the girls with Applique Bags<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJj9dcOOcr3cMY-OUvvx651J4hVY6DwChyGva3Ts43eD2BPISWEqqXI6dhZepboaOVV6PyDmx8rWYA5VT3LvrrtScyATySnmFnP-h45B69J8jwzVBxcVyMl4rnCSPVMLso90Kt5N83Og/s1600-h/DSC_0106-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJj9dcOOcr3cMY-OUvvx651J4hVY6DwChyGva3Ts43eD2BPISWEqqXI6dhZepboaOVV6PyDmx8rWYA5VT3LvrrtScyATySnmFnP-h45B69J8jwzVBxcVyMl4rnCSPVMLso90Kt5N83Og/s320/DSC_0106-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344277337978015202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Name Necklaces<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnDyhgmttUWvtuxr81ObJ2XqqnJA3NYCn7NqY9OFtvTbR9P-ZInAIU0prRvaXI-1tRV_TY0Lt9R1K3bAWL39HuuOUwoYC7cAFb4VbLyDon5euWMX55Tw7GmcEnQsW6-c6obGegJ4G9bE/s1600-h/DSC_0258-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnDyhgmttUWvtuxr81ObJ2XqqnJA3NYCn7NqY9OFtvTbR9P-ZInAIU0prRvaXI-1tRV_TY0Lt9R1K3bAWL39HuuOUwoYC7cAFb4VbLyDon5euWMX55Tw7GmcEnQsW6-c6obGegJ4G9bE/s320/DSC_0258-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344277327801387810" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEyHDovspjlU8UvzSb-dYlFmSu2pQ03OPRkTikVpxEaWNPEcmmCcNhd1b120T6uRmt3MX4OKr90mObNBJ_pO6focIo7JU0g8FgiL9B63bObAsQCJZ66wCeb8q3xZA_Ml-cfKZpV5R09w/s1600-h/DSC_0413-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEyHDovspjlU8UvzSb-dYlFmSu2pQ03OPRkTikVpxEaWNPEcmmCcNhd1b120T6uRmt3MX4OKr90mObNBJ_pO6focIo7JU0g8FgiL9B63bObAsQCJZ66wCeb8q3xZA_Ml-cfKZpV5R09w/s320/DSC_0413-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344282971760617986" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84G6Y6rrjALM962wNdq6U4qywRWjOsAr7G9NwDu8ox7hTx8eNbqjmBeRh-VCwKYa61q37a5BXYmPeAByhEvxvJ1o9wsW8ZCHTDONQw_U-kjWKOYwuo06FW9YCsnG8CsO3H9hiI7mxWxE/s1600-h/DSC_0228-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84G6Y6rrjALM962wNdq6U4qywRWjOsAr7G9NwDu8ox7hTx8eNbqjmBeRh-VCwKYa61q37a5BXYmPeAByhEvxvJ1o9wsW8ZCHTDONQw_U-kjWKOYwuo06FW9YCsnG8CsO3H9hiI7mxWxE/s320/DSC_0228-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344282964982349378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Beads donated by Lincoln Park <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Pre</span>-School</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Our dear friend <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Mmapula</span> (Megan Owen) came to visit us and help out with girls club during week 9. She helped with packing 62 bead packets, being the official photographer, untangling knots, showing how to thread beads, etc. She was an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">indispensable</span> member of our team for the week and we wished she could have stayed for the rest of the year!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTlvZgWsPXvOCaL_avSZI9xyY7lD5pCk7rLHdlD4B-7IoZHzxsNnKQzBzQEtmq5qe1PyTfmI74R3EngHUhwYRi8ijD7J97Bjz5Y88ZYep8x1hu4CIHNWtGWYHNRt8EJ0JQKymXCSbl84/s1600-h/DSC_0359-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTlvZgWsPXvOCaL_avSZI9xyY7lD5pCk7rLHdlD4B-7IoZHzxsNnKQzBzQEtmq5qe1PyTfmI74R3EngHUhwYRi8ijD7J97Bjz5Y88ZYep8x1hu4CIHNWtGWYHNRt8EJ0JQKymXCSbl84/s320/DSC_0359-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344282969226680578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Mmapula</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Mma</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Seleka</span></span><br /></div>Two of our favorite parts of girls club this year came in the form of an Easter egg hunt, and our four <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">PNGC</span> Student Council girls: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Junitta</span>, Anna, Johanna, and Vanessa. We organized the Easter egg hunt one Friday after school. We initially had been hoping to hold it on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Seleka</span> mountain (loosely defined) and, per the wise suggestion of the leaders, headed over on Wednesday afternoon to the tribal office to make sure we could get the activity approved from the chief. Chief <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Seleka</span> has been extraordinarily welcoming and kind to us in this community, and when we approached him this Thursday afternoon, he looked at us and said 'might it be possible to move the egg hunt to the other mountain (across the road) as this mountain is where our ancestors are buried'. Gulp. Paul and I have climbed this mountain many, many times, each time passing by the cemetery nestled at the base of the mountain, where the previous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Kgosi</span> (king/chief) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Seleka's</span> were buried, but hadn't ever considered the possibility that we shouldn't be traipsing up there. We quickly said that we would move the activity and decided that it would be to do it on the school grounds. However, as we like to say at home, 'no harm, no foul' and the hunt was a high point for all of us that week.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2E2jjrt1z9X78N56oTri1lMAgz2wML48WFdwzMS_zcUtFUavFEh5GuEGdNYvAcB2G0Z5PJgEuVe6i8JEKqEJMzJ_Rw0YWw-6mbP08t7CuxMtBaqQrIKjAEsrdmC01cI3NwJU-QIlkaTU/s1600-h/DSC_0037-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2E2jjrt1z9X78N56oTri1lMAgz2wML48WFdwzMS_zcUtFUavFEh5GuEGdNYvAcB2G0Z5PJgEuVe6i8JEKqEJMzJ_Rw0YWw-6mbP08t7CuxMtBaqQrIKjAEsrdmC01cI3NwJU-QIlkaTU/s320/DSC_0037-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344268903088562210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Girls holding their eggs<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPl0WUQ0L7hsncC8zuNMTMU2W92i7ByFulCTJD5S0ujZu1jwsF6aQWzuILMkfd5geko0gA8yAkELg1GX2fTRjjrFO12KWk0UxSbseq35wjTR8uT0i7RnW5qhrVRIsmmeIKfEQ2VsFKmUs/s1600-h/DSC_0068-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPl0WUQ0L7hsncC8zuNMTMU2W92i7ByFulCTJD5S0ujZu1jwsF6aQWzuILMkfd5geko0gA8yAkELg1GX2fTRjjrFO12KWk0UxSbseq35wjTR8uT0i7RnW5qhrVRIsmmeIKfEQ2VsFKmUs/s320/DSC_0068-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344268907632064066" border="0" /></a></div>Having 62 girls in club this year has not allowed us to spend good time with all of them, but we have had the fortune of working very closely with four of them. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Junitta</span>, Anna, Johanna, and Vanessa have helped myself and the leaders to make the weekly craft packets, organize set up and clean up, recognize birthdays, and to ensure the smooth running of club. Paul and I have had the girls over twice to watch movies on a Friday, treating them to chocolate sweets from the States and the glories of Disney animated movies. We've loved getting to know these four girls and are going to miss them terribly once we leave.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23FCqT6_3eJdn5aBbJ6W7_tVKn6et0O4xKSnA7GVN51xrS2n_it01GmNUJ-w5m2knRp7zPB2vSKkr5znlMVo0Ny-HzArGz__D9OvDAe8E-lHxSZMUvlQNT3-AObo3py8am9SSvAzz5f0/s1600-h/DSC_0619-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23FCqT6_3eJdn5aBbJ6W7_tVKn6et0O4xKSnA7GVN51xrS2n_it01GmNUJ-w5m2knRp7zPB2vSKkr5znlMVo0Ny-HzArGz__D9OvDAe8E-lHxSZMUvlQNT3-AObo3py8am9SSvAzz5f0/s320/DSC_0619-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344286099088869954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Junitta</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbf0TymoH1gIVpBhgSMauoONQA-zX708R2LBtkLDb1Q9bS5kJq-AK4KJDB6i8YG8T0G_YMkLUBlQBSPOf6ak8IZUPSpqv3lLYaHtGa43LZq6vwPiXKGFYXV87zY-Y5O0kj5kyJyejcO0g/s1600-h/DSC_0618-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbf0TymoH1gIVpBhgSMauoONQA-zX708R2LBtkLDb1Q9bS5kJq-AK4KJDB6i8YG8T0G_YMkLUBlQBSPOf6ak8IZUPSpqv3lLYaHtGa43LZq6vwPiXKGFYXV87zY-Y5O0kj5kyJyejcO0g/s320/DSC_0618-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344286093648526402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Anna<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOX2Wom0lh_iM9QMaa_BDqUVS0mYd6ajApupznXOWR6IpPIyvNC9UnINVAuQCXDG5hg3xS4lpCrTNH_wq5xczvzmzNlkKCh5uVUYXxzYRwyXIMIU46Ce1e6CfK6WxjavIC9oau2RkUuk/s1600-h/DSC_0608-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOX2Wom0lh_iM9QMaa_BDqUVS0mYd6ajApupznXOWR6IpPIyvNC9UnINVAuQCXDG5hg3xS4lpCrTNH_wq5xczvzmzNlkKCh5uVUYXxzYRwyXIMIU46Ce1e6CfK6WxjavIC9oau2RkUuk/s320/DSC_0608-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344286096774180994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Johanna</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQgb3eEzaSIBDBkcHgnQVG-XwOtDOfPpcercuEdoAf5jfoPS5VdrQuJEexmJNNAdj3Fw_SHyaxSarbbaLD0qHfSWaBHMOTnJLuDuuKziRrnG2WlmBiLvbEjOZOEPjM2tsQuxAD58oYKHk/s1600-h/DSC_0620-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQgb3eEzaSIBDBkcHgnQVG-XwOtDOfPpcercuEdoAf5jfoPS5VdrQuJEexmJNNAdj3Fw_SHyaxSarbbaLD0qHfSWaBHMOTnJLuDuuKziRrnG2WlmBiLvbEjOZOEPjM2tsQuxAD58oYKHk/s320/DSC_0620-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344286100197552754" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Vanessa</span><br /><br /></div>Having the ending of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">PNGC</span> so close is bittersweet. I have loved working with the girls and leaders. It has been such a treat. However, as we start to close in on the last few months of our service, I know this program is in good hands, both here in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Seleka</span> and in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Klipspruit</span>. I know that the program will be changed and modified in the future, as there won't be a full time person here to do some of the behind the scenes work, but that the core parts of it, the lessons, skills that have been learned, and the role models that these leaders have become in our community will continue, with or without me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjso5TJjD3l7jvFxqB3GlP8MrCv0aEtoLyI7mRNB1wcGVzjBznUYD5TdNbqYTlveFhcGu0Q-hqEKojQFkjwij4ovD0vm1tWwZ3OJuHCKrM3gjpwV-er3MlrwW0UGXlqHUpiRq0sB-N5a9s/s1600-h/DSC_0309-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjso5TJjD3l7jvFxqB3GlP8MrCv0aEtoLyI7mRNB1wcGVzjBznUYD5TdNbqYTlveFhcGu0Q-hqEKojQFkjwij4ovD0vm1tWwZ3OJuHCKrM3gjpwV-er3MlrwW0UGXlqHUpiRq0sB-N5a9s/s320/DSC_0309-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344274757514525682" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpSZsgA0GSZLlI7z7icXeAmmDpBrd2OqvT9FW9wGnyP0HPIQTssBfuJ6MMGMASLD6zkCCyjN27xPTNHH6AZIpTuDx1JZlZIzh-o42c1UHid2qMlE6Z2-jWUrlPMBlS7YIAzs6xP-Xfkc0/s1600-h/DSC_0260-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpSZsgA0GSZLlI7z7icXeAmmDpBrd2OqvT9FW9wGnyP0HPIQTssBfuJ6MMGMASLD6zkCCyjN27xPTNHH6AZIpTuDx1JZlZIzh-o42c1UHid2qMlE6Z2-jWUrlPMBlS7YIAzs6xP-Xfkc0/s320/DSC_0260-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344274754252830290" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1MLuFYJpsWpmrIhNAohvdSQ80x2Dc7979YHyq_2ERZtpuSiL6WZ4dbjKNVapg0qFa2pY6GArZv-8JFKgBUelUPqyGH59SJpjKjvDMKFm2VUeGzlMGI25u5Pkzf4I_syKNKd8xA8Tdv4/s1600-h/DSC_0379-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1MLuFYJpsWpmrIhNAohvdSQ80x2Dc7979YHyq_2ERZtpuSiL6WZ4dbjKNVapg0qFa2pY6GArZv-8JFKgBUelUPqyGH59SJpjKjvDMKFm2VUeGzlMGI25u5Pkzf4I_syKNKd8xA8Tdv4/s320/DSC_0379-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344282968592560162" border="0" /></a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12147526396150540399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-19361877792346316722009-05-27T09:09:00.006+02:002009-06-04T16:19:33.866+02:00Tuesday in the VillageIt was midday and I was preparing for my afternoon computer class. As I was working on one of the computers, it just switched off. No power. I figured it was the same problem I had last week when the school was out of electricity so I hopped over the to principals office to check on the electrical box. Unfortunately I found it to be off as well, which means that the power was out for our entire area of the village. As I was discussing the power outage with fellow teachers, Jessica sent a message letting me know that the power was out at home as well, where she had been busy on the sewing machine with a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Palala</span> Clubs Apron Project order. Losing power is a regular <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">occurrence</span> here, though usually it comes with a storm or high winds. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">To the contrary</span>, this day was a moderate, cloudless, beautiful winter day; a day you would choose if you could wake up in the morning and select the weather. As I went around to the teachers who are in the afternoon computer class to discuss rescheduling for a later day when electricity is available, it filtered in through a few students that there had been an accident. A <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">baakie</span> (pickup truck) had hit an electrical pole and knocked out power to our section of the village. Questions answered. Yet as I made my way home I saw ahead of me on the dirt road a large gathering of school children and adults from the neighborhood surrounding what I could only imagine was the fated <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">baakie</span>. I could see the power lines swaying low in the soft afternoon breeze and knew this was the site of the accident. Detouring through the crowd I asked a few students about the what transpired and this is where it gets interesting. Turns out the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">baakie</span> belongs to the principal at the secondary school. Following the norms and standards of accepted practices at school, he had sent two boys on an errand (personal, not school related of course). This errand involved tossing them the keys to his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">baakie</span> and directing them across the village to a local person who was going to repair his spare tire. Unfortunately, after the boys, giddy with the freedom of having the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Principal's</span> keys in their hands, careened down the first half kilometer of road they <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">apparently</span> lost control on the gravel and grated the passenger side of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">baakie</span> across the electrical pole. The boys were taken to the local hospital for treatment, but were found to have no injuries and are back in school today. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">baakie</span>, with half of the bed torn away and a punctured rear tire, looked like a casualty of urban warfare that you see in the news. After snapping a few photos and hanging out with the school kids to watch as they towed the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">baakie</span> away, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Eskom</span> (the electrical company) showed up to start repairs, I made my way home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbJl27RH-txNXRQ4MoBEJqLQM6MR6Cg296GYzqqMAkm8YSt2vu1CjX6WTVjE5pJPwbSRQTuUyjfRwxCVPEPi0csctJ3XChRgBPFDJubGwK1ACO6ybEufYjPws6O2cIKSiDrhO4N4f3XGh/s1600-h/DSC_0470-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbJl27RH-txNXRQ4MoBEJqLQM6MR6Cg296GYzqqMAkm8YSt2vu1CjX6WTVjE5pJPwbSRQTuUyjfRwxCVPEPi0csctJ3XChRgBPFDJubGwK1ACO6ybEufYjPws6O2cIKSiDrhO4N4f3XGh/s320/DSC_0470-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343473436557745602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YcwAfAzsQ_xOxqFT8fgyhgvE8hZEV2ZmQFYMANKxrZnYqpqBl71UwuaHm1yTypYd1kcph5NdJ2yYoWG4LecrCksIyyLACjoAY1tYeaMZaU4sJftQ0agQHJJlpIQP2Oxkb8_bcQJgMsG6/s1600-h/DSC_0363-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YcwAfAzsQ_xOxqFT8fgyhgvE8hZEV2ZmQFYMANKxrZnYqpqBl71UwuaHm1yTypYd1kcph5NdJ2yYoWG4LecrCksIyyLACjoAY1tYeaMZaU4sJftQ0agQHJJlpIQP2Oxkb8_bcQJgMsG6/s320/DSC_0363-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343473426158416722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uhUwNn5OOSr2TtE2MffebPPNpIr0-00GDbSZ4VZPXEIZ-_L7cDZrap4zrXVwGEncqR5AS6HDcKD87QEsAFgf0zkOW7mrYQJLK0pDiOrC4zHrnJWil03L1hk1Ke4atDfLmG__yA3Kz5mb/s1600-h/DSC_0414-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uhUwNn5OOSr2TtE2MffebPPNpIr0-00GDbSZ4VZPXEIZ-_L7cDZrap4zrXVwGEncqR5AS6HDcKD87QEsAFgf0zkOW7mrYQJLK0pDiOrC4zHrnJWil03L1hk1Ke4atDfLmG__yA3Kz5mb/s320/DSC_0414-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343473433472698914" border="0" /></a>The remainder of our Tuesday night was taken up with a cheese and cracker dinner and strawberries for dessert by candlelight, all because a couple of high school boys went joy riding in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Principal's</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">baakie</span> and knocked out power to half the village.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_rYol_S-7T9yggW4sMr1B2ajy9DJn37SqjeEBXUdsxVAhhgSkuTZ-F6frxXVpxru8tW1YEpORpniyYImWfpYUbbxxZa4Mkdi4oQLnqqsrBNwH_rj9lEyzUASn7QLTnhIFOT9JUHl6iPk/s1600-h/DSC_0418-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_rYol_S-7T9yggW4sMr1B2ajy9DJn37SqjeEBXUdsxVAhhgSkuTZ-F6frxXVpxru8tW1YEpORpniyYImWfpYUbbxxZa4Mkdi4oQLnqqsrBNwH_rj9lEyzUASn7QLTnhIFOT9JUHl6iPk/s320/DSC_0418-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343473437020990354" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpm__rjb237Yh0gTRFWwJKWS9u3-1mV7pcXKacToom32HAYfH41lxk2TU-PpW9MKKw_BBOyjkdcp-E6KIMpNNkAKCjZYZPEfLPfTolhSeFq4QLZfSwcXfFZN7diWcp470WbXZbgdTvoe6/s1600-h/DSC_0403-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpm__rjb237Yh0gTRFWwJKWS9u3-1mV7pcXKacToom32HAYfH41lxk2TU-PpW9MKKw_BBOyjkdcp-E6KIMpNNkAKCjZYZPEfLPfTolhSeFq4QLZfSwcXfFZN7diWcp470WbXZbgdTvoe6/s320/DSC_0403-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343473433461044786" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinG8J2Hs6nX-13Tw4Ao8096FnIVlaomhhHZ0g_7WtTB62QxoOd85B2rbGwGVDyEu0WqlsjPGm0vHmPGYnmm62RquoqGa5kIbfrWGZ6DgWe1A3s95ZZ_EFt1sc5NBLNGL9E7HR9ZsTUb6dO/s1600-h/DSC_0540-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinG8J2Hs6nX-13Tw4Ao8096FnIVlaomhhHZ0g_7WtTB62QxoOd85B2rbGwGVDyEu0WqlsjPGm0vHmPGYnmm62RquoqGa5kIbfrWGZ6DgWe1A3s95ZZ_EFt1sc5NBLNGL9E7HR9ZsTUb6dO/s320/DSC_0540-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343476154493025250" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2jOLiC4gaeQZN-oZeU_AF2Wo7c3QsoboaPpVXXNgyGElOaFou4RpPqr5N68l2AKW51qtea5eMQA-M9FskybFlbeHToWEMEvvDiNzlJpjAUyn6-Olff0YCxvCu1_gkkpEnEFC-ti4-VWu/s1600-h/DSC_0519-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2jOLiC4gaeQZN-oZeU_AF2Wo7c3QsoboaPpVXXNgyGElOaFou4RpPqr5N68l2AKW51qtea5eMQA-M9FskybFlbeHToWEMEvvDiNzlJpjAUyn6-Olff0YCxvCu1_gkkpEnEFC-ti4-VWu/s320/DSC_0519-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343476150394779778" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDq5GMfZ5l-vN4v9Mc6B8ta7ufjo00IBNVRTc7FuTUpf8SM6NnfpG0MHYt-mqs_3xyatvDMTWeR5exLpbGbo1_cWJdSEXCdyKpO3ZeG5ywwSXNgsGe1tUOVlwLaTEPTNysHaSCZw2nAsy7/s1600-h/DSC_0478-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDq5GMfZ5l-vN4v9Mc6B8ta7ufjo00IBNVRTc7FuTUpf8SM6NnfpG0MHYt-mqs_3xyatvDMTWeR5exLpbGbo1_cWJdSEXCdyKpO3ZeG5ywwSXNgsGe1tUOVlwLaTEPTNysHaSCZw2nAsy7/s320/DSC_0478-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343476149992502930" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-34302320242686722092009-05-24T12:06:00.003+02:002009-05-24T13:16:35.529+02:00Time Goes ByFor those of you who continue to check up on this page <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">regularly</span>, it may seem as if we have fallen off the face of the earth! It has been quite a while since our last post and since then much has happened. The pace of life at school and work has picked up, we have had a few visitors, and now we are looking ahead to the end of our service; a time that is quickly approaching. In the last five months we have had two fantastic holidays with members of our family, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">PNGC</span> 2009 has been meeting weekly with a wonderful new group of girls and a few new leaders, computer training has taken off at the schools, we have been involved in a number of Peace Corps related trainings and we have really been enjoying the transition into South Africa winter. We have posted a number of pictures from our holidays to our web albums, which illustrate our travels more than we can in words, but here is a short list of highlights:<br /><br />Megan and Kevin flew in for the Christmas holiday in December. We took a gruelling, harrowing, long, yet rather amusing overland trip via public transportation to make our way to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Vilanculos</span>, Mozambique for a week on the beach. Despite a few days of rain we were still able to enjoy time in and on the ocean. We spent a day snorkeling a reef out near one of the islands that makes up the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Bazaruto</span> Archipelago and topped the afternoon off with a lunch of fresh crab, mango, and assorted island treats. That pretty much sums up our daily agenda for our time on the beach. Relaxing, enjoying the water, and eating great food. After realizing we would get rained out if we stayed longer, we hopped our way back (this time by air) to South Africa where we spent time with friends, explored a few more areas of the country, Megan and Kevin jumped off a cliff (literally), we spent a few warm summer days in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Seleka</span>, and had one of the best safari adventures you could imagine when Megan spotted a leopard in a tree that proceeded to come down from his perch to see what we were doing in his park.<br /><br />In mid-January Megan and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Kevin</span> departed and that ushered in the 2009 school year. