Bella

This evening I spent some time back in the Asiphe House for the first time since before the epic babysitting adventure. Spending time with the children and Pina and Charmaine lifts my spirit and makes me smile. Annabell, being fed by Pina in the video clip, was born April 6, 2008, and was brought to Agape. No one thought she would live more than a few days, so there wasn't even a follow up doctor appointment scheduled. Over a year later Annabell continues to amaze and frustrate the doctors. Her brain scan shows more brain matter that originally appeared, and she continues to live against all the odds. She had pneumonia several months ago and the doctors refused to treat her with antibiotics, but she recovered anyway. Please pass this info on if you know a neurosurgeon who might want to help this child. The water around her brain is becoming so large that it is hard for the housemothers to care for her. A doctor who visited yesterday was afraid to pick her up. But everyone here just loves Bella!

Withdrawal

Besides posting/backdating this entire blog and sleeping a lot, I haven't done a whole lot over the past few days... it's been nice, but I have to admit that I miss waking up to this (my little kids jumped in my bed on our last Saturday morning together).

Typical Day?

I've been asked about my typical day here. There isn't a such thing. For example, on Sunday after church, Gerrit told the worship team (which this week was led by someone visiting with 5 others from his church in Worcester) to pack up the mics, speakers, and instruments, drive them to his house, and set up for worship in his living room. Ami was diagnosed with Tick Fever this week so has been homebound.
During the worship, Gerrit and Ami received a phone call with bad news.... 2 of the boys that had previously been involved with their church were back in jail.

Afterwards, we had to jump the car I've been driving. After 7 years of automatic headlights, I can't seem to remember to shut the things off, so I killed the battery. The "running start" technique didn't work, so we jumped it.
Then, because I had to drive a ways to recharge the battery, I put Zandre, Duwayne, Deslin, Adelaide, and Ann (3 high school students involved in the church) in the car for a drive to Sir Lowry's pass.
Of course, no Sunday would be complete without a late afternoon nap.

Home again!

Thursday I received a text message from Susan (the housemom I've been filling in for) that she was on her way back from Zimbabwe and would be home on Friday! So Thursday night we ate chops and whole container of ice cream. No one brushed their teeth or went to bed on time.
(L-R: Jeannie, Pelo, Brandon, Deslin, Deon, Zandre, Duwayne)
(L-R: Pelo, me, Jeannie, Deslin, Duwayne, Zandre, Deon)(L-R: Zandre, Pelo, Deon (top), Duwayne (botton), Jeannie, Deslin, Brandon)

Atypical Breakfast

The locals know about the work being done at Agape, and several times a week food or other items are donated. Peregrine, a restaurant and gift shop frequented by tourists visiting the nearby farms and orchards or starting out on the Garden Route, donated quiches recently. So Pelo, Jeannie, and Zandre and quiche for breakfast 2 days in a row. They loved it!

Typical Breakfast

Weetbix. It's all over South Africa, and Agape buys it at a discounted price, so there is a lot of Weetbix eaten around this place. Duwayne is posing with the box here.

MIA

So you may not have heard much (or most likely anything) from me lately. All of these posts are backdated. Since May 10th, I’ve been mom to 7 kids, which has occupied quite a lot of my time and energy. When my parents finally got me on the phone my dad said I sounded "focused." My days begin before 6AM, which is when I start waking up Brandon and Deon. On the weekdays the kids eat oatmeal, weetbix, or pap, so I start making that. Deon leaves to wait for the schoolbus at 6:20AM. Brandon gets himself together (sandwiches made and drink packed), I sign his school papers, and he leaves between 6:45 and 7:00. The 4 smaller children start eating around 6:30 and by 7:30 they have eaten, brushed their teeth, washed their faces, dressed, and packed their school bags with their morning snacks. They begin arriving home from school around 1:30, play until about 2:30 when I serve mittagete (lunch). This is usually like scrambled eggs and toast, egg salad sandwiches, 2-minute noodles, macaroni and cheese, PB&J, tuna fish, etc. Baths start around 4:30 (Denise washes the boys) and aandete (evening meal) is around 6:30. Then it’s medicines, tandeborsels (toothbrushes), and bedtime for the small ones. School snacks for the kids are made either in the evening or the morning. That’s one slice of bread for Jean and Duwayne, 2 for Pelo and Zandre, 3 for Deon, and Brandon makes his own. On the bread is either cheese, PB&J, bologna, etc. If you are counting, you might note that this is only 6 children. That’s because Meliska goes to school in near Cape Town and is only home on the weekends.
This is me in our living room with (L-R) Zandre (5), Jeannie (3), Deon (11), and Duwayne (4).