Okay.. I am writing again... and I am not in Winnipeg. I decided to post one more blog before I head home tomorrow. Jen and I just left the orphanage for the last time a couple hours ago. But before I get to that I will just tell you about our shift first.
It was a good last shift. Our first day, Ed (from Aviva) drove us to Masigcine. We couldn't go in the fifteen passenger like we usually do because the minibuses are on strike, and since our bus looks like a minibus, apparently it wasn't safe. So the police were stopping any buses from going in to townships. But Ed drove us, and then he interviewed us for a video he's putting together for the Aviva website I believe. So that was kind of cool, felt important, yet I'm kind of camera shy as well. Then Saturday was a blast. We had a Valentine's Day Party/Birthday Party. It was one of Michelle's friends birthdays so Jen and I decorated the play room with a poster that the kids and I had made. Along with balloons and another poster covered in hearts the the kids and I had made as well. Jen and I decided to have a big celebration for Valentine's Day as well. We made all the kids cards in the shape of hearts out of construction paper and made them all pretty. Then we stuffed them full of chocolate and candy. So we took the cards down and had all the kids sit down and wait for us to call their names. It was probably the cutest thing I have ever seen. The kids got so excited when their name got called. And Michelle took pictures of them with the card and candy, and all the kids clapped for each child. It was so adorable. We also got all the Sisis a can of coke and some Lindtt chocolates for Valentine's Day. I think they were pretty excited about that too. It's funny how such a little thing goes such a long way here. People really appreciate things here, so it makes it that much more fun to do things for people. Kind of a selfish few but it's true haha. It's just so rewarding to see the kids and the Sisis faces when you go out of your way for them. And they deserve it. So that brings us to today... Jen and I just spent time with the kids today. No big plans particularly.. just get in our last bit of time before saying goodbye. We did go to KFC and picked up chicken for all the children and Sisis for lunch. That was fun. They all love KFC so it was a nice treat. It was Michelle's day off, but she came in to give us a lift to KFC. That was great, because otherwise we wouldn't have been able to have the little lunch party. I told Zubenathi and Lucinda that we were having KFC for lunch today. But I told them to keep it a secret. It was so funny. Lucinda even pinky sweared. I didn't know kids did that over here as well. It was so cute though. All day the two of them would come up to me and say "Mama, we're having chicken... Mama KFC." and then go "SHHHH.. it's a secret." It was too adorable.
So usually we would leave Masigcine tomorrow morning but we went out for supper with Michael and Hilda tonight instead. Just to end off our trip and wrap everything up. It was a great dinner. Really nice to get to spend some time with the people that helped make it possible for us to be at Masigcine. But it was much harder to leave the orphanage then I expected. I knewit would be hard, I love those kids, but I think my heart actually broke. I'm not much of a crier, but I couldn't stop the tears running down my cheeks. So much for the make up I put on for dinner haha. Anyways, I might have been okay if it wasn't for Zubenathi. We took a big group picture right before we left. Jen and I ran up stairs to change for dinner, so we were all dressed up, with make up on, and clean hair haha. The kids never see us like that. So when I walked in to the play room, where we were having the picture Zubenathi stopped me. He said "Mama, where are you going? Are you going shopping?" and Jen and I had decided not to tell the children we were leaving (which I'll explain our logic in a moment). So I said "We're going for dinner, to eat." and he respond "That's it." all the while sounding a little panicked. It just made me break. I couldn't tell him that I was leaving for good, but I couldn't lie to him. All I could do was pick him and start to cry. I'm not a crying person but it wasn't in my control. Anyways, Jen and I had decided not to tell the kids we were leaving because we figured it would be easier on them. We are at Masi three days a week and then off three days a week. So they are used to us coming and going. We figured that this time we would leave and then they wouldn't exactly know when to expect us back, but the days would go on and they would get side tracked with other things and not really notice. However, Michael and Hilda had the Sisis tell the children so they could sing us a fair well song. It ended up being a much better plan then ours. We didn't have the guts to tell the kids, but this way they knew, and then it didn't feel like we were deceiving them. But I was already a wreck by then. Not crying per se, just tears constantly streaming down my face in silence. The goodbye song and dance made it a lot harder. Also, since some of the kids are older they understood what was going on. A couple of them started to cry. It was really hard. Since we're the first international volunteers they are not used to people moving in to their lives on such a permanent basis and then leaving suddenly. I felt bad for Lucinda. She just got to the orphanage about a month ago. I think she took it the hardest because she was taken away from her parents because of neglect. It doesn't seem like she was used to having an adult interact with her, and take interest in her, and play with her. So I gave her a kiss and she smiled, but was still crying. Zain and Masithandaze looked a little devasted too. I'm sure I looked more devastated however, so that might be way they were getting upset. The sisis were so hard ot say goodbye too as well. We've grown to love them, they are such amazing people. And I don't think they knew we were leaving us soon as we were either. So it looks like it caught them off gaurd a little (we have little communication problems, I told some of them this was our last shift and they were shocked because they thought we were here for 6 months, not 6 weeks). So they started crying as well. It was pretty much the hardest thing I've had to do.
Anyways... enough of that. I guess I'm just going to have to come back! That's my new plan haha. Guess I better get home and get a job then.
But yeah, otherwise we went out for supper with Hilda and Michael tonight. Which was a lovely way to spend our last night. We went to the revolving restaurant and got a great view of Cape Town. Just gorgeous.
And now we have one day left and fly home tomorrow night. So I will see you all when I get home. I just have to say this was a great experience for me. I can't express how grateful I am very the support I got. I just want to thank everyone for your prayers, your emotional support, and your financial support. All of that was so vital in making this all a success. So thank you so much.