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">PNGC</span> started up and work at the schools took over our lives. Between weekly club meetings, running workshops, attending other workshops, and assisting individual teachers with different aspects of their days, our time clipped along. Throughout February and March we were also planning two big events. Firstly, our next holiday was approaching and that meant Dad and Mom (Barry and Pam) were on their way over for another three week family adventure! The other big event was the annual <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Longtom</span> half marathon that Peace Corps participates in and that we were helping to organize. Days and weeks flew by and before we knew it we had collected Dad and Mom from the airport and made our way to the starting line of the race on the last Saturday morning in March. When the gun went off to signal the beginning of the run, we felt as though we had been already been running for much too long! Race day was a hit and we really enjoyed it, though the few weeks directly following it were a much needed holiday.<br /><br />After Dad and Mom met us at the finish line with some homemade chocolate chip cookies and spent a couple days meeting our fellow <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">PCVs</span> we were on the road and ready to relax. We enjoyed a beautiful few days in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Graskop</span> area eating wonderful food and resting (us from our hectic schedule, Dad and Mom from their long flight over). From there we took a leisurely safari through Kruger National Park, had some great sightings, including a pride of seven lioness out hunting, and finished each night in the park with a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">sundowner</span> overlooking the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Olifants</span> river. Next it was on to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Seleka</span>. Introducing our parents to our friends and neighbors was a wonderful treat and we were thrilled to have them see where we live and work. However, that was just the first week of holiday! Following the village we headed for Cape Town. It was a beautiful week of exploring that brought us to vineyards, gardens, Table Mountain, Cape Point, and more. We awoke each morning in our flat to a view of the ocean and ended each night with a lovely meal at one the cities many excellent and varied restaurants. The final leg of our trip was a short jaunt up to Livingstone, Zambia to see Victoria Falls. With the water levels at their highest in over 40 years, we got few pictures of the falls, but we enjoyed a thorough soaking as we hiked the trails and bridges around the area. Mom <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">leaped</span> off the bridge that spans the Zambezi river, Dad took a flight over the falls in a microlight, and we enjoyed an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">exquisite</span> sunset river cruise. Just as with the all the holidays we have taken, the time went much too quickly, though we enjoyed each and every minute of it.<br /><br />Upon our return to the village mid-April we were now in the midst of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">PNGC</span>, computer classes had started and we suddenly looked to the calendar and saw that our COS (Close of Service) conference was at hand in a matter of weeks! By the time the conference arrived, South Africa had elected, on April 22<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">nd</span>, Jacob <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Zuma</span> as its new president with relative smoothness and predictability. As the conference came and went in the matter of a few days. We had the pleasure of reconnecting with other <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">PCVs</span> that we had not seen in almost a year, discussing the implications of the new government that the country now had and wondering what it would be like to watch things unfold from abroad instead from within. Our COS sessions revolved around the technical side of returning home (i.e. paperwork), reflecting on our service thus far and also thinking about how to transition back to life in the States.<br /><br />This brings us back to present day life in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Seleka</span>. We now have a few short months left in South Africa with much work to do and many people to see. The coming weeks will be extraordinarily busy as we continue to work in the present, but start to plan further into the future for life beyond Peace Corps. Looking back on the past five months to write this is a great reminder of all the wonderful things that we have been able to do here and how much we have come to enjoy our life in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Seleka</span>. It is difficult to think about leaving, yet exciting to look ahead to a new chapter in life, despite at this point not know what that chapter holds! It is alarming, the speed with which almost two years has past. We know now how quickly our remaining time will go by and we hope to make the most out of each day.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-67979432727324900872009-02-23T20:28:00.004+02:002009-02-23T21:35:43.663+02:00Saying GoodbyeNovember and December were months of celebrations and goodbyes for us as we celebrated the completion of the first year of Palala North Girls Club, the second year of Palala Girls Club, the first year of Palala Boys Club, and said the hardest goodbyes of all....to Brandon and Rachel.<br /><br />Palala Girls and Boys Clubs joined forces to hold their end of year ceremony and Brandon and Rachel's farewell. It was a marvelous event that drew in villagers from all over Kgobagodimo to celebrate the accomplishments of their children and to recognize the sparkle, creativity, hard work, and friendship that Brandon and Rachel brought to their community. I felt honored to witness this community's love for Brandon and Rachel, and to know that their names (Thabiso and Koketso in Sepedi) will live on, even after they have left.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0SJQL9kjOYgwKcsBo6Mnzh4AXy23Df5jILsprf2RAUhOhp2MWEaOw1HBSLsRdZi7h9qmNcvoIXnmaTdFuYWzN04khjUQaXJxgQOWNlITWnC5GrYDSW7NDLsd2WBoiFazpTlAFxiYBXM/s1600-h/DSC_0036-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0SJQL9kjOYgwKcsBo6Mnzh4AXy23Df5jILsprf2RAUhOhp2MWEaOw1HBSLsRdZi7h9qmNcvoIXnmaTdFuYWzN04khjUQaXJxgQOWNlITWnC5GrYDSW7NDLsd2WBoiFazpTlAFxiYBXM/s320/DSC_0036-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306070417574281426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Paul, Jess, Rachel, and Brandon before the ceremony</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_5UOniGjMOzdgC7gb4bUwqww3MteId0PH1Gwkpi4C5L9wfbUwbmOJkFN4kyk-8pHrST2QI3XFb8UbZRaXcVv0-KOoa9b1QdBKT-tz-zHLUIqIRL8iWMWn9zqG5OA2QIKM2iLaLqI4eg/s1600-h/DSC_0094-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_5UOniGjMOzdgC7gb4bUwqww3MteId0PH1Gwkpi4C5L9wfbUwbmOJkFN4kyk-8pHrST2QI3XFb8UbZRaXcVv0-KOoa9b1QdBKT-tz-zHLUIqIRL8iWMWn9zqG5OA2QIKM2iLaLqI4eg/s320/DSC_0094-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306067248655239026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">PBC in their Wildcats shirts</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYao2LI2oAYJV2EtU5otWsBHSRJq0D5NmQO7QYBrkjiywbZYXVH_8sI3f4cLq1AABjbcn6M-9fSNVVNrwmuprxgNLqv6d5JQ3TK7eXNK1x9gPRO3__ICl-6EBvwle3d9m42omhz1BO3-4/s1600-h/DSC_0225-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYao2LI2oAYJV2EtU5otWsBHSRJq0D5NmQO7QYBrkjiywbZYXVH_8sI3f4cLq1AABjbcn6M-9fSNVVNrwmuprxgNLqv6d5JQ3TK7eXNK1x9gPRO3__ICl-6EBvwle3d9m42omhz1BO3-4/s320/DSC_0225-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306067250141924130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Mma Kgonyane--Brandon and Rachel's South African mother</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklO8Ntpd4ejjZs3wHovzhukdMRPtGdqu_b0OAz5HE9QrLeEQ9o5-4t-Y8yno_cv85P5idaftsAtdNp-D10WOcXV3dXRbG5xYtaQA2O3Hd19OUXDCCU7psluptdRkGevM2BpPsb2j_VZY/s1600-h/DSC_0258-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklO8Ntpd4ejjZs3wHovzhukdMRPtGdqu_b0OAz5HE9QrLeEQ9o5-4t-Y8yno_cv85P5idaftsAtdNp-D10WOcXV3dXRbG5xYtaQA2O3Hd19OUXDCCU7psluptdRkGevM2BpPsb2j_VZY/s320/DSC_0258-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306067246393347442" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">The teachers singing their goodbyes to Brandon and Rachel</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The following week, we held the Palala North Girls Club end of the year ceremony in Seleka. Joining us for the event were Peace Corps friends, Gregor, Marguerite, and Joey, and the Kgobagodimo contingency of Brandon, Rachel, Maam Ditsela, Maam Tema, (Palala Girls Club Leaders) and Mr. Kgomo (the Klipspruit Primary Principal). The day was filled with speeches, singing, and dancing. The singing and dancing hit a high note when we received a surprise visit from some Grade R (kindergarten) students who performed for us. The crowd went wild!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7UzMHqCqD4FEgQhwSuKkbMiUBIF2fTg4xFITiS1J5dfAaDea8ob2-jpqllVOq6ymoqajWrWD-kx-BHZwEvrYjg4osgQTu0pKBk2O3pitAgLXGhf4lm_p5vcnWku9XOm2izL-hi-kgss/s1600-h/DSC_0064-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7UzMHqCqD4FEgQhwSuKkbMiUBIF2fTg4xFITiS1J5dfAaDea8ob2-jpqllVOq6ymoqajWrWD-kx-BHZwEvrYjg4osgQTu0pKBk2O3pitAgLXGhf4lm_p5vcnWku9XOm2izL-hi-kgss/s320/DSC_0064-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306073750436111730" border="0" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUCN8gPfR45vvfvRBWm5a-qHhV6KQZe9WZbC7NGAw2iKmC5nFQNFNxu01Zps2f_2uvpYqChRGXe7R73nLV-q6DuoQsLJquhj3ZGVZJ6ji2kGZnrTGOoZQaKIzl-mPuOvxYGgMyRH1qEc/s1600-h/DSC_0070-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUCN8gPfR45vvfvRBWm5a-qHhV6KQZe9WZbC7NGAw2iKmC5nFQNFNxu01Zps2f_2uvpYqChRGXe7R73nLV-q6DuoQsLJquhj3ZGVZJ6ji2kGZnrTGOoZQaKIzl-mPuOvxYGgMyRH1qEc/s320/DSC_0070-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306073755385028386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Girls watching the Grade R dancers</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Paul had put together a photo slideshow of the year. Although I had seen it about 10 times before the ceremony, I still had a few tears in my eyes watching the girls and parents get such enjoyment from seeing themselves, or their children, and all they had done in the last six months. It was a moment where I realized that technology can be such a gift---putting together a simple slideshow enabled us all to celebrate the 'Best of PNGC' as one community. Although it was bittersweet seeing the girls finishing up the program and preparing to move into new schools, it was exciting to have watched how much they'd grown under the PNGC leadership throughout year, and to know they were about to embark in a new adventure: grade 8!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskriRtzCElJtKyC_pDn1Ag-yKxLorDij5S8p3Jvx0XCi7T2EWlze2QYY-twBhEIrFtx0bT38ECkFyRhH1ZT6NrhMseJxBmi9k3ZCO8wkNPXui7vMLv4lbu5vmNzEIzjreEw0BgsSoivU/s1600-h/DSC_0099-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskriRtzCElJtKyC_pDn1Ag-yKxLorDij5S8p3Jvx0XCi7T2EWlze2QYY-twBhEIrFtx0bT38ECkFyRhH1ZT6NrhMseJxBmi9k3ZCO8wkNPXui7vMLv4lbu5vmNzEIzjreEw0BgsSoivU/s320/DSC_0099-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306073758195300386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">The crowd watching the PNGC slideshow<br /><br /></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemnrozmqtLrTudieXoLKTP6mpHP7BR6boluPP6mQ8hpADQBvglFdVYx4Vb0fBZCfXkPXmVsyXuubpkq-9aqwlN7vB56k74lIXuDqnRhfRKTB8Ykv0-Q-YgOhETewxyBFl6NgvQkUNHcI/s1600-h/DSC_0101-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemnrozmqtLrTudieXoLKTP6mpHP7BR6boluPP6mQ8hpADQBvglFdVYx4Vb0fBZCfXkPXmVsyXuubpkq-9aqwlN7vB56k74lIXuDqnRhfRKTB8Ykv0-Q-YgOhETewxyBFl6NgvQkUNHcI/s320/DSC_0101-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306076112919594962" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><span style="font-size:78%;">2008 PNGC Leaders</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsalfThXXIy4s0mC4laopvoYHdxjKTCoq3YqQjUoD-8qnNuIBTwAhb524UxPwiKzW20xiQqFcSx5htEBzMn0lGUxsDqWIlMHo-40gerizIRtaHFQ4UldWB5X4l_k6lfExPwOGkowFJQ8/s1600-h/DSC_0106-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsalfThXXIy4s0mC4laopvoYHdxjKTCoq3YqQjUoD-8qnNuIBTwAhb524UxPwiKzW20xiQqFcSx5htEBzMn0lGUxsDqWIlMHo-40gerizIRtaHFQ4UldWB5X4l_k6lfExPwOGkowFJQ8/s320/DSC_0106-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306073766062326338" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Girls with their certificates</span><br /></div><br />Throughout all of these wonderful celebrations, Paul and I felt a sense of impending doom as we knew the day that Brandon and Rachel would be returning to the States was rapidly approaching. They have been incredible friends to us, and have profoundly impacted our service in South Africa and we knew their departure would be a loss for us. We felt fortunate to spend a few of Brandon and Rachel's last few days in the country with them before they flew out on December 12th. We'd encourage you to follow them as they transition back into life in the States on their new blog <a href="http://www.beyondsouthafrica.blogspot.com/">www.beyondsouthafrica.blogspot.com</a>!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMQjwzTSFpIjqwVJczo7qAodPkgcQAIHFZBc0nanjK_yvBHZwiMomP2vQaPBKpxs2QxIsbVQSvlDVh9tSL5mZsd7IRbtnhf0fGf4FK3d-PFjz68caJQxfV9Ra13JkN1bL8aeyDe3S4rw/s1600-h/DSC01672-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMQjwzTSFpIjqwVJczo7qAodPkgcQAIHFZBc0nanjK_yvBHZwiMomP2vQaPBKpxs2QxIsbVQSvlDVh9tSL5mZsd7IRbtnhf0fGf4FK3d-PFjz68caJQxfV9Ra13JkN1bL8aeyDe3S4rw/s320/DSC01672-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306070418930304210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">At the Pretoria Zoo</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1ob0nO4nG2Nni-ZLTMOKqePvtJ7dZ4pJWRY26CX9MMDOWXaJrS6h32tqbgPs3VlMGU6YpHVkmvDdJ6bkjBL_N8ih2XLC3r5Lj6UXbkqxX9kMyv4mQWKwMORP4RiyCVl2TI9XskHr4r0/s1600-h/DSC01710-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1ob0nO4nG2Nni-ZLTMOKqePvtJ7dZ4pJWRY26CX9MMDOWXaJrS6h32tqbgPs3VlMGU6YpHVkmvDdJ6bkjBL_N8ih2XLC3r5Lj6UXbkqxX9kMyv4mQWKwMORP4RiyCVl2TI9XskHr4r0/s320/DSC01710-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306070421888744482" border="0" /></a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12147526396150540399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-18459262944019674242008-12-03T12:47:00.001+02:002009-01-17T13:35:06.666+02:00Palala Clubs Apron ProjectStarted in June 2008, the Palala Clubs Apron Project blossomed out of one of the annual girls club craft projects: sewing aprons using traditional South African Fabrics. Palala Girls Club has sewn aprons for the last two years, and the Palala North Girls Club did it for the first time in 2008. In the past, Palala Clubs has been generously funded by VAST grants through the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.pepfar.gov">PEPFAR</a> program. However, with the knowledge that this funding is short term, we felt it was of great importance to find a way to make the clubs self-sustaining. Using one of the pre-existing club crafts seemed the perfect start to designing an income generating project.<br /><br />It has been such fun for Rachel and I to watch Maam Tema, Maam Ditsela, and Maam Khalo improve upon their sewing skills and to see them express it in each adult and youth apron, complete with a matching bag, they produce. I'm sure that when Rachel gave these ladies their first sewing lesson on an electronic machine, she had no idea how much they would love having the ability to create clothing, household goods, cards, etc. Each apron is being sold for R100/R150 with profits from the sales being given directly back to the leader who sewed the apron, and used to support Palala Club activities.<br /><br />Towards the end of November, we held an apron workshop for the three above mentioned leaders to teach the Palala North Girls Club leaders how to perfect the art of apron making. Maam Tema, Maam Ditsela, and Rachel joined us in Seleka for an afternoon of talking about the project and working individually with the six Palala North Girls Club Leaders. I loved watching the women come together; seeing them teach and support one another was exciting--knowing that these women had taken hold of something, had pride in their work, and regarded it as their own. One of my goals for 2009 is to help the Seleka leaders improve their sewing skills so that if they choose, they too will be able to join the apron project.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharYvSqdTUYgWNqa4khzFDSuBf7cMHmbnYQUkoEYzAE-legs1kJ97GrBiJDGODiEmIBGbrcz6K70CSauWhO6eNAtCk6yzhDBpKFiOmQZhYAjO10IDRkcO0Yii0iPIS2iYbBdej-yK-uUk/s1600-h/DSC_0166-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharYvSqdTUYgWNqa4khzFDSuBf7cMHmbnYQUkoEYzAE-legs1kJ97GrBiJDGODiEmIBGbrcz6K70CSauWhO6eNAtCk6yzhDBpKFiOmQZhYAjO10IDRkcO0Yii0iPIS2iYbBdej-yK-uUk/s320/DSC_0166-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292218312119637986" border="0" /></a>PGC & PNGC Leaders at the apron workshop<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRa1o8q12LV2x8a1cf-9JnN0mZWunqYaW9EtDPQL4xKEC5U3vQgiyVcQty0S-a2q9WZWrNnwuxCXm7MJVXEqc1OboedgOBnIuPD1wFvOGg0nsUFgvpjGWXg42ZliebYyCYnAlhPJ73YH8/s1600-h/DSC_0188-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRa1o8q12LV2x8a1cf-9JnN0mZWunqYaW9EtDPQL4xKEC5U3vQgiyVcQty0S-a2q9WZWrNnwuxCXm7MJVXEqc1OboedgOBnIuPD1wFvOGg0nsUFgvpjGWXg42ZliebYyCYnAlhPJ73YH8/s320/DSC_0188-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292221761986377010" border="0" /></a>Maam Ditsela (PGC) & Maam Motshegwa (PNGC) with a completed apron<br /><br /></div>One of the project highlight has been an invitation to bring our aprons to sell at the United States Embassy Craft Fair held in Pretoria in the middle of November 2008. Brandon, Rachel, Paul, Maam Tema, Maam Ditsela and myself spent the day at the embassy selling aprons, and getting a chance to meet some of the embassy employees. It was a great opportunity for the leaders to work on their sales skills, and to have the satisfaction of receiving such a positive reception to their product. Unfortunately, the embassy wouldn't allow us to take pictures inside the grounds, but we got some during the remainder of our time in Pretoria.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4oygN3hS0UYhoJkvGqF76BXHRyp4AjhGch8C6VHaIoedvI7w_SzHiDIJxDs92BrKDihPZsuWgCTBhyGurn4Ar17Nm5Atasd7MZtDrFG0S2o_pyjSOsHrbOSKqCZgv8tWJhPXKtYSpSM/s1600-h/IMG_2133-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4oygN3hS0UYhoJkvGqF76BXHRyp4AjhGch8C6VHaIoedvI7w_SzHiDIJxDs92BrKDihPZsuWgCTBhyGurn4Ar17Nm5Atasd7MZtDrFG0S2o_pyjSOsHrbOSKqCZgv8tWJhPXKtYSpSM/s320/IMG_2133-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292220819446518674" border="0" /></a>Maam Ditsela & Maam Tema at the backpacker in Pretoria<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4wIXJB8D02Ln1LdLwxVGtAqIoNdufyHuStJSlwXIdUI4mCuPPPkOIUPIENLGMRlrzt2sarImOUB0d58H1TLNjsNBoNBxdm4zH7CW9eA-kxJ_3SIhwh6H4scPZ1s1QV-OpMdaGJ50TQ0/s1600-h/IMG_2154-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4wIXJB8D02Ln1LdLwxVGtAqIoNdufyHuStJSlwXIdUI4mCuPPPkOIUPIENLGMRlrzt2sarImOUB0d58H1TLNjsNBoNBxdm4zH7CW9eA-kxJ_3SIhwh6H4scPZ1s1QV-OpMdaGJ50TQ0/s320/IMG_2154-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292218313390432834" border="0" /></a>Rachel, Jessica, Maam Tema, & Maam Ditsela fabric shopping<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXj2tWcGvE_pszv9D60I6q_l4TfUM6UYcRg57p6hw93vHwW8s_3jAmmGNak3qqx7uWJFeDMjpe8DkKswwv7XtH5eAc9aTj2yroW7j_TWZ1bknScFLw7mmegqYKjo3_Wdod09v1-DKTNg/s1600-h/DSC01610-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXj2tWcGvE_pszv9D60I6q_l4TfUM6UYcRg57p6hw93vHwW8s_3jAmmGNak3qqx7uWJFeDMjpe8DkKswwv7XtH5eAc9aTj2yroW7j_TWZ1bknScFLw7mmegqYKjo3_Wdod09v1-DKTNg/s320/DSC01610-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292218310838473666" border="0" /></a>Paul, Maam Ditsela, Rachel, Maam Tema, & Brandon<br /></div><br />As Brandon and Rachel have now completed their Peace Corps Service and left South Africa (more about that in an upcoming blog), Paul and I will be working to assist the leaders in Klip and Seleka with the apron project and club until we leave in September 2009. Our hope is to iron out a few gaps: finding a reliable fabric supplier that will transport fabric to northern Limpopo, looking to see if there is a larger market for aprons in the States, and possibly finding a retail outlet for sales in South Africa. We are thrilled that the aprons have sold so well up until this point--our sales just topped 300---and we are excited to see what is in store for the project in 2009. For more information, or to order an apron (shipping is available in South Africa or to the States) please see the Palala Clubs website at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.palalaclubs.com">www.palalaclubs.com</a>.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2ULI-BIZwFiQuR2Z1zuDVYaVOB2S1Mge3Ubev7Su2IyaQsqLebUKFpIJxLwk9YgKSBqeYYnGlA1VFOFMRaMkubke-pICuEnH7XdBoy8GgDmkHYgVk5WMyUGKw3PNpBMJs8SK15AO-QU/s1600-h/IMG_2155-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2ULI-BIZwFiQuR2Z1zuDVYaVOB2S1Mge3Ubev7Su2IyaQsqLebUKFpIJxLwk9YgKSBqeYYnGlA1VFOFMRaMkubke-pICuEnH7XdBoy8GgDmkHYgVk5WMyUGKw3PNpBMJs8SK15AO-QU/s320/IMG_2155-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292218312587676818" border="0" /></a>Celebrating after the craft fair<br /></div>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12147526396150540399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-33574875848103291912008-10-28T18:47:00.002+02:002008-11-03T19:07:08.075+02:00PNGC Week 16: Fetal DevelopmentThe last week of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PNGC</span> for the year has come and gone. It is surprising how quickly time passes. The day felt like any other day as the girls quickly organized the room, set up the sewing machines and turned up the volume on the latest <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Rihanna</span> song. The leaders finished attendance, made announcements, explained the schedule for the day and off they went. The smoothness and ease with which the they orchestrated club for the day belied the true passage of time and how far everyone has come in embracing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">PNGC</span>, making it their own.