Community Visits

The last couple days have been AMAZING!!!!!!!! Megan, my roommate, and I went up to the clinic on Monday to join Maria and Joyce as they walked around Joe Slovo. They are a beautiful and kind women called caregivers that work for the local free clinic and do home check ins and ask about the needs in the particular community. Joe Slovo is very close to my heart and my home. It is a township that has been built on government property and consists of tin and brick homes. They’re about 200+ people who live there. Joe Slovo is located right behind Refilwe so there is a lot of interactions between our two communities.
We visited 5 people all soo sweet and not feeling well plus chatted with people as we were walking though. We helped a women who lives in the community, her name is Elizabeth, she was born in 1915!!!!! I cant even imagine all the things she has seen! I wish she spoke english so I could talk with her and learn all about her life. We had to bring her down to the clinic because of her leg. When Sister Didi (doctor) saw her, she made her get up and they started dancing!!!! Haha so funny and such a cool thing to witness.
Megs was asking a lot of good questions about the community as we walked and about some of the biggest needs. The two biggest Joe Slovo needs were running water and Electricity in the Homes. There is one large light that sits in the middle of the community and lights it at night because there is no individual lights in the houses. Maria was saying that that was more a want and a lot of people were “content” without those things. I guess its more of a they’re more important things that needs to be addressed first.  Joyce was saying that when they ask about more personal needs and biggest issues it was actually food!  That would explain why gardens have recently been popping up a lot.
 What was brought to my mind was Lunch that kids club provides. Every Saturday a group of us volunteers get together and go up to Joe Slovo and gather all the kids (around 70) and bring them to Refilwe. They are able to play on the playground, we sing songs and then talk about a Bible story. At the end we feed them a nutritious lunch before bringing them back home. It was encouraging to know that we are filling that need already on a small scale.

Joe Slovo

Path to Joe Slovo along the Refilwe fence

Joe Slovo At Night

On Tuesday Rachel and I went out again with Joyce and Maria to some more communities along Malibongwe, which is a main road in Johannesburg. It was cool to see up close other communities away from Refilwe. We visited three different areas all on foot. The first family wasn’t home but we were able to talk to the mans’ neighbors a bit. The second area was a super small community of wooden and tin houses. Maria and Joyce talked with different families about the variety needs in the area. We visited a super sweet old man who sat in a chair in his hut for most of the day. Then we saw an older couple who were called “the lovers” in Tswana by the caregivers because they loved each other after so many years of marriage. They really were just too cute : ) Our last couple that we visited suffered from aids and were being vacated from their house and were temporarily living in their employers broken garage.
It was so incredibly eye-opening to see such absolute poverty up close. Now I have to find the balance of looking at all the needs and being overwhelmed with wanting to help all of it and then becoming callous to the hurt and not letting it affect the deepest parts of the heart.

Rachel and I heading to the Clinic

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First house 

2nd Community

Their Community is under these beautiful trees

Walking to our third community

↑ Maria and Joyce ↑

Crossing Malibongwe to get back Home

Rachel, Maria, Joyce and Myself

Winter Reflection

I am Sorry that I haven’t blogged in a while. Weeks go by so fast and days go by even faster.  I will try to highlight as much as possible.  Winter is gone and spring is here! The weather is already getting so warm during the day!

Carnivore menu

 A group of us went to a restaurant called Carnivore. I ate things like chicken liver, zebra,  and crocodile!

 I am trying to be as adventurous as I can, I dont want leave with any regrets. One of my biggest accomplishments so far is that I finally drove! It wasnt on a main road but I drove a stick-shift on the other side of the car! Baby Steps, Baby steps

 I got the opportunity to go to the Rhino and Lion Park a couple miles away from Refilwe.  I was able to pet baby white lions and a cheetah named Eddie.

White Lions

Petting Eddie with the guys

Back in July, Nicole put on a Christmas in July party. We all wanted to capture a cold Christmas since it will be so hot when the real Christmas arrives. For a couple hours it really did seem like we were home and in the midst of the Christmas season.

Christmas in July!

Nicole, Andy and I

The babies are growing soo Fast! I have 2 crawlers now, baby P and baby A, they are constantly keeping me on my toes. Our rockstar, baby P,  will turn 1 in just a few short weeks! He was the first baby here at El Roi. I am so privileged to be apart of his little life and so excited to see him be untied with his Forever Family.