It was a good last shift. Our first day, Ed (from Aviva) drove us to Masigcine. We couldn't go in the fifteen passenger like we usually do because the minibuses are on strike, and since our bus looks like a minibus, apparently it wasn't safe. So the police were stopping any buses from going in to townships. But Ed drove us, and then he interviewed us for a video he's putting together for the Aviva website I believe. So that was kind of cool, felt important, yet I'm kind of camera shy as well. Then Saturday was a blast. We had a Valentine's Day Party/Birthday Party. It was one of Michelle's friends birthdays so Jen and I decorated the play room with a poster that the kids and I had made. Along with balloons and another poster covered in hearts the the kids and I had made as well. Jen and I decided to have a big celebration for Valentine's Day as well. We made all the kids cards in the shape of hearts out of construction paper and made them all pretty. Then we stuffed them full of chocolate and candy. So we took the cards down and had all the kids sit down and wait for us to call their names. It was probably the cutest thing I have ever seen. The kids got so excited when their name got called. And Michelle took pictures of them with the card and candy, and all the kids clapped for each child. It was so adorable. We also got all the Sisis a can of coke and some Lindtt chocolates for Valentine's Day. I think they were pretty excited about that too. It's funny how such a little thing goes such a long way here. People really appreciate things here, so it makes it that much more fun to do things for people. Kind of a selfish few but it's true haha. It's just so rewarding to see the kids and the Sisis faces when you go out of your way for them. And they deserve it. So that brings us to today... Jen and I just spent time with the kids today. No big plans particularly.. just get in our last bit of time before saying goodbye. We did go to KFC and picked up chicken for all the children and Sisis for lunch. That was fun. They all love KFC so it was a nice treat. It was Michelle's day off, but she came in to give us a lift to KFC. That was great, because otherwise we wouldn't have been able to have the little lunch party. I told Zubenathi and Lucinda that we were having KFC for lunch today. But I told them to keep it a secret. It was so funny. Lucinda even pinky sweared. I didn't know kids did that over here as well. It was so cute though. All day the two of them would come up to me and say "Mama, we're having chicken... Mama KFC." and then go "SHHHH.. it's a secret." It was too adorable.
So usually we would leave Masigcine tomorrow morning but we went out for supper with Michael and Hilda tonight instead. Just to end off our trip and wrap everything up. It was a great dinner. Really nice to get to spend some time with the people that helped make it possible for us to be at Masigcine. But it was much harder to leave the orphanage then I expected. I knewit would be hard, I love those kids, but I think my heart actually broke. I'm not much of a crier, but I couldn't stop the tears running down my cheeks. So much for the make up I put on for dinner haha. Anyways, I might have been okay if it wasn't for Zubenathi. We took a big group picture right before we left. Jen and I ran up stairs to change for dinner, so we were all dressed up, with make up on, and clean hair haha. The kids never see us like that. So when I walked in to the play room, where we were having the picture Zubenathi stopped me. He said "Mama, where are you going? Are you going shopping?" and Jen and I had decided not to tell the children we were leaving (which I'll explain our logic in a moment). So I said "We're going for dinner, to eat." and he respond "That's it." all the while sounding a little panicked. It just made me break. I couldn't tell him that I was leaving for good, but I couldn't lie to him. All I could do was pick him and start to cry. I'm not a crying person but it wasn't in my control. Anyways, Jen and I had decided not to tell the kids we were leaving because we figured it would be easier on them. We are at Masi three days a week and then off three days a week. So they are used to us coming and going. We figured that this time we would leave and then they wouldn't exactly know when to expect us back, but the days would go on and they would get side tracked with other things and not really notice. However, Michael and Hilda had the Sisis tell the children so they could sing us a fair well song. It ended up being a much better plan then ours. We didn't have the guts to tell the kids, but this way they knew, and then it didn't feel like we were deceiving them. But I was already a wreck by then. Not crying per se, just tears constantly streaming down my face in silence. The goodbye song and dance made it a lot harder. Also, since some of the kids are older they understood what was going on. A couple of them started to cry. It was really hard. Since we're the first international volunteers they are not used to people moving in to their lives on such a permanent basis and then leaving suddenly. I felt bad for Lucinda. She just got to the orphanage about a month ago. I think she took it the hardest because she was taken away from her parents because of neglect. It doesn't seem like she was used to having an adult interact with her, and take interest in her, and play with her. So I gave her a kiss and she smiled, but was still crying. Zain and Masithandaze looked a little devasted too. I'm sure I looked more devastated however, so that might be way they were getting upset. The sisis were so hard ot say goodbye too as well. We've grown to love them, they are such amazing people. And I don't think they knew we were leaving us soon as we were either. So it looks like it caught them off gaurd a little (we have little communication problems, I told some of them this was our last shift and they were shocked because they thought we were here for 6 months, not 6 weeks). So they started crying as well. It was pretty much the hardest thing I've had to do.
Anyways... enough of that. I guess I'm just going to have to come back! That's my new plan haha. Guess I better get home and get a job then.
But yeah, otherwise we went out for supper with Hilda and Michael tonight. Which was a lovely way to spend our last night. We went to the revolving restaurant and got a great view of Cape Town. Just gorgeous.
And now we have one day left and fly home tomorrow night. So I will see you all when I get home. I just have to say this was a great experience for me. I can't express how grateful I am very the support I got. I just want to thank everyone for your prayers, your emotional support, and your financial support. All of that was so vital in making this all a success. So thank you so much.
*The picture above is of all the kids (minus Sipho who is hiding behind me when it was taken, and Banele who was out for the weekend) on our last day.
very tough to leave Amanda, but even briefly you added love to those kids lives.
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