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEima8lNqd8S0r9Zz0PsquC-Bu69HktxoZZoc5iKfra_pQfYgDY-CABb7-v7xF4ACAQmgMJpbyJXvmCk1sjUXBKtNnIPwOozFu4-yfhjaIYsvoARYodEleRltOQfcEl1i0c0Ygi38axLVlO9/s1600-h/DSC_0004-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEima8lNqd8S0r9Zz0PsquC-Bu69HktxoZZoc5iKfra_pQfYgDY-CABb7-v7xF4ACAQmgMJpbyJXvmCk1sjUXBKtNnIPwOozFu4-yfhjaIYsvoARYodEleRltOQfcEl1i0c0Ygi38axLVlO9/s320/DSC_0004-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264477150443181522" border="0" /></a>We had saved one of the more interesting lessons for our last day and were pleased to see how excited the girls became as the weekly story was related to them. The topic was Fetal Development and the lesson walked through the different stages of development from the early weeks to the last months. Along with the lesson, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">PNGC</span> was able to borrow a set of Fetal Development Models from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">PGC</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Klipspruit</span>. The models are made to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">specific</span> size and weight according to the various stages of development. Towards the end of the lesson, Ma <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Motebele</span> began passing around the models as she explained in more detail each stage. The girls were giddy as the cradled these small and very lifelike models in their hands. Passing from one girl to the next, the models were accompanied by continuous cries of amazement, curious eyes, giggles and laughter. Pregnancy and birth are very important in the villages and the lesson brought new understanding for the girls and the leaders that was applicable to their daily lives. One of our leaders is currently about five months pregnant and there are a handful of students whose mothers are as well. At the end of the day, Ma <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Motebele</span> even took the models home with her so that she could show her children and read them the story from club. Truly it was a perfect lesson to end this year's club.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1Y2EFFhlviCUNyKYj8t4xDFIUq1M_Bgo0hvX3AZiLNjYAW0e9U-yb5PEikRtzkzr0Ickccluci_ojHHDmY0iz3_38VUaiPZhz4B3Iy2Wo43PA91jKpyg1G2w0BCGQdf7qLPucGJvupsF/s1600-h/DSC_0017-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1Y2EFFhlviCUNyKYj8t4xDFIUq1M_Bgo0hvX3AZiLNjYAW0e9U-yb5PEikRtzkzr0Ickccluci_ojHHDmY0iz3_38VUaiPZhz4B3Iy2Wo43PA91jKpyg1G2w0BCGQdf7qLPucGJvupsF/s320/DSC_0017-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264477164105837842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVznSso7R4uxqWKCtDlIfGjsXeHBHHkVgQQBRqHhFLViDI_OaBueEoIbLfxtndKgPHdFJFy0W4N94v6EyynXbRGaXju8Cuv3-aMpWOU2p8Q5y6BY_vcUPMpglju8SqA4y0H35YTh4GduA/s1600-h/DSC_0031-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVznSso7R4uxqWKCtDlIfGjsXeHBHHkVgQQBRqHhFLViDI_OaBueEoIbLfxtndKgPHdFJFy0W4N94v6EyynXbRGaXju8Cuv3-aMpWOU2p8Q5y6BY_vcUPMpglju8SqA4y0H35YTh4GduA/s320/DSC_0031-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264477175167607602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvK7mdFU8gOyRdpIhECm0kNrbwRWy70o29gcyXrXdYV3VyBJrD1TTjsTaDogXGrvOtatJozRRrdm84rZn2e-d-8Ks3au8l_dF6Og-Sf2VLloOgGiOtzZcX3ubwnHQGxa1ael8fTT59ZyV-/s1600-h/DSC_0106-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvK7mdFU8gOyRdpIhECm0kNrbwRWy70o29gcyXrXdYV3VyBJrD1TTjsTaDogXGrvOtatJozRRrdm84rZn2e-d-8Ks3au8l_dF6Og-Sf2VLloOgGiOtzZcX3ubwnHQGxa1ael8fTT59ZyV-/s320/DSC_0106-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264478059551799586" border="0" /></a>Once the din of the girls receded following the lesson, it was back to work on aprons. Almost half of the girls had the opportunity to sew their aprons the previous week, and the remaining girls had their chance this week. They modeled their finished product for their friends and were extremely proud of their own <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">craftsmanship</span>. Those who were not sewing began making up as many sets of earrings and beaded wire bracelets as they could. The hope is that the girls will be able to sell these extra items in the coming month as a fundraiser for next year's club. When they heard that this was the purpose of their work, they seemed to continue with ever more fervor. By the end of the day we had over 60 pair of earrings and even more bracelets, all with different patterns and colors. It was wonderful to see that the girls want to help in any way they can to make sure that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">PNGC</span> continues for next year's 7<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">th</span> grade girls.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWDRBT9arKC-0bQqDFrTLKd5XOc4xUTlQP3ILlQbRMHLmu4ty9ZoBRnfNanj-Jvis2pt2I086pzFwN6DWWRktWbzuIoy5OKFXZoJUo6PtuYxbApnt_ftvF3ZVBJ9Bhv3ZfMoXl2OP7Ohz/s1600-h/DSC_0066-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWDRBT9arKC-0bQqDFrTLKd5XOc4xUTlQP3ILlQbRMHLmu4ty9ZoBRnfNanj-Jvis2pt2I086pzFwN6DWWRktWbzuIoy5OKFXZoJUo6PtuYxbApnt_ftvF3ZVBJ9Bhv3ZfMoXl2OP7Ohz/s320/DSC_0066-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264477175772781474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1k7HxzKm-ocx1xUoY39Qv6d-S1xLjA9PIrFU0d3pdx0xeHWvPM2kuNtTkWG2y8lQnpWprFzy1w-1cgv3kiem7DDPoE4HWzbcm8j_pDshTdV1XL1JUCybMjOW_tgFXrRb_u8-ZRT6uZXt/s1600-h/DSC_0095-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1k7HxzKm-ocx1xUoY39Qv6d-S1xLjA9PIrFU0d3pdx0xeHWvPM2kuNtTkWG2y8lQnpWprFzy1w-1cgv3kiem7DDPoE4HWzbcm8j_pDshTdV1XL1JUCybMjOW_tgFXrRb_u8-ZRT6uZXt/s320/DSC_0095-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264477185309704658" border="0" /></a>The day wrapped up as any other day would. Dust settled from a final sweep of the room as the leaders put away all the supplies in the cupboard and the girls returned a few tables and chairs to their respective rooms. Bags were shouldered and thank <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">yous</span> were exchanged as we all waved goodbye to one another in the waning daylight hour. Walking home we felt a strong sense of pride in the leaders and girls. In a few short months they had taken a small set of lessons and crafts and turned it in to an incredible weekly program. It is an experience we hope the girls will carry with them throughout their lives. There is no question it has been a profound experience for both of us.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDdXK9c-GYFmMQbntKy8-evxUM2UQxcytSXgMRtmgvRfhvOGeH9aWKTx78aOhtCjWttQ8k7trWH1U0GFl-MRiM7of0ho8bPw8tzzVF4PIbYZqJbsXRKfjMjCT13O3A5hWKCsNkjKfmYoH/s1600-h/DSC_0119-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDdXK9c-GYFmMQbntKy8-evxUM2UQxcytSXgMRtmgvRfhvOGeH9aWKTx78aOhtCjWttQ8k7trWH1U0GFl-MRiM7of0ho8bPw8tzzVF4PIbYZqJbsXRKfjMjCT13O3A5hWKCsNkjKfmYoH/s320/DSC_0119-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264478070541223106" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-23027447423586555372008-10-23T16:38:00.001+02:002008-10-25T16:52:44.511+02:00Rain!The first rains of the season arrived this week! It was a very welcomed relief from the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">intense</span> heat that has been scorching the area for weeks. Not that it has completely cooled down, because we do still have hot days that are a bit more humid now, but there is now a chance each night for a cool and refreshing rain to wash away the heat of the day. The morning clouds that used to melt into flat, thin wisps of white and then burn away by late morning now remain large billowing cumulus bubbles that tell us the start of the rainy season has come. With moistened ground to walk on the dust has abated and we no long fear getting swept up in whirlwinds of red sand and trash that were daily <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">occurrences</span> only weeks ago. As we move further into the season our hope is that temperatures will drop slightly, at least into December. Never have we been so happy to see rain. We stood out on the front stoop with our cat and watched the storm roll onto the village. When the downpour came Jess tried hopelessly to chase the goats from our garage, but it was a losing battle. In the end, I would rather have to shovel a bit of crap out off the garage floor in exchange for the arrival of the rains.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-24321128656468540422008-10-22T16:11:00.002+02:002008-10-25T16:34:59.890+02:00PNGC Week 15: Physical FitnessIt was a hot, humid and tiring day at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PNGC</span> this week. The first rains of the season came the night before which is great news, but it also makes the air heavy and sticky. Combine that with construction at school in some of the rooms and packing 54 girls, 6 leaders and the two of us into a small space makes for an uncomfortable start to the day. It was clear from the looks on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">every</span> face that they were tired and hot and ready for a nap. We felt the same way, but put on a smile and some energizing music and went ahead with club.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvzyyu3mDHdPR9kXJFyX4T19Ezw5oxfkYlMwZr-cvbtkUSD1MyXrlZu0eWLSQHC-dtiNww4q3FnmoUDTNAgv4FXyFnQVanhIgMm54srmGBJO9tVyBIJWdUwgJtUR_yGW0qfQoti2U2v_p/s1600-h/DSC_0011-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvzyyu3mDHdPR9kXJFyX4T19Ezw5oxfkYlMwZr-cvbtkUSD1MyXrlZu0eWLSQHC-dtiNww4q3FnmoUDTNAgv4FXyFnQVanhIgMm54srmGBJO9tVyBIJWdUwgJtUR_yGW0qfQoti2U2v_p/s320/DSC_0011-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261097498845968850" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9mkFkAtlxxptoRXOK8VTZ1Oudy7H6Tv5u8pL9vKh_8WP02S8KUQFxWTp5AQWHzSQBLVudJHelI8krR4JyDeTTy5a6yMT4u28qQmTWSqDIJZevwjUDaINIA9X5NI_gnekck472rsJD7e6/s1600-h/DSC_0006-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9mkFkAtlxxptoRXOK8VTZ1Oudy7H6Tv5u8pL9vKh_8WP02S8KUQFxWTp5AQWHzSQBLVudJHelI8krR4JyDeTTy5a6yMT4u28qQmTWSqDIJZevwjUDaINIA9X5NI_gnekck472rsJD7e6/s320/DSC_0006-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261097483612948066" border="0" /></a>The girls were discussing physical fitness and the importance of exercise this week. Many of them love playing netball and football (soccer) and our hope was to hold some track and field type events for the girls outside. Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate and we did not want to have the girls out running under the oppressive afternoon sun. Instead, we unpacked the sewing machines and started the last project of the year, aprons.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuFfbvPBtNCSw1AOGW_rpwUmw1zocm0qJmI6UDFgIiTJRo-5_3kqCO2JPRtwOUgKnou1b__fppivyMwRPI_xEQWBeK4E8LrjAwZlyjEIjA9XbZKFu_BJEBrQ28RqKaD6CcpPAUT7PRSVO/s1600-h/DSC_0036-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuFfbvPBtNCSw1AOGW_rpwUmw1zocm0qJmI6UDFgIiTJRo-5_3kqCO2JPRtwOUgKnou1b__fppivyMwRPI_xEQWBeK4E8LrjAwZlyjEIjA9XbZKFu_BJEBrQ28RqKaD6CcpPAUT7PRSVO/s320/DSC_0036-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261097615967703010" border="0" /></a>Each girl began sewing their very own apron out of traditional fabrics. The leaders were each manning a sewing machine and assisting the girls that were sewing. It was clear that these fabrics are a special commodity in the village and the girls were very excited to know that they would be getting their very own. As the leaders and their girls hummed along on their machines, the girls who were waiting for their turn spent the time finishing up their 5-strand beaded necklaces from the week before if they had not already done so.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLupArnb2FZAQRtwkNUgRLB8OnQ1_5V80ENy_JGhlWxemrheubbD9IjAA5OdQcLgfh1WMvdqJtdL1C_2WuWYivN0urCAisOPTXPlrJCOcAiMyDDVOYGkuFx4_s_GdJFDLtcbx_79nWg8f/s1600-h/DSC_0022-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLupArnb2FZAQRtwkNUgRLB8OnQ1_5V80ENy_JGhlWxemrheubbD9IjAA5OdQcLgfh1WMvdqJtdL1C_2WuWYivN0urCAisOPTXPlrJCOcAiMyDDVOYGkuFx4_s_GdJFDLtcbx_79nWg8f/s320/DSC_0022-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261099726792253666" border="0" /></a>These are a more difficult beading project and require many more beads to finish. I spent most of my day troubleshooting with broken crimp beads and clasps as well as handing out beads. This quickly turned into a very hectic affair. Everywhere I turned there was a girl who needed more beads or help tying off an end. I quickly realized that some girls were just asking for beads because they wanted to take some home, even though they had finished their necklace already. Some went so far as to hide beads under books, in shirt pockets, behind their felt squares and any other place they could find to put them. Then they would come to me saying they were out of beads and needed more. I began to get pretty frustrated with some of them, especially when I had to deal with two or three girls in a row who were <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">blatantly</span> lying about not having beads and demanding more, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">interrupting</span>, snapping their fingers or flailing their arms to get attention and more.<br /><br />I kept my cool through the rest of club, packed up and went home. As Jess and I sat enjoying some cold drink and unwinding from the afternoon I tried to pin down what my frustrations were with the girls that afternoon. Part of it was the heat that made everyone a little edgy, and some of their behavior can be chalked up to teenage attitudes and life, but there is part of the way that they acted when demanding this or that through the afternoon that still bothered me. It is not just unique to the girls, but to many people in South Africa. There is a sense of deserving among many people in the post-Apartheid era. It is very rare to hear please or thank you, to form a line instead of crowding and pushing for a space in front, or to wait patiently for someone to finish speaking or working instead of interrupting. These attitudes seem to be born from the idea that since people have been freed from an oppressive life, now they deserve to take it back when and where they choose. I think part of the reason why some of the girls acted the way they did was a learned behavior from their parents and friends. They have been given many things throughout club and perhaps now just expect to get even more instead of looking at everything as a gift and a privilege.<br /><br />Yet this is not everyone. As I looked back on the day I also began to remember the other girls who were bringing back their extra beads, helping others to finish once they had completed their own work, assisting in cleaning up and organizing all of the supplies. There are a number of these girls and they are kind, considerate young women. They are the bright spots of club that let us know what we do with them and the leaders is worthwhile and important. There will always be <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">struggles</span> when we work with young people in a culture that works differently from our own, but at the end of the day it is worth every minute.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7x2f1MPC0ZbR5EYyrxTgdwLVF6NDtJC-bn5iFsOF8ZvaneIpWc7yLM7wsnECnmEmcvGK2y_RBZyqSlCUdV_WIohNLJqRdWtwxdSqDHoMCPa5vPmz-rn6mHFh7eS0m-_Mtb8gLxMkE9SwU/s1600-h/DSC_0080-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7x2f1MPC0ZbR5EYyrxTgdwLVF6NDtJC-bn5iFsOF8ZvaneIpWc7yLM7wsnECnmEmcvGK2y_RBZyqSlCUdV_WIohNLJqRdWtwxdSqDHoMCPa5vPmz-rn6mHFh7eS0m-_Mtb8gLxMkE9SwU/s320/DSC_0080-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261097622125493778" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-28398610657465472152008-10-16T21:05:00.004+02:002008-10-16T21:54:11.614+02:00Mary and Vanessa Visit South AfricaThe first of our family members to visit South Africa arrived at the end of last month to spend a couple weeks with us in our village and exploring South Africa. Mary and Vanessa, Jessica's mother and sister, arrived at O.R. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tambo</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">International</span> Airport after a two long, yet uneventful flights. In 14 months we had not seen anyone from our family, so as they rounded the corner and exited customs, needless to say we were slightly excited to see each other!<br /><br />We made our way directly to the village to start off their South Africa adventure in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Seleka</span> at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">PNGC</span> (read previous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">PNGC</span> Week 13 post for details on their experience at club). Their fun filled first day was tiring in the heat, but also exciting to be able to show them all about what we do with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">PNGC</span> each week. A few more days in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Seleka</span> and the surrounding villages allowed Mary and Vanessa to see our schools, our village, meet our teacher and the women at the drop in center, explore the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">bushveld</span> with our friends at their homes and out on the farm and see pieces of our day to day life in Africa. Needless to say they were in for a number of new experiences. They got to help carry water, bathe in a bucket, brave the dust and heat of the day, eat warthog <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">voers</span> (sausage), <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">braai</span>, have a spitting contest with Impala dung, and much more. It was a truly jam packed first few days, and despite their long flights they were up to the challenge of meeting and greeting the whole village.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UxJT95tywOy0rnVQeaKk3LHIfraxEpt4S80inHzt6HOpHuNi1odOazGdA66rRRjADjczwj6UFRJ4iBR-X88J2qAFRjObO4vTm1mAcPpIMH55vdfrQ8p5DCR58bZulBlryBjX2S-HYYJj/s1600-h/DSC_0151-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UxJT95tywOy0rnVQeaKk3LHIfraxEpt4S80inHzt6HOpHuNi1odOazGdA66rRRjADjczwj6UFRJ4iBR-X88J2qAFRjObO4vTm1mAcPpIMH55vdfrQ8p5DCR58bZulBlryBjX2S-HYYJj/s320/DSC_0151-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257837030484669474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGVCtloAWViFvJKd_ysMA9vPdLq2OgPX69P7x3kiTeMrUGlbKESyfDd9aHgt1TFjRTG8jksi33Wu_VCN9oZFha5PgOxE28LlSrX8g2alQmuznX3lq8uYJ9JGkjpiLGyJi6vS9Wmewjmo8/s1600-h/DSC_0340-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGVCtloAWViFvJKd_ysMA9vPdLq2OgPX69P7x3kiTeMrUGlbKESyfDd9aHgt1TFjRTG8jksi33Wu_VCN9oZFha5PgOxE28LlSrX8g2alQmuznX3lq8uYJ9JGkjpiLGyJi6vS9Wmewjmo8/s320/DSC_0340-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257838241073683282" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aUBIfXMwql8Xa5DBYpeZ24wfoBiaUd2ceDJXrmKMv_C2BH0r-1uRs-VF3Iyk_icXk7w6SzBS1TdHFqimisbCXxtkbSzt4Jlrj4OiEB9MQpDbF7Fm401Qh1ZpX1BCBDpdY_lKqQ42vrYI/s1600-h/DSC_0278-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aUBIfXMwql8Xa5DBYpeZ24wfoBiaUd2ceDJXrmKMv_C2BH0r-1uRs-VF3Iyk_icXk7w6SzBS1TdHFqimisbCXxtkbSzt4Jlrj4OiEB9MQpDbF7Fm401Qh1ZpX1BCBDpdY_lKqQ42vrYI/s320/DSC_0278-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257838237923433570" border="0" /></a>However, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Seleka</span> is not the only part of Southern Africa worth seeing and our next stop was Lesotho. After a 15+ hour drive that included a few stops, bad traffic, a wrong turn, a near miss with a couple cows in the road, shady border crossings and some rough last few kilometers of gravel road we arrived at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Malealea</span> Lodge where we spent our next five days. Arriving so late the first night to a place with limited electricity hours and complete darkness otherwise, we spent the first day sleeping in and enjoying our first views of the mountains of Lesotho. The lodge is set on the edge of a beautiful valley surrounded by high peaks offering stunning views and cooler weather. Our <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">leisurely</span> day was also meant as preparation for our coming 3-day, 2-night pony trek into the mountains.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyTj9YeS0aPo9VikU7xEJrll0ATvy0YszjHs5PMp789rFPcsbccKE9ioTY-q-tYqudRhFAnwQI6Kgi5fkiqo-JswXJOt-Jm0K7QR50c5YzWTyU00RGrkspO-U2pjNzywbJ2-P6SIsblb5/s1600-h/DSC_0103-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyTj9YeS0aPo9VikU7xEJrll0ATvy0YszjHs5PMp789rFPcsbccKE9ioTY-q-tYqudRhFAnwQI6Kgi5fkiqo-JswXJOt-Jm0K7QR50c5YzWTyU00RGrkspO-U2pjNzywbJ2-P6SIsblb5/s320/DSC_0103-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257835013571624674" border="0" /></a>Our trek began early the next day with a short <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">introduction</span> to our horses. Having packed our bags earlier in the morning, we stuffed a few apples, sandwiches and water into the saddle bags and set off with our guide <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Thato</span> and his apprentice <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Jappie</span>. In <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Seleka</span>, I am also known as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Thato</span>, which means 'God's will' in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Sotho</span>. We felt this was a good sign for our trek. We bounced our way out of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">lodge</span> and started down the road. