A busy week

This has been one of our busiest weeks to date.

The week at Ikhaya had lots of ups and downs. The usual classes we have went ok but the kids are starting to wind down now as it's the end of their school year. Some of the kids have already left for the Eastern Cape where they go to visit family for Christmas. Thursday was a bit of a hectic day after some Football training with the guys and Bram (a volunteer from the Netherlands) we were on our way home when we heard a scream and and looked up to see smoke pouring out of one of the township houses. Realizing that the place was on fire Nay called the fire brigade (who despite being 500 yards down the road took 20+ minutes to arrive) while I joined about a dozen men from the township in trying to bring the fire under control. This was no easy task as we only had some small garden hoses and an array of buckets and containers that were filled with water. After 15 minutes and a few brave men who pulled a flaming bed and mattress out of the house whilst it was still alight we managed to put the fire out. The devastation wrought in such a small space of time was shocking. The entire back bedroom was gutted along and most of the remaining things in the house were covered in smoke and water. Extraordinarily there were no major injuries just a lot of people coughing up smoke. It was only after the fire had been put out and I was standing in the house burnt out house that I noticed the pictures on the mantle piece were of one of the kids from Ikhaya.

The kids warming up to pull some moves 

Friday was a stark contrast of Thursday as we went round to the house to see if there was anything else that we could do. When we arrived at just after noon. we found about 18-20 people from the community all helping to clear the house. All the furniture had been removed, the windows were being replaced, the damaged wall in the back bedroom had been taken back and was being rebuilt and the joists in the ceiling that were damaged were being replaced. I was amazed at how much work was already being done and by how much the community had rallied round the family. There was little we could do to help at the time but we were able to get some supplies for the renovation (paint, brushes, turps and food for the busy workers). The day got progressively better from then on and we had a break from the Ikhaya program and had a fun day with the kids. Later that evening we took 10 of the grade 6-8 kids to the Shoreline church youth group where they had a RnB and Break dancing demonstration on. As always I had to pull a few moves and show them that despite being 30 I still had it, plus I learnt a few more moves.

Nay at the rhodes memorial

Mark, Rob and Nicky at Cape Point

Bedingfield concert

Boulders Beach

 The Weekend was good and we spent some time chilling on Saturday morning before going to a Braai to watch the rugby with a few friends. To lose by a point was a pain so I had to console my self by tucking into some braaied Snoek (fish). Sunday we took a road trip with Rob and Nicky and went around the Cape peninsular. We started by having a drive around Cape Town university and the Rhodes memorial before having brunch in Kalk bay and heading down to Boulders beach were we saw penguins. We then went onto Cape Point were we saw lots of Baboons and climbed up a steep hill to get a great view. We then had a late lunch at Chapmans peak before heading off to see Daniel Bedingfield in an open air concert at Kirstenbocsh. 

Until next time...................

An African adventure

Hi peops. Here's what we've been up to this week....

Friday Day

We took a day out of Ikhaya and made our way by bus to Cape Town. There we spent the day doing touristy things like going to the Dutch Fort, District six museum and Green Square market.

Friday night

Ethiopian food

 

We went to the African dance theatre which is basically an hour-long show which shows the history of African music and dance. It was amazing and we were tired just watching the cast! Afterwards we went to an Ethopian restaurant and tried some traditional food which consisted of a meat and vegetable platter and a mountain of pancake style bread which you use as your knife and fork. Couldn't eat it all but yum! That and the jungle-like decor made for a lovely evening.

 

Saturday

Well thanks to Ryan and Karlie (my bro and sis-in-law) we were up early to go to Aquila private game reserve for a safari. It's about 2 hours out of Cape Town and after the coach journey with the slightly stressed driver (the joys of African time!) we arrived where we were given a sparkling wine (never too early!!) and a buffet breakfast. After a quick nose around the resort it was time to jump on our safari truck and, armed with some binoculars, do my best Dora the Explorer impression. The elephants, zebra, ostriches, rhino. buffalo, springbok, wilderbeast were all out to play but best of all were the lions (about 100ft away, the mountain kind) One decided to pose in true Lion King style for the tourists! .

 

 We've found the South African domestic cat!!

 

After our time with the animals it was back to the resort for more food, drink and a quick relax by the pool before heading back on the coach. We can now also add the South African bus service to our transport list - timetables don't exactly exist here but thankfully we found one that would take us back to Hout Bay.