P on the left A on the Right

Baby S is working so hard to be mobile, he just isnt there quite yet. Baby T is getting so big! She cant wait to join her brothers and Sister as a big baby. We are currently teaching her to be content on her own. She has a cry that seems to radiate through the house.

S on the Left T on the Right

And baby H is so sweet. I love my cuddle times with her in the morning and afternoon. She is still so small even at 5 months old but is growing stronger and bigger everyday. My favorite thing that she does right now is when she yawns she does a little sigh at the end. Melts my heart every time.

Baby H and I at her Dr Check-up

My 2 1/2 year old is doing so well. She loves going to preschool and being with Auntie Nicole and myself. I painted her nails a couple weeks back and it is now a constant question if I will paint her nails again. Her new thing that she has been doing is to come up and say “Auntie Whitney I like your hair and your shoes.” and also to say “Aunties Whitney I Love you.” And when I reply I love you too she says “yes”. She loves to take pictures on my phone. A couple hundred pictures and a few days later I found some funny ones.

Painting her Nails

N's Pictures

N's Pictures

N's Pictures

N's Pictures

On my days off, as much as I want to sit and veg out, I really want to invest in something greater than add to my movie collection. Since back at home I am a preschool teacher I thought maybe I could use those skills in Africa as well. On my days off I go to the preschool and assist the teachers where I can and love the 50 kids at the Refilwe Preschool. I realized how much i miss teaching and enjoy 4 year olds too. I miss my kids back at home and I want to give a shout out to all of them, They have all moved up class rooms for the new school year! I am so Proud!

Baby H and I

Baby P

Sunrise as I walk to work

Monkey's hanging around while I do laundry

Since A learned to crawl she always tries to escape her crib

Fashion babies

Morning Bottle

They Love to play by the door and get some fresh air!

Baby S looking good!

A and I having morning play time

Happy Late 4th of July From the RSA!

Nicole and I

Happy Late Forth of July!

    I had a great time celebrating with the five Americans here on site. A good old BBQ was thrown, bon-fire and s’mores included. Everyone on Refilwe was invited as well as a group volunteering from the UK.  (Lots of jokes were made celebrating with people from the country we got freedom from)

  I cannot believe that I have been here a full month! I am fully adjusted to the time change finally. It seems so weird to think while I’m up and working, everyone at home is sleeping. It does make it quite a challenge to talk with people. Nine hours is quite an inconvenient time difference.

 I have officially seen my first true African wild animal. On the property there are monkeys. They are clever, mean and slightly intimidating however, I’ve been told if you leave them alone they will leave you alone, so far that is true. They are a pack that travel throughout the Refilwe property, and especially like to hang around the baby house. One sat on the roof one day and watched me do laundry. Lets just say I had one eye on the laundry the other on the monkey.

Monkey's Outside my Window

   
    I’ve been trying to take advantage of any opportunities to explore Johannesburg. Last week I got to explore the Apartheid Museum/  Nelson Mandela museum. Since our group had limited time we spent most of it at the Mandela Museum which was so cool since I didn’t know much about him. He was a good man with a good heart for people and a Great Vision for the future of South Africa.

Downtown Jo-Burg with orange roller coaster

Nelson Mandela Museum

Read Top Two

Only Some of the Sticks around the Museum Where people picked favorite Mandela Quotes

All of the Quotes were Great but I Likes the Green ones a lot

Mandela Museum

Baby H

Feeding Baby H for the first time

 I absolutely love the baby house. As tired as I am after a long day, I can honestly say I enjoy being here. God really has answered my prayer that I would grow to deeply love these babies. I have bonded with each one in a unique way that fits their personality.
    On the 12th we got a new baby. She is a Preemie and is so tiny. She is three months old but still fits newborn size clothing! Nicole gave me the great privilege of naming her. I took this job very seriously and put lots of thought into it. Due to South African Law for protection of the babies identity I cant give out personal information. The name I gave her fits her perfectly meaning grace and God has favored me. I truly believe that God has put his favor on baby “H”.  He has protected her life in the last 12 months as she grew in her mothers stomach and was born into this world too early but in His perfect timing.

My Favorite Little two year old in the house likes to put her baby Dolls in all the bouncy chairs and Swings

Where I Spend most of my Time in the Baby House: Playroom

Baby Room #1

Being Such a good big sister

Our little Rock star Has Learned to Escape the playroom