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Malealea</span> is a small village and soon we were out in the valley and the road narrowed to a thin dirt track that led us for about 6 hours down and back up gorges, across rivers, through small villages teeming with excited children and smiling parents. At times mountains loomed directly above us casting long shadows over our horses and at other times they were far in the distance leaving us in the spread of another valley under the intense sun of the day. We arrived in the village where we would sleep for the next two nights saddle sore and happy for the chance to stretch our legs.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghw3RbA_D20N9AijP5xpU5aCWrOCaNXyBHZ0QDvtkjEHu6pmwpBfq2jHB6IWwMPZ0Ss7HIFBMaAmWqvDz8QlGGGrcM1-R3kWoAs0EsWbdd05A13WeTRrV9mtnY3qIYuoAQvHL_W-OZUcFk/s1600-h/DSC01406-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghw3RbA_D20N9AijP5xpU5aCWrOCaNXyBHZ0QDvtkjEHu6pmwpBfq2jHB6IWwMPZ0Ss7HIFBMaAmWqvDz8QlGGGrcM1-R3kWoAs0EsWbdd05A13WeTRrV9mtnY3qIYuoAQvHL_W-OZUcFk/s320/DSC01406-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257833004686752802" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83I2BkmrNgvA7h_60Ayn2S2oiZU4vu4t5HjwlQ3V3ddom3lzBwHELM78psEoWm20cbcZHcxrLOgLaLUruPCEH-ZwiXMOl0B0vmKDypfRuHUqh90LEw3B3kitiODzhKSsbL2w3ZFIx18iJ/s1600-h/DSC_0019-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83I2BkmrNgvA7h_60Ayn2S2oiZU4vu4t5HjwlQ3V3ddom3lzBwHELM78psEoWm20cbcZHcxrLOgLaLUruPCEH-ZwiXMOl0B0vmKDypfRuHUqh90LEw3B3kitiODzhKSsbL2w3ZFIx18iJ/s320/DSC_0019-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257833003050587506" border="0" /></a>The village of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Riboneng</span> is accessible only by horse or walking. They buildings are predominately circular <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">rondavels</span> of stone, clay and stick with thatch roofing. With no electricity or running water, villagers fetched water from the springs up the mountain, washed clothes in the river below, and lit fires as the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">sun</span> set behind the western peaks. We came to love this tiny village in the short time we spent there. The young boys telling us about their sheep and goat herds, the men playing an interesting game with stones on a carved rock, the women cooking in their communal reed kitchen, the old <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">transistor</span> radio bringing news from far away places and more importantly the South African soccer matches; all this was quite charming as we settled in for our two nights on thin foam pads with a gas burner supported by field stones for cooking.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyBg-bCVPk40Wy42JhMjhEzjajkv5QcATJTPPAxI54617Pa0x249BkH9YBX4OliF8E8OtavApoIRaOASZTI2g9qtqmBXhmsRuFNU49qUtI32rALB8zty_qdgKRyXwKLoVM2EwrmrkAXae/s1600-h/DSC_0089-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyBg-bCVPk40Wy42JhMjhEzjajkv5QcATJTPPAxI54617Pa0x249BkH9YBX4OliF8E8OtavApoIRaOASZTI2g9qtqmBXhmsRuFNU49qUtI32rALB8zty_qdgKRyXwKLoVM2EwrmrkAXae/s320/DSC_0089-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257833009803618290" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHeQ-EKm0c9VAfBKqxoarcgBJFcJRp7YVS6LRDDuX3QzQJg7fVpN7ZtofEUe60kraABabOiFHS_tnOsZ27Zt2KnGJ3fH6xN1sLAzO5Nqrbqvff9RF5QgbidRMp3mAynuf9E6ZmuAtBPbs/s1600-h/DSC_0168-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHeQ-EKm0c9VAfBKqxoarcgBJFcJRp7YVS6LRDDuX3QzQJg7fVpN7ZtofEUe60kraABabOiFHS_tnOsZ27Zt2KnGJ3fH6xN1sLAzO5Nqrbqvff9RF5QgbidRMp3mAynuf9E6ZmuAtBPbs/s320/DSC_0168-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257835021196462370" border="0" /></a>The second day of the trek brought a sunrise and the sounds of the goats and sheep in their kraal (pen) directly outside our door. We saddled our horses for a day ride up the mountain pass to the top of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Riboneng</span> waterfall, instantly aware of how sore our backsides were. Yet after a few hours, the combination of gorgeous scenery to distract us and numbness setting in made for an very enjoyable day of trekking that included lunch at a cool mountain stream, stories from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Thato</span> about Lesotho traditions in the area and meeting a man and his brother hiking to the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">other side</span> of the mountains to go meet up with his fiance and present her with a traditional <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Basotho</span> Blanket. Upon our return to the village we had the option of striking out on a three hour hike to the base of the waterfall that we had just stood atop, however a short conversation with our bodies concluded it was wiser to work our the aches and pains with a stroll through the village and a glass of wine (yes, we packed wine all the way out to the village. It was delicious!).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdG6TGroX9eAuvfTWoI73yWC6rEr0rQ-4XJ1bH8lDLL2rPJUN9A2mJyKz1flu4j8MWHP-hpmeqYO_AWPCR9S2ACS6Woqzu-MLtWbSUw_Qs3NV2WUV6AS2MsSCBqxUwTb_WEHUDTJMyjtr/s1600-h/DSC01438-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdG6TGroX9eAuvfTWoI73yWC6rEr0rQ-4XJ1bH8lDLL2rPJUN9A2mJyKz1flu4j8MWHP-hpmeqYO_AWPCR9S2ACS6Woqzu-MLtWbSUw_Qs3NV2WUV6AS2MsSCBqxUwTb_WEHUDTJMyjtr/s320/DSC01438-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257832999261928914" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnh3XrndawbDEI0qCI2V0POFAQDCKLX4lMtBx15AcSqNX5TO9PcOav_2y7NwdjEejAHv9oV8QmlmrsUo9yU7WuMdsrxS44LGh7Z-Fl1q-yUhdaL0kKbmYpPjfOKkUW0ABf44QRoCC4jfJ/s1600-h/DSC_0236-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnh3XrndawbDEI0qCI2V0POFAQDCKLX4lMtBx15AcSqNX5TO9PcOav_2y7NwdjEejAHv9oV8QmlmrsUo9yU7WuMdsrxS44LGh7Z-Fl1q-yUhdaL0kKbmYpPjfOKkUW0ABf44QRoCC4jfJ/s320/DSC_0236-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257835026263482674" border="0" /></a>Winding our way back over the mountains on a different route we made our way back to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Malealea</span> the next day. Our trek had been extremely exciting, awe inspiring and scenic despite sore rear ends, Vanessa's midnight stomach bug and having two horses <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">strike</span> out for home without us on the last morning (somehow <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Jappie</span> tracked them across the valley and up the mountain to a village about one hour's ride from our hut). We were glad to be back to a hot shower and some clean clothes, but part of us wished our pony trek adventure could have lasted for much longer. Our final day at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Malealea</span> found me in bed in a nasty disagreement with my stomach, but gave Jessica, Mary and Vanessa the day to explore the village and meet <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Thato's</span> family. As we ascended out of the valley leaving <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Malealea</span> we stopped at the top of the pass to look back on a once-in-a-lifetime trek through a unique mountain kingdom. With having done so much, what more could we possibly do? Next stop, curio shopping.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjfVGZHs4Xn95eEHhGWaqIW4gT2xmvDCv-txavnivSNdTq8KNUYUaI-wPBsZZAn1y1VudJJAlb2CqSd3GDrntyV-8s_AAtvN6NHBYucBnZ2ueUE8rzu4zBN6ntNgR0B4wpJs_twhhlbQJ/s1600-h/DSC_0037-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjfVGZHs4Xn95eEHhGWaqIW4gT2xmvDCv-txavnivSNdTq8KNUYUaI-wPBsZZAn1y1VudJJAlb2CqSd3GDrntyV-8s_AAtvN6NHBYucBnZ2ueUE8rzu4zBN6ntNgR0B4wpJs_twhhlbQJ/s320/DSC_0037-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257833008850921522" border="0" /></a>Over the next few days we made our way through Lesotho, back into South Africa and on to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Graskop</span> near the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Blyde</span> River Canyon. Along the way we stopped in a few small villages to peruse the local craft markets. We met a fellow <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">PCV</span> from Lesotho at the weaving group she works with, enjoyed a fantastic meal in the artsy community of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Clarens</span>, and continued the theme of good food with Harrie's Pancakes, Portuguese beef entrees, fresh coffee with chocolate cake and more. The girls were able to take advantage of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Graskop</span> area's excellent collection of crafts from South Africa and other parts of the continent. We took in a classic African sunset over the canyon as well as the rolling green hills and valleys that are in such contrast to the flat <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">bushveld</span> of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Seleka</span>. It was a time of relaxing and enjoying some of the best that South Africa has to offer. Yet with a few more days left, we continued on to what some describe as the best of South Africa, Kruger National Park.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivh2oxlxt4orFKUuRN_0MFTsZ3qYjYqJT4kdAhYQtBlpIy-tvE0smRyMRTvBM3arvI0zFJUimcpKamHhV087VhvfCBrd0QVLngJXvhYRty7DfQJzsKC9WMCGSRwXgOzoOPiHosiwyUbT0h/s1600-h/DSC_0397-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivh2oxlxt4orFKUuRN_0MFTsZ3qYjYqJT4kdAhYQtBlpIy-tvE0smRyMRTvBM3arvI0zFJUimcpKamHhV087VhvfCBrd0QVLngJXvhYRty7DfQJzsKC9WMCGSRwXgOzoOPiHosiwyUbT0h/s320/DSC_0397-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257838244358800754" border="0" /></a>Early in the morning we packed up the car and drove the hour from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Graskop</span> to Kruger. The day was overcast and perfect for viewing wildlife. In our two days in the park, we had hoped to see the Big Five, but came up one short. Despite that, we had an incredible drive through one of the best game viewing parks in the world.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa6HR11YSsADdZlBSrHhbyhEYVMNM8g86oFRDvoPch5mMFbtAxz7qa_dFg5Ct-CwsS5713I8NQPe_Crt83iGjBO-7dJ5aQTVYD86dqWpWgpd1cx2ksNQg7rV_wqVA4j2fCkVvyFxAPx-Z/s1600-h/DSC_0064-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa6HR11YSsADdZlBSrHhbyhEYVMNM8g86oFRDvoPch5mMFbtAxz7qa_dFg5Ct-CwsS5713I8NQPe_Crt83iGjBO-7dJ5aQTVYD86dqWpWgpd1cx2ksNQg7rV_wqVA4j2fCkVvyFxAPx-Z/s320/DSC_0064-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257835041084768386" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipx_XZ-oJquk9S1HqWXacP7VszhgN0S7m11fKYqbC45r-1A-0cxY6NIM6IYurfBe94kNR56QSzhsJ-MTe60ugiwHQmB-rgOXyDMbwzeyR6U-fL4IpobrTzx1v4HdYZkvYp4IPmn_RhAvgJ/s1600-h/DSC_0231-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipx_XZ-oJquk9S1HqWXacP7VszhgN0S7m11fKYqbC45r-1A-0cxY6NIM6IYurfBe94kNR56QSzhsJ-MTe60ugiwHQmB-rgOXyDMbwzeyR6U-fL4IpobrTzx1v4HdYZkvYp4IPmn_RhAvgJ/s320/DSC_0231-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257837042822918162" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzQnhn4Q10czJAJPg3HLxzZREGmWi-dgepJ-J_jj7WZEL-d2-BLjkfmbanBpPxpDhuoIziVRTjM1mRHlIylVBYSqR64pGk-IDikycg2jnR-ZgxBV2SEnUAgohiTSnFk3B6A5lnmKTOmS0/s1600-h/DSC_0206-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzQnhn4Q10czJAJPg3HLxzZREGmWi-dgepJ-J_jj7WZEL-d2-BLjkfmbanBpPxpDhuoIziVRTjM1mRHlIylVBYSqR64pGk-IDikycg2jnR-ZgxBV2SEnUAgohiTSnFk3B6A5lnmKTOmS0/s320/DSC_0206-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257837042290775602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvi5FhLgkq77sldfG96ZdmWwiMSwze47Mo0Z07mXnDFmdnYYN7Hhl2WMxq_SZfNA9ZHEAVQeia9RYUoG65ugwyyaviqbWXZvv5HqlDfZfJZLsxSaQpWUvRA4eIP-6-sdB_6eDs9Is59lP/s1600-h/DSC_0039-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvi5FhLgkq77sldfG96ZdmWwiMSwze47Mo0Z07mXnDFmdnYYN7Hhl2WMxq_SZfNA9ZHEAVQeia9RYUoG65ugwyyaviqbWXZvv5HqlDfZfJZLsxSaQpWUvRA4eIP-6-sdB_6eDs9Is59lP/s320/DSC_0039-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257835036701511634" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvodKEefgLotbKhmtMi9DLFXpU3C3fQJ0kpsvLI9wiFddgmK3r4GcU4DzXmcxm_wjMIwKIbwihQgJur1Ks4DJdFxz0NHYiFKZmbQFHrRr95i8FdlEs3L0R9VVPULeRXbt2UIz1toF8y0Ca/s1600-h/DSC_0131-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvodKEefgLotbKhmtMi9DLFXpU3C3fQJ0kpsvLI9wiFddgmK3r4GcU4DzXmcxm_wjMIwKIbwihQgJur1Ks4DJdFxz0NHYiFKZmbQFHrRr95i8FdlEs3L0R9VVPULeRXbt2UIz1toF8y0Ca/s320/DSC_0131-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257837032422023634" border="0" /></a>On their last day in South Africa, we were back in the city and took a trip to the Apartheid Museum. Expertly designed and explored in detail, the museum offers a clear historical account of the history of Apartheid from factors leading up to its inception as well as the events that eventually led to it's end and culminating with the 1994 elections and Nelson <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">Mandela's</span> presidency. It was a sobering, yet important reminder of South Africa today and a good way to bring our trip full circle. As we sat having dinner with our friends that night prior heading for the airport, we candidly discussed the time Mary and Vanessa spent in South Africa. It's beauty, wonder, promise and hope as well as the struggles, challenges, obstacles and turmoil. They had experienced it all and at the end of the day found South Africa to be an incredible country.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNxqqDgtOg2LgBffqUMv3V2NFFcinlfaBCO960TtCWOmCO9uGXpR9qJB1MmJ3vfY9fOFMm19lGWODc2S8F5YBhlRen0Po9E6-c4S4DRItjLbfoEA67CmhdXsT6syYokyFBtagH586UGTr/s1600-h/DSC_0165-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNxqqDgtOg2LgBffqUMv3V2NFFcinlfaBCO960TtCWOmCO9uGXpR9qJB1MmJ3vfY9fOFMm19lGWODc2S8F5YBhlRen0Po9E6-c4S4DRItjLbfoEA67CmhdXsT6syYokyFBtagH586UGTr/s320/DSC_0165-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257842113075844802" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-52579688535097798632008-10-14T10:18:00.006+02:002008-10-14T10:56:13.715+02:00PNGC Week 14: Eating HealthyAfter a few weeks off due to school holidays and our visit from Mary and Vanessa, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PNGC</span> was back in action this week in the run down to the final few weeks of club for the year. Despite yet another gruelling day of 100 degree heat, the girls arrived back enthusiastic. Of course their first questions to us for the day were all about our family: How was their trip? Where did you go? Will they be able to come to club again? and more. It was clear that the short time they spent with Mary and Vanessa was memorable for them and we were happy to know they enjoyed that day as much as we did. After recounting our holiday with the girls, we moved on to our first order of business for the day, birthdays. Each month the PNGC Student Council gives out nice new pencils to anyone with a birthday in the coming months. The girls really enjoy having new things for school and always look forward to the first club of each month. October was no different and this month we have seven girls and one leader celebrating their birthday!<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256928590310703890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMW6-CRI1TcZEzJKd62qn9nK_dBB4Ayawce07_MDMvvbwFDQ33KGKE-QECy61DP7Pq7NmVS_CvUjS9vHeAsaB22js0qtLuPB5tzFYO-C-KwH6Xz1QKQEi_4YPdIIjX-2-pXvrHaYK2Z4Rt/s320/DSC_0007-800.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256928593186310130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudMiYDU0iJr3_5G8WyC1hC_62gSaPkmpBW8tvKgWTJsua6qqhepP7FJlfd0bvvacyp14mC7tWDdwkD7qVeNlvYcZnV1audH4BAXOwyI8JTgA509mgAGp-DanHJAn3LrgP5gKfYjoWED8e/s320/DSC_0017-800.jpg" border="0" />The lesson for the day revolved around Eating Healthy. Nutrition is something that is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">severely</span> lacking in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Seleka</span>, and most other villages in South Africa. Fresh fruits and vegetables are not found in many homes. Partly this is due to a lack of produce available in the villages and also in part it is that not many families go out of their way to purchase them when they are in town. Sometimes this has to do with expenses. Maize meal, used to make <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">bogobe</span>, is inexpensive for large quantities. Heavy in starch and with the consistency of soft mashed potatoes, it is not an ideal food to eat day in and day out. Yet, for most households, it is eaten as the main course for one, if not two, meals each day. Along with that there may be a small amount of meat or vegetables served, but again they are unvaried and not helping to round out a food pyramid anytime soon. The other inexpensive way to eat in the village is to buy sweets. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Zimbas</span>, the equivalent of homemade Cheetos, are the most common. We see students on a daily basis buying them for 50 cents for breakfast, lunch and after school snacks. They also pocket a lolly pop or two if they can afford it. The result is an entire diet built on high sugar and starch intake with nothing else to balance it out. Fruits like apples and oranges are available in the village sometimes. We even see fruit trees in yards and gardens when we are out and about. The trick is actually getting the kids to choose these over their beloved sweets. The leaders emphasized to the girls the importance of this change of behavior, pointing out problems that many children and adults face with tooth decay, diabetes and other illnesses. The girls seemed to have a solid background in healthy eating as they discussed the lesson, though putting it in to practice will prove a larger challenge. The leaders asked the girls to spend this week trying to substitute fruit for sweets each day. We will see how it pans out!<br /><br />Having exhausted the topic of food for the day, the girls then turned to their craft, a 5-string beaded necklace. At this point, the girls have done a number of beaded projects and at first they seemed to be rather complacent about the craft, thinking it was just like all the others. A few girls, however, tackled their necklace quickly and soon they could see how this project was different in look and style to anything they had tried before. Word spread about how cool these necklaces looked. They were different from the single strand work the girls had done in the past and as we tried to wind down club for the afternoon, many girls sped up their beading to finish before the end of the day. The day finished in a whirlwind of beads as girls secured their final threads and clasps to begin modeling their work. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256928595405165234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7stxCM1g8gEJ2DDdrxBxFps25TYTIYdO1NFtzfJrruCdDXem7T_JP14ApVDdScZTVJWqB_do028pxi0Hxaws-wFNlSCFHfhRaK0KggCtwrHcaF7G7s9dQWiQVQIcapleH5WlTsTkDdL3Y/s320/DSC_0051-800.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256928593358083666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmPI3F5_uiWkRcYPfVJt2UcoZTO9WI1HqHnFBfuLI1U7XJl0h61nVF6OKccfxHOmQyhGHYGcUafviw9HaZM2UOTqCZ1RdW-9VmrVwJs00ayx-20oJ7gUdS1fwxBwj7_RfI4H8oRT4C6uN5/s320/DSC_0049-800.jpg" border="0" />Using a number of different color beads and patterns the girls showed off their creative sides by designing many different styled necklaces. They posed proudly with their finished product and talked about how their mothers and sisters would really like this new look. We are now starting to see the girls realizing that other people in the village are interested in the types of things they are making. There is potential for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">PNGC</span> to use these products as a way to raise money for future club projects and that is getting people very excited to keep learning new techniques. Our hope is that one or two of the girls came away from today learning that they can eat healthy and look good at the same time!<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256928596934663586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3rODgTMJHIJJHpdcDppPUaf01542S71xraEFIaZ2_nr-j5xkt_9E4urGWiPrtc58zw0BOPB0LjgQAqyo09nxmFrr2H_EmjWPEwU9WSUqjAebtikPzKXdJD7Pv0mcwJC1j2f66W7PD5Z8/s320/DSC_0078-800.jpg" border="0" />Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-25402517891626665262008-09-24T09:46:00.004+02:002008-10-14T16:27:50.650+02:00PNGC Week 13: Personal HygeineThis week at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PNGC</span> we had very special guests visiting. Jessica's mother Mary and her sister Vanessa had come to visit us here in South Africa and their very first day full day in the country brought them to our village to see club in action. As has been the trend over the past month, the day was hot, dry and windy but with such honored guests, the girls and leaders were all excited for club to begin. They had been hearing for a couple weeks now that Mary and Vanessa were coming with special craft supplies from the United States and were eager to see what everything was.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256915942826932226" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9AA1P6fzz0BqcJvvkSVqOQ5XUpXGnbauzGIrAWDCy-3C32U5RgflQvwNggKCqOsvba-IZsZptydFETXvreEilaPEVmRfyw60RTcNszKT8aTkDOOfZvRRrg0eNzuK4lkUZtuWQQtrcPYL/s320/DSC_0036-800.jpg" border="0" />The girls lined up in front of the school hall as usual, chatting and gossiping about their day at school, while the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">PNGC</span> Student Council and leaders helped to set up for the day. We first introduced Mary and Vanessa to the leaders and they happily assisted us in preparing for the day while learning about how this year at club has been going. The leaders were eager to share their stories and show off some of the necklaces and earrings they had made. When all the tables were set with a few supplies, Vanessa was asked to be today's bell ringer. Snatching up the bell and popping out the door to the hall, she rang the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">lavender</span> bell, much to the girl's delight, and week 13 was underway.