 

Sunday

 

A great service at Kenilworth Vineyard church (we love the fact it's so like our own with whoever is taking the service having to call people by name to sit down so we can start!) we some friends who were giving us a lift wondered if we'd mind going to an open house in Constantia (the wine distrct nearby). Another chance to have a glass and some food in the sun....it's going to be interesting heading back to UK winter!

 

 

Life at ikhaya le themba

 

Well we're into our last 2 weeks of teaching and a fun week before term ends. We are planning the Christmas party and helping to send off the older students who will be leaving. I'm putting together a cook book of the recipes they have been doing in their cooking lessons and I think the plan is to make some certificates and other prizes..a bit like graduation I guess. There's a real sense of wanting to make them feel special despite the fact they have a grown out of ikhaya which is great to see.Should be an interesting few weeks and we're just making the most of the time we have left. Many of the children head to the Western Cape for Christmas so there is alot of excitement about that and Mark has been asked to do the Father Christmas bit! Unfortunately his attempt at growing a moustache for Movember only lasted a couple of days so he'll definetly be borrowing a white beard if needed :). Mark has also been helping out with the grounds and along with Phila (site manager) and Bram (volunteer from Holland) dug a trench to divert some contaminated water away from the Ikhaya entrance.

 

Coming up this weekend....run on Saturday, England v SA rugby, road trip to Cape Point and Daniel Bedingfield in concert at the botanical gardens.....Think we'll be coming home for a rest :)

 

The final third

Greetings one and all.

We have had another busy week teaching the kids. One of the highlights certainly being the girls that Nay has been teaching music to, leading worship on Friday's assembly. Also we finally managed to Skype Nay's school  and some of the girls here did a traditional African dance for the assembled masses of Lexden Springs!

I have managed a few runs this week including a large hill run which was about 6-7km as I'm planning to do a charity fun run on the 24th of this month.

The weekend was quite quiet as we looked to chill a bit before the last 4 weeks which are shaping up to be a bit manic. So Saturday we headed down to the beach for some tanning before going to the yacht club to watch the Rugby (England vs Fiji). Unfortunately the African sun is very unforgiving and after only an hour in the sun between 11am and 12pm I had gotten a little red (this was mainly due to poor spreadage of the the sun cream). OOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHH.

So Sunday was a sit in doors covered in after sun day. Oh well you live and learn.

We have a lot in the pipe line the next few weeks as we move to towards the end of the term.
It's fair to say that we are going to miss this place when we leave but we are looking forward to seeing all our friends and family when we return.

Here are a few images that you haven't seen yet.

Me enjoying some ZEBRA pate in addo elephant park..... mmmm tasty

One of the amazing formations in the Cango Caves

Nay gets an Ostrich neck massage.

The whole group on the table mountain trip

Nobel Square in cape town

Compare the Meerkat (Day)

Hello one and all

 

Grandad's marble game

Well another busy week at ikhaya ending in Market Day on Saturday which is basically their summer fete.After an enormous shopping trip on Friday,  Mark was in charge of all things "manly" including collecting and blowing up the jumping castle (that's bouncy to us!) and of course  the braai. I chose to share a piece of home with the children here as I ran a marble game which is a family Christmas tradition introduced by my dear Grandad Goody! The children, armed with their 1 rand (about 8p), were queueing up to play and couldn't get enough of it - amazing what you can do with a pack of marbles, a baking tray and a hole in the top of a big yogurt pot!

 



 



Hello Kitty!

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Now when I say queueing, it's not exactly accurate as I don't think the word exists over here - more of a disorganised bundle particularly when it came to getting the bargains on the second hand clothes stall and castle (which I had to help deflate by rolling across it!!). Still, a lot of fun had by all and great for the local community to come together - often people don't realise events at ikhaya are for all but I think the crazy flyering worked this time (we have been handing out all week - the local children are excited to get a bit of paper regardless of what it is about!). Grand total of just over R3000 (around 220 pounds) was raised.

 

Coming up this week...more cooking for Mark as he tries shnoek (the local fish fav) with Margy tonight and tomorrow cooking for our lovely home group. Maybe a spot of rugby watching on Sat as England take on Fiji which should also be interesting in a few weeks time when we take on SA!

 

Well that's all for now folks x

 

P.S We are now 2 hours ahead from UK time :)