So, just over a week until I fly out. And I'm heading home for a family Christmas tomorrow. I'm having to take both lots of clothing, summer AND winter! I will hopefully be able to leave my winter clothes behind, as it's going to be summer in South Africa.
I've been lucky enough to have been given lots of material and other things to take out with me. One of the places I am visiting is Footprints Children's Centre in Johannesburg (http://www.footprintsplay.co.za/) and they have a list of equipment and resources that they are always in need of. I am glad I can bring just a few things out for them.
For those of you that don't know, I am spending each week of my month trip in different places.
I arrive on New Years Eve (!) and am staying with some good friends of mine, Kathy and Carlo. I met Kathy a long time ago at Church in North Devon. She is South African and it will be a great time of catching up and spending quality time with her and her husband.
Then I am catching a Citybug over to Nelspruit, which is East of Jo'burg, where I am being picked up by friends to travel a further few hours until we cross the Swazi border into a small town called Bulembu! I spent a month in this town nearly 3 years ago and it will be a pleasure seeing how big the children are and how much this amazing town has been developed. This town really is quite remarkable. It is owned by Christian businessmen who are pouring funding and resources into the place. Schools have been renovated and filled. There are masses of homes for orphans. And since I was last there, they have opened a bakery, among other things! They also train local Swazis and encourage them to take over the businesses and initiatives that these foreigners have started. Very sustainable. I am really excited to see how different it is. For more information about Bulembu, visit www.bulembu.org.
I then catch the Citybug back in Jo'burg, where I will be spending a week at Footprints Children's Centre. This is the only week in which I don't really know the people or the place! So it will be a very hectic, but eye-opening experience. I can't wait to spend 24/7 with the children there.
And my for my final week, I will be flying down to Cape Town and spending time with some good (English and South African) friends. We will be staying right on the beach in Kommetjie, and hopefully get a chance to discover the local area. Some of the things I am looking forward to doing are visiting Nelson's Mandela's prison cell on Robbin Island, and taking in an extensive tour of the Winelands! Hopefully I can bring some back!
Thank you for reading this, and I hope to be able to update this each week with tales from the South!
Clare
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