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256915945042214610" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM14doyimO9sDkxA-OMCDlgD9ZINLY4VMY4__uTzro6nyVPwGmxSC_Sr9xCVNHBpqngEa0GZUBTWYiACbIDE2DfpsiSXLKgbp8Ki_loymQz07Si1pGHzdOkuQArtNFDtrryT2YVALsY6Wi/s320/DSC_0144-800.jpg" border="0" />The girls took their seats quickly, inspecting the containers of interesting looking sweets that had made the journey across the ocean for them, as well as the small tubes of paint in the baskets on each table. Their eyes were already lighting up and we had barely started. As Jessica introduced our special guests the girls applauded after almost every sentence. They could just not contain the excitement of having our family here to visit. At this point we probably seem rather ordinary to the girls, but our family had just stepped off the plane from America and the girls wanted to know all about them. However, before they could be bombarded with inquiries from the girls, Ma <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Masenya</span> stepped in to present the lesson for the day on Personal <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Hygeine</span>. It was clear to her and the rest of us that the girls were quite enthusiastic about the day and their attention was not easily focused on the lesson. Keeping that in mind, Ma <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Masenya</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">improvised</span> as she went, cracking jokes and incorporating anecdotes specific to daily life in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Seleka</span> to keep the girls listening and laughing. It was difficult to grasp everything she was saying as it was rattled off in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Setswana</span>, though it was clear that everything she was doing was bringing the lesson closer to home for the girls in a light hearted way. I was amazed at how she was able to maintain a level of participation from the girls on a day when they were easily distracted by so many other things.<br /><div><div><br /><div>After completing a short discussion at the end of the lesson, the big surprise for the girls was finally here. Jessica began explaining that the paints on the table in front of the girls were fabric paints, and that today the girls would be decorating their very own <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">PNGC</span> T-shirt. More applause came quickly, but was soon drowned out by oohs and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">aahs</span>, hushed giggles and knowing glances from girl to girl as the leaders began to distribute the T-shirts. Not much explanation was needed on what to do and soon every girl had a bottle of puff paint in her hand, aimed at her shirt on the table. At first, most of the girls took the initial suggestion that they could write their name on their shirt. Almost every girl started with that, though soon word spread around the room of other creative designs and patterns. In no time at all, simply designed shirts became elaborate mazes of different color paint that covered entire shirts front and back. Paints were being passed around the room, ideas shared and expounded upon, and everyone was having a fantastic time. Mary and Vanessa meandered through the girls, stopping to talk, or sometimes just to admire a shirt or two. As the girls neared completion of their shirts (<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">meaning</span> we started running out of paint!) They, along with the leaders, began to help the girls hang their shirts over chairs and tables so the paint could dry overnight. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256915946305009666" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYzwCzLSO-kio_-Je2v_CVNDWpx9Qshxfb-_jaRUBjh-6ihpkeDm4OUanUmqW2fQJXFdQHincpwNBvQ-AsUS-iVqsAn-QXiCReOGZhyphenhyphenlKo2w9EG0ncPNJo2fwkJjZjBhzLc-oS3Uh4QnV/s320/DSC_0082-800.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256915950618748130" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nhz_HVtB7dzcvGDaPT5XWrNfMKZ1tD53P0SanqXIPjmLA8CCl95jgbYTOw2Yv4rLbJ3ykCBTWHGuiYGjK_zh8A7YiAm-DT18S-fem6DDslPN8OIGjO42YZlBSpiGToScJsNG1r-O5RZ1/s320/DSC_0235-800.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256915953046912482" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRG5gyeU_bd3R3pqyXCNU-uHgXvXakCsAuwcO1xsasjgreBYhCT2Ar_n552y83g72XJOnS6dI1cIL8RcTXy9VyUhZGrW003gl642KGeSoz7B5EgkMFO6dFoBQ0gQnI1-r0AUVlCW8Ui1Qy/s320/DSC_0228-800.jpg" border="0" />Once finished with their T-shirts, the girls now had their chance to ask the questions that had been burning the tips of their tongues all day. The two new Americans soon found themselves surround by eager young faces asking a range of questions from 'Do you know <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Beyonce</span>?' to 'What does your house look like?'. They posed for pictures, laughed, joked, made funny faces and thoroughly enjoyed themselves for the entire afternoon. No one was too quick to leave at the end of the day, wanting instead to stay and keep talking, but we assured them that the following morning we would be back at school to take a group photo with all of their shirts. Knowing that, the girls and leaders all helped to clean, sweep, pack and organize shirts to dry. We made our way home with a troop of girls that continued to delight us with questions and conversation all the way to our front door. The evening was starting to cool down and we sat on the front porch talking about what an incredible day it was for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">PNGC</span>.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256917492380539618" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8L2nCXTSen2hlMBrhqVSbyo2NmG6OYag3FZ7F27YjbUMVeWHkYe_PUEH1SI8vKW8QK1k-A57TbJFG8pRWUcvRztVMcRIVjoKcL_lKrHDPfujmQWyp6oevnkSY8w7U5C72IEBRw-rtGNHa/s320/DSC_0319-800.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256920071305023954" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHmNiFF6c4lLm6WlofPDXvP7Dkp1vbkTEH-wRAsOJlZJYB4t_B6YFRTFuN4ijqiXFsuddlP001NLXmvfwlZ2A78vTlq9E4SG7uLImIuNf6-FneU6_qSq5P_AwU83d2N5Xu903vyTgTKkB/s320/DSC_0292-800.jpg" border="0" />The following morning we arrived at school to find all the girls already there, sporting their freshly dry <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">PNGC</span> shirts. After assembly we gathered everyone together for a large group photo. The girls grinned from ear to ear as they showed off their new look and posed for even more pictures with their new friends.<br /><br />We would not have been able to do this craft without the generous contributions and support of friends and family back home. Please know that your donations will be worn with pride in our village. From all of us at PNGC, thank you.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256917496851290066" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMquOElkzmrTsJT07AvBH51B3HjLJQl1lRHWGjhl6AnIsZrXljuJrgVlgVUtgQ2vcC-mtemcTZQesQn9JguC-KF7ngdop7d9PqQ-5C0atC2D2ufq5dMKjqH7b4IIkQEvFvWTXsRHOBtx6c/s320/DSC_0070-800.jpg" border="0" /></div></div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256917497009593554" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnoxqtFetyAhg8My91Nd4R_EHwhGJZ0WscwKjFMQ5qpSsRSQ76nZAyobB3mVLWFU-DFaKTRqxFmRL1iEhunxwbBBPvYF2GURB6EPP3UC0kzLDu3CBtBMqg2N1gWghMEc7lB6aNyPcm_79T/s320/DSC_0087-800.jpg" border="0" />Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-5396428693400620372008-09-16T11:05:00.003+02:002008-10-16T21:05:19.764+02:00PNGC Week 12: Money MangementThis week the girls discussed the topic of Money Management. For a large number of families in Seleka, money is not readily available. Many people rely a pension check and perhaps one salary to support their immediate and extended family. Being able to manage that money is essential to being able to make ends meet each month. Yet, young girls being who they are, and under a constant barrage of popular culture showing off the latest and greatest trends in fashion, technology and lifestyle, the ability to manage money effectively can be extremely difficult. The lesson for the day focused on the two main characters of all the PNGC lessons, Khutso and Mpho, and their trip into town to purchase food and supplies for the family. One girl spends her money wisely and the other unwisely. When they girls get home, it is clear what the correct way is to manage money. It is very likely this scenario has happened to a number of girls and it seemed to hit home for them. As we move forward with our craft making we want to begin encouraging the girls to think about ways they could use their new skills to earn money for club and for themselves. When that time comes it will be important for them to know the how to use their money wisely for themselves while still allowing for a special purchase once in a while. With few people in the village having their own bank account, cash is the only money people have and makes it all the more important to learn money management skills.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07v1GjBwfR5NRTFluhqPS_E1nB-z1QurfB-rBU8cAMAMsqBMpbvix-HGpQZCcD8TFZkNQIaAq_6VI2u-6t2CvW2JKrT2MrSZxLCIQbiBivteFreaQkZDZlogmP3n-Kvr9TR2dJ44XgCV5/s1600-h/DSC_0068-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07v1GjBwfR5NRTFluhqPS_E1nB-z1QurfB-rBU8cAMAMsqBMpbvix-HGpQZCcD8TFZkNQIaAq_6VI2u-6t2CvW2JKrT2MrSZxLCIQbiBivteFreaQkZDZlogmP3n-Kvr9TR2dJ44XgCV5/s320/DSC_0068-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257828886954642482" border="0" /></a>To go along with the lesson for the day, the girls were able to sew their own personal coin purse. Having been on the sewing machine before, it was now much easier for the girls to zip through their sewing. Even with 54 girls in club and only four sewing machines we were able to sew up almost every coin purse in one day! They were immediately filled with some spare change, a pencil or pen, lipstick, chapstick, and other assorted items the girls had on hand. Hopefully each time the girls pull it out to buy something for themselves, they will think of the lesson for the day and remember what it takes to make good decisions with their money!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AuWyNOalCYAHKBLK2RsJuxixZGLsmTfIL441RbfCa6O3mdQHQ2l_m9Sy7QgGSSnyIfiV98T1lt-2vzaxvwJFE1FWfYgedJr0Mp3qmQoFTNgZnu9uM1UeTj_-0r4mlSlkxhuWXnaVF2RO/s1600-h/DSC_0106-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AuWyNOalCYAHKBLK2RsJuxixZGLsmTfIL441RbfCa6O3mdQHQ2l_m9Sy7QgGSSnyIfiV98T1lt-2vzaxvwJFE1FWfYgedJr0Mp3qmQoFTNgZnu9uM1UeTj_-0r4mlSlkxhuWXnaVF2RO/s320/DSC_0106-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257828895394216722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdmPj-QSZWDJpFq07FuhwTkUGJIfyh3iDmRSqnKkk0uipzMQY169IpJTixlUARyJKS3Gw9POU03swrQr3k0R_04_4uNl5h6ZlT4CBK4rFIgBGZByunKWs-9omhY4Q3-DZ-tGuw_q7cPj1/s1600-h/DSC_0083-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdmPj-QSZWDJpFq07FuhwTkUGJIfyh3iDmRSqnKkk0uipzMQY169IpJTixlUARyJKS3Gw9POU03swrQr3k0R_04_4uNl5h6ZlT4CBK4rFIgBGZByunKWs-9omhY4Q3-DZ-tGuw_q7cPj1/s320/DSC_0083-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257828883254731778" border="0" /></a>While other girls were on the sewing machines, the remaining girls spent the day putting finishing touches on past projects like their beaded AIDS ribbon pins, or starting in on a beaded wire bracelet project. With all of the different activities taking place it was quite a busy day at club. Girls and leaders were buzzing back and forth amid the din of conversations and the hum of the sewing machines. It was a perfect scene of club, active and productive up to the last minute. The girls went home for the day sporting a number of new items and hopefully a few more bits of wisdom from their leaders.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7utnn9gOeII9-bsiFvIqwDbV0cZ9foXAlDuvuG0e-ZJEbciCnUL37pTcOn5AIs6jSBBwLLe0OLYZbv0tYSOTlM5ai7ACh_kwWtcFjhNtl-K-tcZ4Ly6eHLTT4bZAwxGPC4igevsuZra5p/s1600-h/DSC_0128-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7utnn9gOeII9-bsiFvIqwDbV0cZ9foXAlDuvuG0e-ZJEbciCnUL37pTcOn5AIs6jSBBwLLe0OLYZbv0tYSOTlM5ai7ACh_kwWtcFjhNtl-K-tcZ4Ly6eHLTT4bZAwxGPC4igevsuZra5p/s320/DSC_0128-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257828895582238578" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNh1nWJDua4sQdvYvb_goga0YmSbkXSaHBsAiqkl51FCMK2GOM5S_OxlxyOqGTPcGTq4U85WOAjKkY788zvQHMkBg5xVTB_BNgLJgLC_mG9KZI7XbAUe5tBVFYyQKrPtJhnYSnwAnAAn-/s1600-h/DSC_0145-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNh1nWJDua4sQdvYvb_goga0YmSbkXSaHBsAiqkl51FCMK2GOM5S_OxlxyOqGTPcGTq4U85WOAjKkY788zvQHMkBg5xVTB_BNgLJgLC_mG9KZI7XbAUe5tBVFYyQKrPtJhnYSnwAnAAn-/s320/DSC_0145-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257828898287659186" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-31236185640853528672008-09-09T13:26:00.000+02:002008-09-16T13:47:27.986+02:00PNGC Week 11: Respecting EldersIt was another week of visitors for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PNGC</span>! Our good friends Chanda and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Jacobus</span> who live here in South Africa were hosting friends from back home, Ken and Pam, and stopped into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Seleka</span> for the afternoon to check out all they had been hearing about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">PNGC</span>. Ken and Pam had only just arrived the day before and were fighting their jet lag, so the girls made sure that their music was turned up just a little bit more as club got under way for the eleventh week. After an introduction of our guests for the day and a huge round of applause for the special treats the brought from the United States for club (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Starbursts</span>), Ma <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Motebele</span> hopped out of her seat wearing her bright blue sunhat and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">proceeded</span> to give this week's lesson, which was on 'Respecting Elders'. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisONgNrLu46IEfNIBjh9pwlkxR6g81XS2jz32zsX_C46QWgEC_K_IQz9tIQ3c4Vqx6AB-AO19pLBIcsSoZO5VOrrWK0HlzAr3tCimi1yMS9XHIBvXQ9zDQaPMypDVOYvgi1L6V1Tl5q6DA/s1600-h/DSC_0002-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisONgNrLu46IEfNIBjh9pwlkxR6g81XS2jz32zsX_C46QWgEC_K_IQz9tIQ3c4Vqx6AB-AO19pLBIcsSoZO5VOrrWK0HlzAr3tCimi1yMS9XHIBvXQ9zDQaPMypDVOYvgi1L6V1Tl5q6DA/s320/DSC_0002-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246583668201571858" border="0" /></a>Growing up in the States, we always heard this lesson from our parents and teachers under the larger context of Respect. However, here in South Africa, elders in the communities hold a much more prominent role than what we may traditionally be used back home. In the past. community elders were those with the knowledge of the community history and heritage, important information when keeping custom and tradition alive. While this is still true today in many areas of South Africa, it is not as central to life as it once was. Still, the idea of respecting one's elders has not diminished in the least and this was an important lesson to remember for the girls who are now growing up with ever changing, and often conflicting, views of who constitutes your elder and how to show respect and care for them. The girls listened with intent to Ma <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Motebele</span> and were quite talkative during the discussion. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Clearly</span> the tradition of respecting elders has not been lost on these girls considering the way that they treat their leaders at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">PNGC</span> by listening and participating each week. It is really nice to see.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Dgyt20ex-8-NTDZoBUydJmbtf2CYyER-Z8sytoGhFcPOyw4D5vtSEH9Ykonvv9lRYjn6axdUHJ_u3N1xhwfssjtnIUSI5hTs7teodLtJf8jmcb9nKf-DsEAwBh6DtprEA0wwnKaOMbSw/s1600-h/DSC_0008-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Dgyt20ex-8-NTDZoBUydJmbtf2CYyER-Z8sytoGhFcPOyw4D5vtSEH9Ykonvv9lRYjn6axdUHJ_u3N1xhwfssjtnIUSI5hTs7teodLtJf8jmcb9nKf-DsEAwBh6DtprEA0wwnKaOMbSw/s320/DSC_0008-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246583673355300514" border="0" /></a>Following the lesson, the girls continued to work on their beaded AIDS ribbon pins that they began last week. The improvement of the girls in one week was astounding. Not only did they remember some of the tricks we taught them for keeping their thread on the needle and working through the pattern, but they really worked hard to make sure they were getting it right. Jess met with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">PNGC</span> Student Council girls at the end of last week to help them finish their pins in advance so that they could assist the leaders this week and help their friends finish. The student council girls shuttled around the room from one person to the next, guiding, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">demonstrating</span>, encouraging and laughing with their friends as slowly, more and more pins took shape and brighter spots of red beads could be seen growing on the tables. With the help of the student council each girl was given special attention when they needed it and nearly all of the girls were complete or near completion by the end of the day. Our visitors strolled through the tables watching the girls and talking with the leaders about how the club is run. It was a great experience to have friends visit <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">PNGC</span>. I could tell the leaders enjoyed showing off their club and it's accomplishments. The girls were excited to meet new people and happy to indulge a photo or two (as if they could ever not be in the mood to have their picture taken!).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnOkawknyUvioFuYLEGK55msQfh9R-Lr-y2zhNJsWG76cwkw4VQuLHZL7JrC9R7xz2lcFVdbCS0-I-wfbHmqW3wgN_RiV26N4gJHPPm9m1UqrWIFCQnT8Q7vJlCrimrSnnolM-yW4w6y_/s1600-h/DSC_0018-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnOkawknyUvioFuYLEGK55msQfh9R-Lr-y2zhNJsWG76cwkw4VQuLHZL7JrC9R7xz2lcFVdbCS0-I-wfbHmqW3wgN_RiV26N4gJHPPm9m1UqrWIFCQnT8Q7vJlCrimrSnnolM-yW4w6y_/s320/DSC_0018-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246583673847359570" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2N335BvIPVy6U0OoiVpHVkRHxF93U55FR4bCqcLqCHGUNOUmUfThB7cpGlA5xFzuHpip6cTbQJC6yczmb-3hh4cl014l5EWj60dONxZfxFtOdaMwu2e_VRV8fbVcStMljAcwYu_5S75SF/s1600-h/DSC_0065-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2N335BvIPVy6U0OoiVpHVkRHxF93U55FR4bCqcLqCHGUNOUmUfThB7cpGlA5xFzuHpip6cTbQJC6yczmb-3hh4cl014l5EWj60dONxZfxFtOdaMwu2e_VRV8fbVcStMljAcwYu_5S75SF/s320/DSC_0065-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246583676621542450" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIOifjfm1gFvyvgSRV0VnZ2vklOb_LTfxqDVCeqPdvWU7D9oq7ULvWkIM0Vd84vTeWPWnJDUk4tHeSy0WpZWlIkctG5-YCisD6JvoxGcNb8GlBvOI4-Gxz8hYTFBxDb2v1RdmxloOKJdO/s1600-h/DSC_0071-1-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIOifjfm1gFvyvgSRV0VnZ2vklOb_LTfxqDVCeqPdvWU7D9oq7ULvWkIM0Vd84vTeWPWnJDUk4tHeSy0WpZWlIkctG5-YCisD6JvoxGcNb8GlBvOI4-Gxz8hYTFBxDb2v1RdmxloOKJdO/s320/DSC_0071-1-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246583681672311170" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-26865056714061468142008-09-05T13:26:00.000+02:002008-09-05T13:27:56.043+02:00Organized ChaosWe have now officially passed the one year mark and are quickly approaching the time when we no longer count how long we have been here, but how much longer we have left. In the first year we have gotten used to doing a number of things we once thought new and strange. Based on an informal survey of things I do on a regular basis around the house and extrapolating for the remainder of our service, I expect that by the end of our two years in Seleka the following can be added to my resume:<br /><br />300 bags of trash burned<br />650 chamber pots emptied<br />700 baths taken using small red wash basin<br />1460 buckets of water hauled from the tap at the church next door<br />2190 articles of clothing hand washed<br />4380 litres of water boiled<br />13000 ants sent to their doom with DOOM<br /><br />This is a short list of accomplishments that only begin to describe one aspect of my life here, but I like to think they are an intergral part of 'building character'. With all this to do on almost daily, it is a wonder where I find the time to do much else! <br /><br />Truly, in the last month or so, the pace of life has sped up dramatically. After completing the fourth month of full-time teaching, the new teacher was finally hired for Seleka Higher Primary School's grade 5 Math and Technology position. I had just recently resigned myself to the fact that I would end up teaching the remainder of the school year because of the snail's pace at which the paperwork was moving for this new teacher. Of course, as soon as you make a decision here, something happens that completely upends your plan. The arrival of the new teacher happened right in the middle of a number of trainings and meetings that Jessica and I attended for Peace Corps in Pretoria and elsewhere. Between traveling back and forth from these meetings, orientating the new teacher to our students and our curriculum and be inundated with requests for help in other areas now that our schedule has opened up I feel a bit overwhelmed. Unlike the first year of our service when we were trying to figure out what to do, where to work and how to fit into our communities, we are now established in the schools and in the village. Therefore, when all these new opportunities arrive, we are in a better position to be able to start in right away. This leads to constant work in all sorts of areas. In the two weeks since we have stopped teaching, I have been asked to help start computer classes, work one on one with teachers in their classrooms, lead a team of teachers to organize a solution to the watering issues we are having at our new school garden, work with the school Surroundings committee to design a layout for their proposed landscaping and paving projects, assist in the creation and maintainence of the school budgets, and photograph the entire student population for portfolios and train the teachers on how to use their camera in conjunction with the computer to store their information. Each of these activities is not only possible in the next months or year, but they are all projects that I want to take part in and are areas where I can be productive in training our teachers. Yet having them all drop on my lap at once, just when I felt I was getting settled into the classroom, has caught me off guard. <br /><br />We are just over 12 months away from closing out our service and previous volunteers have frequently said how their second year of service was much busier and went by much faster than their first. Clearly this seems to be the way our service is shaping up to be and because of that, we also must start to think about life after South Africa. This adds a whole new dimension to our plans that seems so far away, but in reality is just around the corner. There is an anxious feeling about the next few months and being able to get things reorganized so that we can continue to be productive in our village but also to feel prepared to move beyond South Africa after our service. Time here seems to have only two speeds, slow and relaxed (agonizingly so some days) or lightning fast, and the speed changes in the snap of a finger so that one day you wake up and realize a few months have gone by and tomorrow is today. Knowing that this will be the case for the rest of our service I need to continually remind myself to be taking in the small pleasures of each day, each sunrise and sunset, time spent with our friends and colleagues, and sometimes even finding pleasure in such things as hauling water or taking down laundry from the line after a labourious yet satisfying handwashing.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-31551128775895778592008-09-02T13:29:00.003+02:002008-09-05T16:58:24.377+02:00PNGC Week 10: Understanding HIV/AIDS ContinuedAnother busy week of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PNGC</span> has come and gone. This week we had special guests at club; Brandon and Rachel Johnson, who began <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Palala</span> Clubs in their village last year, stopped in for a visit to see <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">PNGC</span> in action and to meet the leaders and girls who are inspired by their clubs. It was great to have their support not only to observe, but to dive in and help where needed. With a packed schedule for the day, we were happy to have as many people as possible on board!<br /><br />After last week's successful introduction to HIV/AIDS, the girl's this week did some more in depth discussion on how to stay safe and be prepared for situations that could lead to contracting the virus. It was great to see the enthusiasm was still there with the leaders and the girls for this topic which is often very difficult to handle. The leaders are becoming very comfortable talking with everyone and do not shy away from using vocabulary that often is not used when working with delicate topics. In turn, the girls give emphatic answers to most of the questions. Not only do they know what HIV/AIDS is and how to prevent it, but they want everyone else to know as well. To continue to keep the girls thinking and talking about HIV/AIDS, this week they were given an essay competition to write on the this topic. All of the essays will be reviewed by the leaders and the winners will have a chance to present theirs to the group. The girls were excited at the opportunity and the challenge. They are strong and find support with each other and we feel grateful for each and everyone of them who continue to work so hard on the main focus of club, life skills lessons for these girls.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGCWeek10#"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiktAXKn0LqB230ffi-_0DyN1P1SjcAkItBjtqS1DIKrhO9DAmyoyTeWn0ebUjI9Ei27ge7bhi__uk2lqagWNjzh51K-g0m8URRi8zZW2vbrGBYY_i4TNODgW_LYV4jxf78Boc2MqTb-9m/s320/DSC_0027-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242529785580160082" border="0" /></a>The hard work translates directly from lessons into crafts and we are thankful for that too! The projects that the girls are getting into from now through the end of club are much more difficult and time consuming. We wrapped up round one of sewing this week as the last of the girls were able to finish making their quilt square and ironing it to prepare for piecing the whole thing together. When they were not sewing, the girls began work on a beaded AIDS ribbon pin. The pattern for the pin is tough. Girls must count out an exact number of beads, thread new ones in the process and keep track of the spacing and direction they are beading. Initially it was troublesome for many of the girls. We spent a great deal of time untangling thread, putting needles back on, tying off beads etc. Slowly some of the girls began to recognize the patterns and when they did, they were eager to help their neighbor, which took some of the pressure off all of the leaders to get to everyone. By the end of the day, almost every girl had at least began the pattern and was understanding how to continue. The girls will take up their pins again this next week to finish them off.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGCWeek10#"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQG54-C50CKLuDxtBoYETzlDcsWUqy_wsFUbll81_JEYGyPm59fvpIaj_brmEnCJAQrPeXTtJD8S3T1i2C6Uv-Ky5CGInic9dHuObdRBoKhHNxtfd9JAEq72L_4i2EzuJaJyID8JKJ85w/s320/DSC_0073-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242529792639646802" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGCWeek10#"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QpZbf500VpfvLr71ZZNiX0LOOmD65exEbLT6jGmQwLjD0cFOHXFD2CiDHsykFzFQbUFsjuHtIfxzKsjdBq_SjPeRg7U-AOpf2X-jgQRr1EYYNvWhPOlMYAzw3CI5OOEHVORp8WLOTs0o/s320/DSC_0051-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242529786481518178" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGCWeek10#"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijyjr6u32KXkHKhi5MPpAOlhnsfyZkWRUnW6717VBE3Rh5BLVAaFVYE9pGB4hXR45DVxdLabcnL6N61OVfbVND_FYoIypKP4SVIgHWHVdyqMvNyQhpsmSt41UZiFGfljvQDdT2eB5NWsCj/s320/DSC_0078-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242529796674589298" border="0" /></a>Teamwork was the word for the day. Between leaders, girls, Brandon and Rachel and ourselves, we needed every hand and every minute of the day to work. Despite the chaos it was successful, and you could see the sense of accomplishment and pride in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">every person's</span> eyes after a solid afternoon of good work.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/PNGCWeek10#"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pCuQajvoVQzm66mBB4kIEzKAYZMTFrx0gS6YU6xoEiMreNdMxRlsPccSYPPPCe7q0iKA-yb0Dhvsqr0hou9NVtcJGKR1owzZgk7Do8NmI1iZwwKLcq0rN5kZmwuJtidAxdi3rloaaEQy/s320/DSC_0053-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242529789025462370" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-18650639376086121692008-08-27T20:22:00.002+02:002008-08-27T20:58:44.084+02:00My Birthday, Seleka StyleYep, I'm one year older today. I read a passage from a book today titled "Somebody's Heart is Burning....A Woman Wanderer in Africa" by Tanya Shaffer that sums up my birthday here in our dusty, dry village beautifully. I wanted to share it with all of you.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> If traveling has given me anything, it's given me this: the ability to float gently down the river of events--to relinquish control. In Africa, the boat leaves when it's full. You might wait an hour; you might wait two weeks. If you spend that time tipping forward into the future, you sink. The best thing to do is just to sit on the boat and look around at the other humans who are sitting there with you. You might discover you like the view.<br /></div><br />My birthday consisted of small, magical wonders. Wonders that might not look like much to others, but to me, they have been a realization that 'I like the view' here in Seleka. I went into today expecting nothing out of the ordinary. However, I woke up to a wonderful cookbook Paul found for me (I've been searching for months to find it), a great cup of coffee from Superior, Wisconsin, a chalkboard decorated in my honor, cake, seventh grade girls looking for a little help with their homework, and a barrage of phone calls, emails, and sms from Peace Corps Volunteers, South African and American friends and family. It has been a day filled with an appreciation of what our life here is, and an acceptance that we have had to relinquish control of a number of things---special birthday dinners at a restaurant that serves more than chicken, etc., but I've come to take joy in the here and now. Often times back home we try so hard to do something special or extraordinary on occasions like birthdays, but today I was able to enjoy the ordinary routines of my life here, through the lens of greater appreciation we tend to put with birthdays, and see just how special they truly are.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYKfmt7HlUMFD0GqgpLAHeAmQ9KR4q-fBBW6zE4LHGFcCwzdFwuzAP7QZQuTBeP9hexzD3q_ltdKImrccAbsqH1hq2I4oOWCqoj0NE4owiJd33_8vdUx2qoaniFjws0jA-kEngACNBXoz/s1600-h/DSC_0455-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYKfmt7HlUMFD0GqgpLAHeAmQ9KR4q-fBBW6zE4LHGFcCwzdFwuzAP7QZQuTBeP9hexzD3q_ltdKImrccAbsqH1hq2I4oOWCqoj0NE4owiJd33_8vdUx2qoaniFjws0jA-kEngACNBXoz/s320/DSC_0455-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239272052403831426" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06oY_QsoD3ucBDl_4K4P4kdva2fmxCcVHA_kp1BPFoJKkfhct7Q8IwPtsX4N4A4yIw9oSUYkrBWtOFkl-uTkqANUy0F4eYCR8KDx25wu7vNn4Ks-7Plj0ET0U__uH33boDRv5K99VP5VI/s1600-h/DSC_0591-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06oY_QsoD3ucBDl_4K4P4kdva2fmxCcVHA_kp1BPFoJKkfhct7Q8IwPtsX4N4A4yIw9oSUYkrBWtOFkl-uTkqANUy0F4eYCR8KDx25wu7vNn4Ks-7Plj0ET0U__uH33boDRv5K99VP5VI/s320/DSC_0591-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239272074952972978" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HPXWJ2iyiiCsDiOTxbgBD1wryBicaU2eZtAOU74HFcukGVmBowRvvFYu4A3jzdpVgx7M2wdFiixHuFk8Xzzl9dalSLFJrhBLaQZGroSPFYzUFwfCTXqPxEeh_S_Im1Oaoj-eShPb5kca/s1600-h/DSC_0594-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HPXWJ2iyiiCsDiOTxbgBD1wryBicaU2eZtAOU74HFcukGVmBowRvvFYu4A3jzdpVgx7M2wdFiixHuFk8Xzzl9dalSLFJrhBLaQZGroSPFYzUFwfCTXqPxEeh_S_Im1Oaoj-eShPb5kca/s320/DSC_0594-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239272076804415394" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnoevFxBeXcvsKzUGBU06GVMhyphenhyphen55ghasBTN8tQ8SaJB2AuASIV_Pg2nCu9-2_H3BUNtBycb9v-P6nKT_xB8TPmuo4l9qxkir0Uf-c7heACXTUZeXGT0RvZGpUU7H0oDd2gXlqWi_FMDrXT/s1600-h/DSC_0578-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnoevFxBeXcvsKzUGBU06GVMhyphenhyphen55ghasBTN8tQ8SaJB2AuASIV_Pg2nCu9-2_H3BUNtBycb9v-P6nKT_xB8TPmuo4l9qxkir0Uf-c7heACXTUZeXGT0RvZGpUU7H0oDd2gXlqWi_FMDrXT/s320/DSC_0578-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239273561678310274" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-33176488826471565172008-08-26T17:47:00.003+02:002008-08-26T18:01:30.356+02:00PNGC Week 9: Understanding HIV/AIDSWhat a fun week at club! For the first time this week the girls were able to use the new electric sewing machines that were purchased for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PNGC</span> using the VAST grant funding. The four machines were set up in the back of the room in a line with a leader posted at each to assist the girls. For the first sewing project, the entire club is going to be making an AIDS ribbon quilt. Each girl received the pieces to compile their quilt square. They pinned them together in the correct <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">alignment</span> and took turns sewing their pieces together and ironing the finished product. When all the squares are finished, the leaders will work with Jessica to sew them together for the final quilt. At first glance the girls could not really tell what all these little pieces of fabric were going to make, but as the initial set of girls emerged from behind the machines, proudly displaying their new creations, it became clearer how this will eventually come together. I was surprised at how quickly some of the girls picked up the nuances of the machine. After a few different tries at the foot pedal they were finding the right speed, learning to manipulate the fabric with their fingers to keep it on line and so on. There were definitely hitches along the way with bunching, some rather curvy stitch lines, needles <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">losing their thread</span> or jamming, and fabric off center, but these were to be expected. Jessica spent much of her time troubleshooting on the machines while I monitored the ironing board and tried to keep up with my photography responsibilities. There was even one point where I ended up sitting at a machine helping to guide a girl through sewing her piece. It turned out that she did most of the guiding and I learned probably as much as she did! With only four machines, the remaining 50 girls who were not sewing got a packet of beads and some metal wire to continue practicing their beading skills. In no time flat we had a room full of multi-colored bracelets. These girls are truly mastering their crafts.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2dnavOluODU1EqxOpg4ha4lyJHjBRz6ePFMNwd00CifqXWJ4UOCS0y5V1FDBb-Ll0Rl0e73LysbE6FMhbuwmf5mUslO66JvaNjVqOeQp2aJX1j4-gQRNmTG3rFGbIruTGFaqHyUPwJPe/s1600-h/DSC_0104-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2dnavOluODU1EqxOpg4ha4lyJHjBRz6ePFMNwd00CifqXWJ4UOCS0y5V1FDBb-Ll0Rl0e73LysbE6FMhbuwmf5mUslO66JvaNjVqOeQp2aJX1j4-gQRNmTG3rFGbIruTGFaqHyUPwJPe/s320/DSC_0104-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238856572704218450" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZ_QDqb5M1gf4m5iMbQRDtXEnzujPPbiER2KHkXIYrMN2-97H11e5Z60q_XcFGd0uKyrHURq1eUo0MxZefW6DQupacIQlEZWrgWBUCmb5lBN_aCpB5L2pYVvXJ4KawqhQd7TqnaRjQsV6/s1600-h/DSC_0098-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZ_QDqb5M1gf4m5iMbQRDtXEnzujPPbiER2KHkXIYrMN2-97H11e5Z60q_XcFGd0uKyrHURq1eUo0MxZefW6DQupacIQlEZWrgWBUCmb5lBN_aCpB5L2pYVvXJ4KawqhQd7TqnaRjQsV6/s320/DSC_0098-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238856568312826898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBufieiMA-84c0wdm10QPFG81-cpS7wXhBVymVKelwM_C6NEwudco3S1VKAO5EPuee1y5RpY0nmwRUE1vwjSc1QGXN_h6ESkoQAJY37zR-dqxR_MVJpUhWEJbrJQwPm2QPd4P5OG_UwK-/s1600-h/DSC_0068-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBufieiMA-84c0wdm10QPFG81-cpS7wXhBVymVKelwM_C6NEwudco3S1VKAO5EPuee1y5RpY0nmwRUE1vwjSc1QGXN_h6ESkoQAJY37zR-dqxR_MVJpUhWEJbrJQwPm2QPd4P5OG_UwK-/s320/DSC_0068-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238855854647154930" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHcsCMVG3AwLjhqX3Z16m9Ki0I5xje_7aYixYxYKy-ujaQurCtQQBq2u0XEBMi58lVlHECgdm_jRX06foH_7lGW0YsO5gq35tKiCwplQkvatqpAOYSEziCQzAaqRM082F3B0RXrnvty0y/s1600-h/DSC_0073-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHcsCMVG3AwLjhqX3Z16m9Ki0I5xje_7aYixYxYKy-ujaQurCtQQBq2u0XEBMi58lVlHECgdm_jRX06foH_7lGW0YsO5gq35tKiCwplQkvatqpAOYSEziCQzAaqRM082F3B0RXrnvty0y/s320/DSC_0073-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238855861238667938" border="0" /></a>The starting of the quilt coincides with the heart of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">PNGC</span> curriculum, based on HIV/AIDS. This week was an introduction of the topic in club. We learned from the leaders that these girls have already received a great deal of information about HIV/AIDS in the classroom. For this reason, we designed an activity for the week that placed girls in groups of six. They were given a slips of paper in green and white. The green slips had questions relating to HIV/AIDS and the white slips had the answers. Their job was to match the correct answers to each question. In under 15 minutes all the groups were finished and the leaders reviewed with the girls as a large group, asking for individuals from each group to read their answer to a specific question. Almost every group answered the entire stack of questions correctly! This is great news given that all schools in South Africa are required to incorporate this curriculum into as many aspects of lessons as possible, but many do not. To know that our school is doing this well is a compliment to their commitment to the learners and their education. We were very proud of our girls, not only for the display of their knowledge on the topic, but also their willingness to read and discuss such a sensitive topic aloud with each other and the leaders. It was a big step for club in an area of discussion that we are putting a great deal of importance on for this year.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwzNZkmk1laWvYzOT2sj2M81mAqd9YueHXVlGegllJn4kvoWPHPSB3AiZI72PiCqnTo6wQ3hCuFtNSqWcxGKI1US_iARRoRDwG6TQaE9aZ8wzD4JIYuL6ikwe_su4JngQ5_xQ1sNKQnJy/s1600-h/DSC_0009-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwzNZkmk1laWvYzOT2sj2M81mAqd9YueHXVlGegllJn4kvoWPHPSB3AiZI72PiCqnTo6wQ3hCuFtNSqWcxGKI1US_iARRoRDwG6TQaE9aZ8wzD4JIYuL6ikwe_su4JngQ5_xQ1sNKQnJy/s320/DSC_0009-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238855850545245698" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzp5mACgUVviIRRxPFity0gS-JWDJiqcBx_5c-b-zZQ4NK83ZpAX75L7wh9ouI1rBGpQ5aL-J35x_PBBxwNnFrAejr4LaeY08TNmTG2IaNkdc7yr9ln8DKO5MNX7sJAwh5WCw-s5TUW6ps/s1600-h/DSC_0028-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzp5mACgUVviIRRxPFity0gS-JWDJiqcBx_5c-b-zZQ4NK83ZpAX75L7wh9ouI1rBGpQ5aL-J35x_PBBxwNnFrAejr4LaeY08TNmTG2IaNkdc7yr9ln8DKO5MNX7sJAwh5WCw-s5TUW6ps/s320/DSC_0028-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238855852414608178" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-65203814090880258732008-08-24T11:51:00.006+02:002008-08-24T12:15:39.442+02:00Cape Town - Long OverdueAgain, it seems that time has slipped through my fingers. Looking back at recent posts I realize that, other than our weekly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PNGC</span> updates, I have not written since June. Over two months have passed and so many things have happened. I really do not know where to start, so I will go chronologically and start with our adventure in Cape Town. Future entries will catch everyone up on the rest of our life here.<br /><br />It is hard to put down on paper (or onto a computer screen) exactly how interesting and incredible this trip was, so hopefully the pictures we have posted will help to show what I cannot explain.<br /><br />At the end of June the second term of the school year came to an end. It also marked the close of our first full term of teaching. During the last week of school we, along with the other teachers, compiled each student's work, and signed report cards. The last day of school was a whirlwind of students running around with excitement at the dawn of a three week break as parents filed into the school grounds to collect their child's marks. Not only was the school buzzing with anticipation, but so were we. Our full-time teaching schedule coupled with the kickoff of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">PNGC</span> had really kept us driving in high gear all term and we need a break. Physically, mentally and emotionally we were exhausted. It had been the most productive term of our service and also the most demanding.<br /><br />Our relaxation came in the form of a two week road trip adventure with our friends Brandon and Rachel. Our destination was Cape Town and we took off with a full tank of petrol and empty memory cards in our cameras waiting to be filled up. Being on the road again in South Africa was a wonderful feeling. After a few months in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Seleka</span>, we begin to forget that there are places in this country that are not as dusty, dry and hot as our area. Though we have come to appreciate the beauty of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">bushveld</span>, we were excited about our opportunity to take in some new landscape. Driving south we passed through the rolling hills and fields near <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Bloomfontein</span>, through the valleys and cliffs near <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Grahamstown</span>, where we stopped for an afternoon at the annual National Arts Festival, and emerged on the coast of the Indian Ocean at Port Elizabeth. After a day of safari through <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Addo</span> Elephant National Park we continued to make our way South and West along the Garden Route towards the Cape. Stops in Jeffrey's Bay, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Mossel</span> Bay, Cape <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Agulhas</span> (the southernmost point of Africa) and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Hermanus</span> showed us incredible coastline landscapes. The Garden Route follows the highway as it winds its way between an impressive mountain range and the coast. Mountain peaks stand like infantry men, shoulder to shoulder, and march off into the distance as far as the eye can see. They are an imposing threat to anyone wanting to enter the interior of the continent. The coastline is just as rugged in some spots and strikingly beautiful with deep ravines carry water from the nearby peaks out to meet the waves crashing against the shore. One of the most breathtaking views (and harrowing when you are behind the steering wheel) was when we came through the last mountain pass leading to Cape Town. The sun was just setting on the Western horizon beyond the distant Atlantic, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">silhouetting</span> Table Mountain and the city around it. The bays were a silvery grey dotted with ships and boats making their way to port for the night. Cape Point could be seen far off to our left and the city lights were beginning to pop on as daylight faded. The wind was whipping <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">fiercely</span> through the pass and it took careful maneuvering and steady nerves to navigate hairpin turns past semis and other vehicles on the descent down to the flats. It is hard to fathom how anyone every made it over the mountains before the road was built, but easy to see why someone would want to stand up there and look over this area.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/CapeTownRoadTrip"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKGBrVRC-vzklBhgxk6bOK4D5LhkB-ihFnrxRVgt8yDhXss9hNyfNCmoXvQkA19ZKDwouZuUqWJxchgfJzZFud9aCvBZ2vwZnUgdPzILy7HvSmD8nlAERchE5qHXtydEN5NUHPrpsxP-x/s320/DSC_0052-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238022130729353058" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/CapeTownRoadTrip"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DYEG_uBuKJQOP78ku93kM4UVnjTLxPrzwFx2kvSpmFD0VtUw5aXftLza4OzpmahzXd5GILzAKdD_r4KCH6VUqthd6YD3AHphSF_ZvVgT8dHkfyHOvzjhHUnRHPtpwQqiSuwaTYR3WDuE/s320/IMG_4051-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238023775351449650" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/CapeTownRoadTrip"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3n_EPtY7DbYs7UYR6FNtFsIjcUpC-QMvlO05FAKU3kfMxasWWpSzK0KabhhTYhQhvhtriiB0q53xUqgYhZaugEQjIyf6AVpzNcHeVRQlX-awxH5S1EMo4ebDjhNLIF_13fbu8m61DCsu1/s320/IMG_3775-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238023774419741298" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/CapeTownRoadTrip"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHu1qL30ScpU8DKmnCwidct153-KuVtVMZnMpaI89WEEpWuTtTpPXYN9SEGl3J7eQ01fgX2tdZE2aA9iNuxEQmdbkmlzSeuTV5iVGqj8sKYcmS4LlticYFvlIEYrDqQpk-bLqlQKoM72ur/s320/DSC_0715-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238022135498114738" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/CapeTownRoadTrip"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4160PGwfIpENDlZ70BA_75xpbiXmpkpgKE8hC9pzma6fPNFEDW33REqO-Y6mukw12IQ6pEnwUWKyAYFZ0ygN5oi3wYq0ZU1IO9xeQLJULm4oDNHJq46Jpjpber0EuxGq-14_iteUVcXaM/s320/IMG_3307-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238022136800563778" border="0" /></a><br />Our time in Cape Town was magnificent. We took in sites like Cape Point, Table Mountain, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Robben</span> Island, and the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, and also ate incredible food (which was actually what we had planned the entire trip around). Our evening at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Anatoli</span> Turkish restaurant was unmatched by anything else we indulged in for the two weeks on the road, even the fantastic dishes that we enjoyed in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Stellenbosch</span> wine region. Despite some rainy days in the vineyards, we warmed ourselves with a taste or two of local wines and met wonderful people at all the local wineries. Nestled between the mountains and littered with vines as far as the eye can see, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Stellenbosch</span> region is truly a place to come to stay for a long period of time. In fact, we found ourselves saying that about almost every place we visited. Frequently we caught each other expressing 'I wish we had an entire year to stay here and explore'.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/CapeTownRoadTrip"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Or3_xCqL78aLCn2hAuK1Cr67Mya9ToaWS9w44-pHDSSH9V1G47FgiBjzb82SOxw7h1X8_ucof3XzwidmOQ6_httFxg4q6VCmL3rQBJ09hiJgSVA_1uVhNce8xKRdVdIu4aaGO11rKjOf/s320/IMG_4535-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238023777258533234" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/CapeTownRoadTrip"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2K8t2RGWwiyCd-7cct2z97vnvmZXkUc3nyjJ4NnahPQAh_4mKaFQoiTYP7rSDkp4dS6ZFVikcLS7KkMCte16xVmZBEIbKXOQE507VMlGdrTHp4OlkZzlQMVFLxtL2OoEUupZZBmscND5U/s320/DSC_0178-2-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238022132924431938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/CapeTownRoadTrip"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHc9LvfVHoiPKlChjMhlh-5ceAR8kqVTETR6eaHBHBhAb-Hqae47q5NSgbXvE5LPGGrwMNvk9PKsBJWl9RsCdb6sagL1J4ItkAb76d6pxgT7n2XyJW_XPjXk4IpPHiguhuto4Z80239yK/s320/IMG_4621-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238023777517751090" border="0" /></a><br />As we made our way back from the Cape via Kimberley to complete our large circle of almost half of the country, we found it hard to describe in words how incredibly diverse this country is in people, culture, landscape, economy, and feel. Every corner we turned gave us something new to experience and yet oddly, it all still fits into an overall sense of still being South African. We met country farmers, retirees in a golf course community, Zulu dancers, Indian shop owners, villagers from rural areas, people from <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">cramped</span> townships, fishermen, surfers, and more, all of whom spoke different languages, were from different backgrounds, yet all call this corner of the world home. It is both a blessing and curse to a country newly reformed and working to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">re-imagine</span> itself and it's place in the world.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/pnjvig/CapeTownRoadTrip"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAaFEjVMI3kxwU1EVBlxy-JuuDFusdv_0FxG0aCdLJtO71qyDS_bHMQzMGdJPEKXtn9xjficjEZOwGx7rTyFykkX8OAypavtzACGnYDysqr25-LcrhFbvECXOySQ2pXOJdYlKMofKV_bb/s320/IMG_3096-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238022136470608898" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-74222969611975323202008-08-12T16:35:00.001+02:002008-08-13T17:12:21.771+02:00PNGC Week 8: The Effects of AlcoholThis week marks the halfway point for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PNGC</span>. The last two months have been a whirlwind of glitter, glue, beads, bracelets, laughter, and learning. Most importantly the girls and their leaders have become a close knit group, as was shown by everyone this week.<br /><br />Club got off to a late start because of some miscommunication from the school. An outside organization had put together a film showing after school on Monday, but those involved in planning never explained it to the remaining staff (which includes all six of our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">PNGC</span> leaders). Therefore, when the lavender cowbell rang at half past two Monday there were a number of girls missing. Initially I thought there was a misunderstanding about having club because Jessica and one of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">PNGC</span> leaders were gone this week at a Life Skills Training seminar for Peace Corps. Talking with the other leaders, I thought perhaps some girls figured without Jessica around, there was no club. The leaders, however, knew otherwise. They quickly took control of their club, talked to a few other teachers and found out that the movie was something that only students who had paid could watch, though it was short in length. It was decided that club would go on as planned and the girls attending the film would come in immediately following the film and catch up with the lesson. Clearly club has become very important to the girls and the leaders for them not to cancel but continue, and on top of that make sure everyone can get the lesson and craft time in. Each week it seems to be a different leader taking charge and making sure things happen. This week it was everyone and they moved with speedy, quick decisions that I rarely see in our schools. I was thoroughly impressed.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdeKTDcEKzSKLhNWto7ZOQ78kAh01GoVbLLqy9AjVU1jE1ln-JFs1gMYm81eTUBPcNANVZIodRzL8fprjsNtTZGXxDm45bySQHTlGLqKcm_D7qz7E55Ne-1xsBr6iPxHZ3zGA8443nLgdz/s1600-h/DSC_0372-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdeKTDcEKzSKLhNWto7ZOQ78kAh01GoVbLLqy9AjVU1jE1ln-JFs1gMYm81eTUBPcNANVZIodRzL8fprjsNtTZGXxDm45bySQHTlGLqKcm_D7qz7E55Ne-1xsBr6iPxHZ3zGA8443nLgdz/s320/DSC_0372-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234019323774275522" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEanSkepEm3aB4BxcKHyFfUtlZktk9moy_X0R-Ja9wvg53FV3gNrW98r8WZ_NT4F6-NzS1k5rXezpI_XE8LhW2vhUDSuT-iQrobmNtFEuINYObsXp4P3eE0g-xtVDKCD23-6FK9xoCOwY/s1600-h/DSC_0462-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEanSkepEm3aB4BxcKHyFfUtlZktk9moy_X0R-Ja9wvg53FV3gNrW98r8WZ_NT4F6-NzS1k5rXezpI_XE8LhW2vhUDSuT-iQrobmNtFEuINYObsXp4P3eE0g-xtVDKCD23-6FK9xoCOwY/s320/DSC_0462-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234019332070293922" border="0" /></a>Soon we settled in and club began. As we move into the heart of the curriculum for the year, the lessons have begun to cover more serious topics. This week was no different. As the story for the day unfolded I could see girls nodding slightly in agreement with different situations that they could relate to. When it the leaders followed up with discussion questions asking if anyone had ever had to deal with alcohol being pushed toward them, inebriated family or friends, and unwanted attention near the tavern the girls were in agreement that most people had experienced this in some form or another. Alcohol is a serious problem in many corners of the world and especially in the rural villages of South Africa, but it is seldom talked about openly. Being able to educate these girls about alcohol and it's effects in a safe environment is critical to helping them make good choices. The lesson seemed to take hold and the leaders are very good at bringing the lesson home in ways the girls can understand. It was an important day for everyone to be present and I was so pleased the the leaders had worked hard to have everyone in club involved.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQ8C3bKOXZRaakPj-IZ7edcOkXSz4ZiWbj4yegeZ1H0od4phVFGVeCdpNSmTh7dEDjMpGSsAsWe42tfj-Htpolpu7jcAZxPKwQ_NYr-V_HQnJKsChewcCTTojSfag0yHi2yB8205VkBDX/s1600-h/DSC_0338-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQ8C3bKOXZRaakPj-IZ7edcOkXSz4ZiWbj4yegeZ1H0od4phVFGVeCdpNSmTh7dEDjMpGSsAsWe42tfj-Htpolpu7jcAZxPKwQ_NYr-V_HQnJKsChewcCTTojSfag0yHi2yB8205VkBDX/s320/DSC_0338-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234019322468802370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9tjaYsw8YOUyE_MuNabEonQbaWNL4SKldrg_it4Cx564YbEyyJJIdMhIbTor0hz2PM134UKpEM1mo9logEOv_nyu2Kw-JjWDGBddOt03YsV3adFlUXk8Ds8F6YNVk_wD2rL2xwn6Wb63/s1600-h/DSC_0411-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9tjaYsw8YOUyE_MuNabEonQbaWNL4SKldrg_it4Cx564YbEyyJJIdMhIbTor0hz2PM134UKpEM1mo9logEOv_nyu2Kw-JjWDGBddOt03YsV3adFlUXk8Ds8F6YNVk_wD2rL2xwn6Wb63/s320/DSC_0411-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234019331549184482" border="0" /></a>After some serious discussion it was time to lighten the mood some. The leaders distributed tools and beads to the girls for this week's craft, chandelier earrings. A quick explanation was all it took for everyone to get started. No longer novices with pliers and wire cutters, the girls deftly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">maneuvered</span> their way through the process and in no time were showing off their dangling earrings to anyone who would look. They have become so good at these earring and bracelet projects that we have begun to sell extra beads to the girls who want to make more earrings at home. The funds raised go toward buying sweets to enjoy during club in future weeks. It has proven to be a hit and even people not associated with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">PNGC</span> are wanting to learn from the leaders and buy beads of their own. Hopefully this can continue to spread beading skills throughout the village as well as provide a regular source of income for club in the future. In the end, sustainable, fun, and practical projects are what we hope to leave behind.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIuBmQ8-FFuel0NcLWNksoy57EUmm2gpwin6Z49881zsioubIubJVV3wpUPcRLIqbFvyUdQK2SBZjzE-8-o9_0SKbv4MiVctw_cMmO8323BGs29T3PI3R0WL6JnbrQT00H1P6Z05l-gAb1/s1600-h/DSC_0385-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIuBmQ8-FFuel0NcLWNksoy57EUmm2gpwin6Z49881zsioubIubJVV3wpUPcRLIqbFvyUdQK2SBZjzE-8-o9_0SKbv4MiVctw_cMmO8323BGs29T3PI3R0WL6JnbrQT00H1P6Z05l-gAb1/s320/DSC_0385-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234019325805146306" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-10349620745565009422008-08-05T21:38:00.001+02:002008-08-13T16:35:18.042+02:00PNGC Week 7: Sex vs. AbstinenceWeek 7 was a critical week for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PNGC</span>. We had one of our most important lessons of the program: Sex vs.Abstinence. Paired with the lesson was decoupage--a chance for the girls to cut out anything from magazines that struck their fancy and paste it onto their very own pencil holder. My, what sticky, glittery fun!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFaDrmX7rvgThU1CyY1Grw5ynnqPjdbOs-zcxflvQqaStwIAfNus_ymlRVjVUwNGKz_2aW953A8h8poKggZaX8HMW-WyCkP7ZjpDmW1zcPVYmHRXt5SwJT22sjVwxm-Y0zNW8TyqfBMXvK/s1600-h/DSC_0272-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFaDrmX7rvgThU1CyY1Grw5ynnqPjdbOs-zcxflvQqaStwIAfNus_ymlRVjVUwNGKz_2aW953A8h8poKggZaX8HMW-WyCkP7ZjpDmW1zcPVYmHRXt5SwJT22sjVwxm-Y0zNW8TyqfBMXvK/s320/DSC_0272-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234010264784647714" border="0" /></a>Going into this lesson the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">PNGC</span> leaders and I felt very strongly that the girls should walk out of club with the who, what, where, why, and how of sex and abstinence. They wanted to make sure the girls felt comfortable asking questions freely and having the correct information when making decisions about their own sexual health. Watching our leader’s give this lesson was a tribute to their abilities as teachers. They were engaging, made the girls laugh, and conveyed the importance of understanding what sex is, what is responsible sex, how to abstain from sex, and why.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1M_TbqAeNUsH3fLR6PctR1NJJyNeWE6GmfmoQIsJR6Lod1KqWwunnHEL8f7N10rBRlZ6eCwvXlZyO4hw3R4YUuPVYZkWZYiEIa6xm-AGOixJXlqTeImQeXlSxPOB2vEmO7oTGxe-1-b-l/s1600-h/DSC_0270-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1M_TbqAeNUsH3fLR6PctR1NJJyNeWE6GmfmoQIsJR6Lod1KqWwunnHEL8f7N10rBRlZ6eCwvXlZyO4hw3R4YUuPVYZkWZYiEIa6xm-AGOixJXlqTeImQeXlSxPOB2vEmO7oTGxe-1-b-l/s320/DSC_0270-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234010259531483698" border="0" /></a>Learners in our village are becoming sexually active at young ages. At our last leaders training, Jacqueline (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">PNGC</span> leader and 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">nd</span> grade teacher) told all of us that one of her second graders knows 'how to do' sex and likes to talk about it with his classmates. From spending time at the clinic, I know the percentage of babies born to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Seleka</span> women under the age of 18 are about 30%. Most of these young women will never graduate from high school as child rearing becomes their primary responsibility. You don't have to walk around the village very long before seeing young girls walking around with babies on their backs. One hopes that the baby doesn't belong to her, but too often it does.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhil_retXXwpLj48cxGyvH_a8GKvCBzGUFYW11hHHS98HGVgmLSsByeFLmHYUyzXJXyYk8sY5hzt3UHvN4joZZL-6U3tZTAbpWiGAIfZ7VGoCZKVjss6GGv94eik_8Ly93Ltj3D8S9jzwMF/s1600-h/DSC_0277-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhil_retXXwpLj48cxGyvH_a8GKvCBzGUFYW11hHHS98HGVgmLSsByeFLmHYUyzXJXyYk8sY5hzt3UHvN4joZZL-6U3tZTAbpWiGAIfZ7VGoCZKVjss6GGv94eik_8Ly93Ltj3D8S9jzwMF/s320/DSC_0277-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234010263522400370" border="0" /></a>It is my hope that our seventh grade girls will have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams. Get an education, have good health, family and friends, a sense of spirituality, a comfortable home, an engaging/stimulating career, to provide for one's children, and to make South Africa a better place for all. I wish we could be around long enough to see how their futures unfold.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglb74hfu0ZOxYFQ8yekDO3cyUXKKamAYy3_SmqXYcUAsSjFxP7nHP79UA0ux95CS5DuQhyphenhyphen-JI6wWHPmnmQB4kLmGbJ1xqvQ4qz-sWe-Bt9l3ZFa1p0U9g0CkSksBnIU9_8mRYHT3rxfcBS/s1600-h/DSC_0285-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglb74hfu0ZOxYFQ8yekDO3cyUXKKamAYy3_SmqXYcUAsSjFxP7nHP79UA0ux95CS5DuQhyphenhyphen-JI6wWHPmnmQB4kLmGbJ1xqvQ4qz-sWe-Bt9l3ZFa1p0U9g0CkSksBnIU9_8mRYHT3rxfcBS/s320/DSC_0285-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234010267799749186" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-31680310660193565662008-07-30T16:06:00.002+02:002008-08-13T16:25:00.820+02:00CreativityOn Tuesday of last week, I was at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Seleka</span> Drop In Center helping the 10 carers hired to cook and provide activities for the 115 orphans and vulnerable children we serve. I admire these women immensely. Although it has taken a year, I think they finally trust and respect Paul and I as their own. Their job is daunting. We all volunteer for an organization which has little funding, and the money seems to 'disappear' regularly. This leads to weeks on end where there is nothing to cook for the children, even though we receive funding yearly from the government specifically earmarked for food. The women try their best to make ends meet by piecing together small donations and occasionally even give some of their own meager stipends to purchase mealies, beans, or vegetables. When first arriving in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Seleka</span>, Paul and I had high hopes of being able to help the drop in center financially in some way. However, after extensive discussion with the carers, we've decided that it is best to wait until the political landscape of our organization has changed before trying to make any steps forward. In the meantime, we still go after school on days when we don't have girl’s club commitments, to be with the carers and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">OVC's</span> and help with the cooking and cleaning.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRK9tAUnctSik7DsMWdG1HWU-P06P6wPbeXO4pQBg_OYLnVJ9cnqMzsP6zTiIwbkIkf6vddWR6H0bHYNEBTtmyXqtZ-mnSyPxd5DC_uAsykGuuHg4tENx1CIIMz29W3CTjsaouGCIcp8Y/s1600-h/DSC_0237-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRK9tAUnctSik7DsMWdG1HWU-P06P6wPbeXO4pQBg_OYLnVJ9cnqMzsP6zTiIwbkIkf6vddWR6H0bHYNEBTtmyXqtZ-mnSyPxd5DC_uAsykGuuHg4tENx1CIIMz29W3CTjsaouGCIcp8Y/s320/DSC_0237-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234006888506847682" border="0" /></a>On this particular Tuesday, I happened to be wearing one of the crafts we did for girls club; a chain bracelet. One of the carers was admiring it and asked if I'd be willing to teach them how to do it? Of course! They all brought a few Rand and over the weekend I purchased some beads for them to make their own bracelets.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QsoQUw25RieaiYb0WKto7DzImqygZ5KvWiJ_kE_jISJFpYYUL0TAiTeOdgqLU4krJo-RaLP-RSp2ymdrADJZNNZo9WyZjFrlJWr_GnZPMpCZIDV4ppElFCDHn078YxMuxTK8dO9uA1s/s1600-h/DSC_0242-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QsoQUw25RieaiYb0WKto7DzImqygZ5KvWiJ_kE_jISJFpYYUL0TAiTeOdgqLU4krJo-RaLP-RSp2ymdrADJZNNZo9WyZjFrlJWr_GnZPMpCZIDV4ppElFCDHn078YxMuxTK8dO9uA1s/s320/DSC_0242-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234006891081081410" border="0" /></a>Arriving at the drop in center, supplies in hand, I had no idea that this small activity would bring out the sparkle, smiles, and girlish giggles of six women already in their adult years. Having put together a small bag of different beads for each one, they dumped them out on a piece of fleece, laid out on the table to diminish the number of beads rolling onto the floor. Eyes shining, they started making patterns--their own, creative, unique patterns, for their bracelets. Although the small holes in the beads were hard to see for a few (you hardly see anyone with glasses in our community, although I've noticed many of my learners and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">PNGC</span> leaders squinting..), by the end of the morning they all had their own bracelets on, and were admiring each others.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO1chgjaLyNh6VFlnmD31A1mt3_LRYlyQ4wbDCEbgUabTrsaz4yFXAhxZtl1skHsM85IkKzEALa1Pe-7LFqa0iiKhPP6KCFIq4m4JMi98CT17fYWROrZgbgQRe1uii1bnW6-EZ3EsdCsY/s1600-h/DSC_0243-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO1chgjaLyNh6VFlnmD31A1mt3_LRYlyQ4wbDCEbgUabTrsaz4yFXAhxZtl1skHsM85IkKzEALa1Pe-7LFqa0iiKhPP6KCFIq4m4JMi98CT17fYWROrZgbgQRe1uii1bnW6-EZ3EsdCsY/s320/DSC_0243-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234006890813974178" border="0" /></a>Creativity expressed through art is not something that is encouraged, cultivated, or sought after in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Seleka</span> in the form I know it. Usually the resources needed are just not available. I remember when we were young, having ample opportunities to make things with crayons, markers, fabric, blocks, etc. You name the material; it probably was made into a Christmas ornament and hung from our tree at some point (except for the bird tree--Adam and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Ness</span>, you know exactly what I mean). Here in our village, art comes in the form of a crown made from sweet wrappers, a made up song, or drawing in the sand. Wonderful expressions of creativity, but sometimes just a few crayola would add the missing piece between a picture being lost in the next dust storm and being able to bring it home for grandma. Not that I'm advocating that we bring Target to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Seleka</span>; however sometimes dust, wrappers, tires, and leftover wire can only get you so far. Seeing the carers work with pretty, shiny objects brought out the young girls in all of them; the young girls that look at a necklace, bracelet, or earrings and say '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">ohh</span>'. I realized that morning that I was raised in a country where freedom of creativity is not only encouraged, but where most people have the financial means to achieve it. I guess I had never realized that even the most basic supplies that help young people to express their creativity are still out of reach for so many people in the world. My hope is that through our time here we can create new and sustainable ways to encourage the creativity of as many people as possible. The smiles and laughter on the faces of my friends here should be the norm, not the exception.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXJxlVmcLlD5GTn-c6uwymtb1Vvd7_JxHn0bk6EDxf231dA7h7g4-__r7j4MG9BtCbkH-oV2Cz375dLKg4iTYkMtYW-fEILfJDqKaDHRJ4KfV1lP3zRNcMJH52oQOllITV0g6WN7dIu8/s1600-h/DSC_0233-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXJxlVmcLlD5GTn-c6uwymtb1Vvd7_JxHn0bk6EDxf231dA7h7g4-__r7j4MG9BtCbkH-oV2Cz375dLKg4iTYkMtYW-fEILfJDqKaDHRJ4KfV1lP3zRNcMJH52oQOllITV0g6WN7dIu8/s320/DSC_0233-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234006881169463010" border="0" /></a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12147526396150540399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-19273106968131853102008-07-29T21:21:00.000+02:002008-08-12T21:54:07.698+02:00PNGC Week 6: A Young Man's MindLast week's lesson/craft combo was 'A Young Man's Mind' and appliquéing bags. The objective of the lesson was for the girls to understand the changes taking place in boys as their mature, both physically and emotionally. Critical pieces of the lesson included how to safeguard oneself from unwanted advances, whether verbal or physical. The discussion questions at the end of the session brought out some giggles, but serious conversation as well. Mma Motebele asked the girls what they would do if a boy was giving them unwanted attention or admiring parts of their body. One of the girls responded she would tell them 'O a yaka' (you are lying!--a commonly used phrases here with our learners), while another responded she would kick him. We tried to talk her out of that one, but we were pleased she was engaged in the conversation. The answer I had been waiting for came at the end of the conversation when one girl said if a boy wouldn't stop touching her, she would go to a PNGC leader or a policeman. Excellent.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2BDC7MzLWDKuEtRfVy9Z2IT678d8CTOuaI82UTP0LDlUDlCNZHJbyebcGGxiUeCEwpoML_HZgLH6bhWSjuUkQ12iMjxsAmw_RLl7deIn1rg_1Pu6qItSNMCgieD89QVFUJeg4wYcf69eA/s1600-h/DSC_0048-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2BDC7MzLWDKuEtRfVy9Z2IT678d8CTOuaI82UTP0LDlUDlCNZHJbyebcGGxiUeCEwpoML_HZgLH6bhWSjuUkQ12iMjxsAmw_RLl7deIn1rg_1Pu6qItSNMCgieD89QVFUJeg4wYcf69eA/s320/DSC_0048-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233716673884771762" border="0" /></a>After wrapping up the lesson, the girls started appliquéing butterflies onto bags using the blanket stitch. I have found there are small skills, skills I take for granted, which the girls haven't learned how to do yet. For example, many don't know how to tie an over handed knot at the end of a piece of thread, or how to thread a needle. This has presented great learning opportunities for me in things to be teaching them in upcoming weeks and how to continue making small improvements in our crafts for next year. The majority of the girls seemed to get the hang of the blanket stitch by the end of our session, and proudly modeled their bags for all of us.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvxSLiD7SC2vC9RXVCUX9MjI6ADtqO2gHJnny8YIxRhi5Ruh4hbdBgmTluA3wpLxbLl2W_CPtjv7DYEEE3jMyCHGpWhkVwldp7idXWtE_dwgzQIWu7PBvhxOZeFcshQK03m1qce8vx5mT/s1600-h/DSC_0188-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvxSLiD7SC2vC9RXVCUX9MjI6ADtqO2gHJnny8YIxRhi5Ruh4hbdBgmTluA3wpLxbLl2W_CPtjv7DYEEE3jMyCHGpWhkVwldp7idXWtE_dwgzQIWu7PBvhxOZeFcshQK03m1qce8vx5mT/s320/DSC_0188-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233716683929905954" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlxbVueUD17QSO8s4iSCgfxF0022p9uQ2XOJH7jX008hHUO3bsKedh4-S_2reu3kDSKVlNRlUAoUDkuEb5S_ee9XWfVz6y4NvVKIaz6EILPf9rPQPiSzjhZTBsDN6C72n0Aj2i8WuXK-r/s1600-h/DSC_0084-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlxbVueUD17QSO8s4iSCgfxF0022p9uQ2XOJH7jX008hHUO3bsKedh4-S_2reu3kDSKVlNRlUAoUDkuEb5S_ee9XWfVz6y4NvVKIaz6EILPf9rPQPiSzjhZTBsDN6C72n0Aj2i8WuXK-r/s320/DSC_0084-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233716682240189506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHOIo4TcviybW9VOtNQeysCpXSI8dBVfxbXKApM7pcVq89z1qpd3MA34G71IYfGGUT7GORb9Ye_QtS6xANO8wOWyRIH6ea4o8ExLIPrRwUc-67E3wVgZ2uQLs14GXAKsRPOxhcaSXKGc7/s1600-h/DSC_0142-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHOIo4TcviybW9VOtNQeysCpXSI8dBVfxbXKApM7pcVq89z1qpd3MA34G71IYfGGUT7GORb9Ye_QtS6xANO8wOWyRIH6ea4o8ExLIPrRwUc-67E3wVgZ2uQLs14GXAKsRPOxhcaSXKGc7/s320/DSC_0142-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233716680720552050" border="0" /></a>It has been so fun for Paul and I to walk around our community, or come to school, and see our leaders and girls wearing/carrying their own creations. We're always so pleased to see that sense of accomplishment when the leaders and girls conquer a technique and have a finished product to take home with them. I know they are showing family members and friends what they're doing, as many have come back to me asking if their sister, mother, auntie, etc. can make a pair of earrings. We're hoping the girls will use these opportunities as times to be teachers instead of learners, sharing their skills with other women in the community. In Tswana culture, it doesn't happen very often where children teach their elders. We're working on giving the girls some skills to do so, hopefully bringing them closer to other female members in the community by a shared bond: a love for the arts, and the creation of something special.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivN-sY8YogX5zphVT21RstSRYo290nSgJW4HICE9dTkSdWf4fDpIVAzlvkL00oaLzZtNZeyu0o9xgwi5kDgMmJkxjaFcP-Vw9jEPpinCMBDIp3haYPD9UjtRBUCTfvH7qJ29EyY6j4dFaF/s1600-h/DSC_0219-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivN-sY8YogX5zphVT21RstSRYo290nSgJW4HICE9dTkSdWf4fDpIVAzlvkL00oaLzZtNZeyu0o9xgwi5kDgMmJkxjaFcP-Vw9jEPpinCMBDIp3haYPD9UjtRBUCTfvH7qJ29EyY6j4dFaF/s320/DSC_0219-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233716686500139154" border="0" /></a>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12147526396150540399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-23768066718013554492008-07-22T20:54:00.002+02:002008-07-30T21:16:59.621+02:00PNGC Week 5: A Young Woman's Body continuedWe are back! After a three week school holiday and the first week back off for club, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PNGC</span> was back up and running on Monday. It was apparent that the girls were excited to have club again, because I had a number of them come and find me throughout the day to make sure they could come after school. The day went quickly in the classroom and before everyone knew, the final bell had rang for school and the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">lavender</span> cow bell was clanging to begin club. Despite having already been back at school for one week, the girls continued to talk and chat about how long it had been since the last club, what they had done last time, and wondering what was in store for this week. I had not put together a new music CD for this week's club because I figured it had been a while since they had heard the most recent mix and sure enough, it did not matter. Minutes after they began filing into the room girls were singing and dancing to the beat. It was going to be a good day.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9Z4LEcv2gvSPlffnG3hhJEOaJA3CxBZ4X8lihWByP8ii0Tr6f-Ed06TN8qr9IUTndSPmwiKm1JJv42vg_vGEVUvqUtFPMairW7sZj_veV8Uw4X_lTOGTUR-gV6_zZaMQiaspIn1Q5cTP/s1600-h/DSC_0557-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9Z4LEcv2gvSPlffnG3hhJEOaJA3CxBZ4X8lihWByP8ii0Tr6f-Ed06TN8qr9IUTndSPmwiKm1JJv42vg_vGEVUvqUtFPMairW7sZj_veV8Uw4X_lTOGTUR-gV6_zZaMQiaspIn1Q5cTP/s320/DSC_0557-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228887083731191410" border="0" /></a>I stuck around for introductions and welcome backs. Because we had missed the end of June and the beginning of July, we had the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">PNGC</span> Student Council announce birthdays for the month and hand out small gifts of pencils and stickers to any girl whose birthday fell in either of the two months. Everyone cheered and clapped for each girl as she received her presents. Even more special was that one of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">PNGC</span> leaders, Ma <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Seleka</span>, was having her birthday the same day as club. After the student council finished announcing the girls birthdays, we had Ma <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Seleka</span> stand up to recognize her. Her gift from club was a beaded AIDS ribbon pin that Jess had made that came in a beautiful pale purple little bag. Ma <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Seleka</span> liked her gift so much she even pinned the little bag to her sweater with the pin!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4yCKLvPl8HQwxzojSNsttAO0CuNWcEmat9_h1-Cm_CEvSl8bgg7tyR8grUngm5CE9ToQrElkzxddd3aLGAWzNA7jdLEuOHB5_oGDo2t3LKo43Xwpl9gv8U1BTiTm17tbwNi7posA_aY3/s1600-h/DSC_0442-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4yCKLvPl8HQwxzojSNsttAO0CuNWcEmat9_h1-Cm_CEvSl8bgg7tyR8grUngm5CE9ToQrElkzxddd3aLGAWzNA7jdLEuOHB5_oGDo2t3LKo43Xwpl9gv8U1BTiTm17tbwNi7posA_aY3/s320/DSC_0442-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228886064086451186" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXtieZ21xTOkRCSuXb35HXeDOwkbKXsGDGTlBdRPtFtv1N3ZqP6JVar0P6Y_Rm3gZUso609TzpDyp-hn_1eIwRkie-4hP76AbRTrxUFKMudWAma24VHloe3En8hhlA-tRQh5B_-f4UQYT/s1600-h/DSC_0449-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXtieZ21xTOkRCSuXb35HXeDOwkbKXsGDGTlBdRPtFtv1N3ZqP6JVar0P6Y_Rm3gZUso609TzpDyp-hn_1eIwRkie-4hP76AbRTrxUFKMudWAma24VHloe3En8hhlA-tRQh5B_-f4UQYT/s320/DSC_0449-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228886061420522930" border="0" /></a>As the group quieted down from birthday celebrations I took my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">cue</span> to step out of the room. This week was a continuation of 'A Young Woman's Body' lesson. I still do not have much to offer on the topic, so I took the time to do a bit of prep work for my Math classes for the following day. However, the recap from the leaders after club told me that not only did the girls remember a great deal of the previous lesson from over a month ago, but that their participation was even better as they became more comfortable talking in the large group and knowing that their questions and answers were part of a private discussion. It was a real step toward building off the great momentum of trust and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">comfortability</span> that was set during the first four weeks of club.<br /><br />Following the lesson I made my way back into the room to pick up my duties of DJ and photographer once again. This week's craft was chain bracelets. Not only did the girls do amazingly well at this craft, but it was clear they were becoming ever more comfortable with using the tools needed to complete the beading projects. Things like wire cutters and round nose pliers that were utterly foreign objects to them just a few short weeks ago now look like tools that they have been using for years. As some girls finished in record time, they turned their attention to helping their neighbors, picking up extra supplies, assisting the leaders and more. These were not just the student council girls that help us out each week to set up and take down, but all the girls. I was taken aback at how anyone coming in to watch club that week would not have known these girls had only attended four previous club meetings, let alone been on a four week hiatus since their most recent gathering. They looked naturally at ease and were completely enjoying themselves.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgexn5Kp6_tfDLX24eS6PDIErHKrWffXEpewa5Pu6Uoj2sG7OZBn2pnGR8emiPhhNPoTpHGL19-cZcisG8lxrardr4T8flqFWjjR3M19c5pWHfSCEvJvXh-RWW9dPhXPEN2wG4Cslt37NZK/s1600-h/DSC_0465-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgexn5Kp6_tfDLX24eS6PDIErHKrWffXEpewa5Pu6Uoj2sG7OZBn2pnGR8emiPhhNPoTpHGL19-cZcisG8lxrardr4T8flqFWjjR3M19c5pWHfSCEvJvXh-RWW9dPhXPEN2wG4Cslt37NZK/s320/DSC_0465-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228886068739270210" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizoOfiwsHdawRWYpJ9wGYfCZa14D6ZuT6mVWDBDdgunnQLeNiskslH0tydtFwex8C9_LOuqJwpFhZ9uBb0ycbMAidjBCRrnn_uLbhZm5igfxn8DcRF3cHXJg3plmwG9hmp2PscWQfMgP-c/s1600-h/DSC_0457-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizoOfiwsHdawRWYpJ9wGYfCZa14D6ZuT6mVWDBDdgunnQLeNiskslH0tydtFwex8C9_LOuqJwpFhZ9uBb0ycbMAidjBCRrnn_uLbhZm5igfxn8DcRF3cHXJg3plmwG9hmp2PscWQfMgP-c/s320/DSC_0457-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228886065834648050" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7l2vya7EmDIKZ2wT-bmsKoiGP3HFc22D1uHrunSXJnBJ2NnWWWwIT40Hq57MjbDxI7RUO-ZbTFW89PcF9m30bMp5EPvjXal1VO5RFxqvl0-UhQWGBYYwbPNlGt9wp4UJ19XXT450A_z5/s1600-h/DSC_0527-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7l2vya7EmDIKZ2wT-bmsKoiGP3HFc22D1uHrunSXJnBJ2NnWWWwIT40Hq57MjbDxI7RUO-ZbTFW89PcF9m30bMp5EPvjXal1VO5RFxqvl0-UhQWGBYYwbPNlGt9wp4UJ19XXT450A_z5/s320/DSC_0527-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228886069351168418" border="0" /></a>At the end of the day we gathered the group together outside for a welcome back photo to show off their dazzling new bracelets. The girls giggled and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">shrieked</span> as they hopped in line for the photo and then sprinted over to me to peek over my shoulder for a glimpse of their face on the camera. It was a great capstone a fun day back at club. As we strolled home in the now extending daylight as we move toward Spring in South Africa, we had a hard time realizing we had been away for so long. It seemed just like any other day of club should feel and that made us smile. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">PNGC</span> has fallen into it's routine and the girls and leaders are taking the lead in setting the tone for the rest of the year. If this week was any indication, the rest of this year is going to packed with good lessons and great projects.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aLknIcU5YUMLan6qrjVc24QNIX90fxQHeW8I70sSU0DchhBMAhvJdlGowM88J9qLOPzdY6v8RHjmyGq4I6ME6EFL_FrSz8ZEnftIBQdSQHkchrns5yFTbVYsm_NNmMTG5x33jpOG1Y1V/s1600-h/DSC_0610-800.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aLknIcU5YUMLan6qrjVc24QNIX90fxQHeW8I70sSU0DchhBMAhvJdlGowM88J9qLOPzdY6v8RHjmyGq4I6ME6EFL_FrSz8ZEnftIBQdSQHkchrns5yFTbVYsm_NNmMTG5x33jpOG1Y1V/s320/DSC_0610-800.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228887084605508834" border="0" /></a>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373845432731581730.post-31004472667372154052008-06-15T10:44:00.002+02:002008-06-15T11:00:04.838+02:00Father's DayWith all the children running around our village, over 1000 of them alone attending the two schools we work with, 160 of whom have been our wonderful 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> graders for the last term, there are certainly a number of fathers who need to be celebrated today in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Seleka</span>. Monday is Youth Day in South Africa, a public holiday, so families also have a long weekend to celebrate together. As I stretched my legs down our dirt road Friday morning and held a warm cup of coffee in my hands to abate the crisp winter air I ran into one of our grade 5 girls. We fell in step together (about three of hers for every one of mine) and started chatting. She is an adorable girl who loves to talk to us whenever we have free time. Very articulate and to the point, she is never afraid to speak her mind. That day is was just excitement that was pouring from her. I had asked about her plans for the long weekend and the up coming three week school holiday. '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Toropong</span>!' she exclaimed, which means 'town' in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Setswana</span>. She went on to explain that for father's day weekend she, her father, mother and two siblings were heading into town for the day on Saturday to shop, eat lunch at her favorite restaurant, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">KFC</span>, and '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">ipshina</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">fela</span>' (just enjoy). To top it off, the following weekend they all planned to travel to a nearby city to visit her mother's family for the entire three week school break. Apparently it is an annual excursion. All this joy and happiness was let out in a matter of a few minutes that it took to get from the corner where we met up to the school gate where she promptly sprinted off to meet up with some of her friends hanging out against the side of the school building facing the sun, trying to warm up a bit before having to sit down in a chilly classroom for the morning. <br /><br />I smiled as I walked up the path to our classroom to prepare for the day. This little girl was doing exactly what our family would do on Father's Day growing up. We would pile into the car and head up to the city for the day, go out to lunch, usually at one of our favorite restaurants as kids, not Dad's favorite restaurant (because we did not really have a taste for choice prime rib and a glass of wine in our middle school years) and just enjoy the day together. I decided to continue asking other students about their plans for the weekend and school break, quickly finding out that my companion for my morning walk was more of an exception than the norm. Most students that I spoke with talked about how their father works in the city, usually meaning Johannesburg, and that they usually only seem him a couple times each year. Others do not have a father figure in their lives. Many are never able to come home from the city because it is so expensive to travel. They send money home each month to the family and that is all they are able to do. Many have passed away at a young age from HIV/AIDS or other illnesses. Some children have neither father nor mother at home due to all of these reasons. <br /><br />Each face that I looked at that morning I tried to see beyond the personality that comes into the classroom each day. Do they live in the few nice homes in the village or one of the many one room tin homes lining the dirt roads. Is it a family in the traditional sense at home, or just one mother, one father, one grandparent, an older sibling or is this young 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">th</span> grade child the head of the house? Unfortunately the latter options are the most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">prevalent</span> here.<br /><br />This is just one small village that suffers from the same concerns that hundreds of thousands of people in every corner of the world face. We have had the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">privilege</span> of getting to know some of these children who may not get to celebrate this weekend with a father, or have someone celebrate them on Youth Day. We hope that in our short time here we can celebrate them each day for the fun kids they are. It is easy to get caught up in our work and see just students in the classroom from day to day. Friday I was reminded again that all these bright faces are not just students but kids in the midst of what for many is a difficult childhood, one that is too short when you are forced to grow up so fast.<br /><br />So today, on Father's Day, Jess and I are thankful for the blessing of such wonderful fathers and families of our own. Ones that gave us the opportunities that allowed us to be here now. Fathers that taught use the importance of family, friends, and being together. I cannot be a father for every child that walks through the school gate each morning, but maybe I can be a positive male role model many of them want and need. We do not have to go on weekend trips to the city with them or out to lunch, but as long as we are in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Seleka</span> we can gather together and just enjoy.<br /><br />Happy Father's Day.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519872817687001008noreply@blogger.com0