Merry Christmas!

I wanted to update everyone one last time before the holidays.  One of my very best friends Alexis is flying in today to visit me over the holiday season.  More than likely I will not have time for any updates until after the New Year.  We will be taking a little road trip around South Africa to do some sight seeing.  I cannot believe it is almost Christmas.  My goodness, it really is true when they say the older you get the faster time flies.   I can’t even imagine how fast the years fly by when you have children of your own.

The end of the year summer camp (last week) was exhausting.  I am so glad it is over.  The kids loved it, but it was draining for the adults.  I must admit I enjoyed the older kids Hats n’ Glasses camp a few months ago much more.  This camp was much larger.  There were 106 of us total.  The days were packed with many sessions, games, adventures and worship.  The staff were all up at 6am to prepare for the day and usually we weren’t to bed till around midnight.  It was a long week. WOW, I forgot the energy level of kids, especially when they all come together in large groups.   I was supposed to only be in charge of games and adventures this time around, but they ended up a bit short staffed in the kitchen so I was on kitchen cooking duty as well, along with the person to run into town when we ran out of groceries or needed something.   I have never made 212 sandwiches before..... 3 days in a row.   That was interesting, to say the least.  I think I will add “Expert Sandwich maker” to my resume.   Fortunately all of the games went off well without injuries and the kids really seemed to enjoy them.  I was very relieved.  Mom, I was only joking about the Survivor comment.  I was actually nice to these kids.    I will post camp photos when I can.

Two days after camp I helped to take 14 of my 7th graders out for a celebration trip for graduating and entering high school next year.  We were supposed to take them to the beach but the winds were wicked fierce (as usual) and the sand was unbearable and would have slammed against us at the beach.  Instead we made a quick change of plans and took them to this huge indoor pool.  Oh it turned out SO much better!  It was so relaxing and the kids loved it.  We packed lunch and was able to spread it out so nicely on the bleachers for them without any sand getting into the food.  We let them swim and play for hours and after we packed up we took them for an ice-cream cone before returning to the township.  It was such a lovely day.  I honestly was so exhausted after camp and dreading the day, but I was so surprised how much fun I had and enjoyed the time with the kids.  The coolest part of the trip (for me) was that I taught two of my favorite little dudes Baya and Zuko how to dive.  The pool was Olympic size with platform diving boards and I was racing the kids down to the end.  When I got there I decided to dive.  They were utterly amazed and said “Oh My, Sis Katie, you know how to dive?!”  So I asked if they wanted to learn.  They were so excited.  For the next hour I taught them how and we all dove off again and again as we perfected their form.  For the rest of the day they kept practicing and were so proud of their new accomplishment.  Most township kids never get the chance to even learn how to swim, so these kids felt so lucky.   When we dropped them off they gave me a huge hug and thanked me again for helping them.   Oh that just touched my heart.  It was such a good ending before holiday break.

I mainly wanted to write to wish all of my friends and loved ones a very blessed holiday season.  When you are stressed with holiday shopping and Christmas parties and think to yourself that you have “way too much going on”.....just slow down, take a deep breath and remember how lucky you are to have the money to Christmas shop and the friends who love you and invite you to these holiday gatherings.   When you are stressed driving around like a chicken with your head cut off, remember how fortunate you are to have your very own vehicle, money to fill the tank and a house to fill with the grocery and shopping bags you bring home.  We are all so much more fortunate then we realize and please try to not let the holiday stress ruin the true meaning of the season.  Embrace the stressful hours and those family members that might irritate you at times.   We are lucky to have families.

Merry Christmas my friends.  I miss you all very much!  And to my family I want to say how much I love you and that next Christmas will be so very special for me.  Please take lots of pictures.  Jeff and Cristy, when you are running late to get to all the houses, please drive slow and careful on those icy roads.  I promise you arriving late and safe is much better.   The same goes to you Laura.  

Merry Christmas.

With much Love,

Katie

Let the Festivities Begin

Happy December.  I am officially down to my last two months in South Africa.  I have heard December is a crazy month here.  I am a bit curious and anxious at the same time.  Thankfully our official classes are ending this week in the township so I won’t have to worry about some drunk guy throwing anything at me or my car.  Next week we are taking the kids on their summer camp.  (So weird that it is summer in December.) There will be 100 of us total.  Oh my goodness, that should be a blast.    

Before I catch you up, I must first tell you about the soccer game that I mentioned in my last post.  I am so happy and proud to say that U.S.A. WON!!!  I couldn’t believe it.  The stadium was packed.  It was incredible.  A blur of Yellow & Green.  It was at the stadium where the World Cup was held.  Those $13.00 tickets that I figured would be in the nose bleed section ended up being amazing seats, 1st section, 11th row and close to the goal, so I had a perfect view when U.S.A. scored.  (I wondered what the 3rd level, super high tickets cost.. probably like $2.00.)   The game was amazing.  Although the match was quite boring as both teams had excellent defense, so U.S.A. didn’t score until the 87th minute of the game.  I jumped out of my seat like a mad woman and started screaming and hollering and clapping.  I was so excited.  I have no idea what came over me, but it was such a cool experience to be in South Africa when my country was playing and WE won.  The people around me weren’t so happy about me cheering but I didn’t care. Ohhh and those STUPID blow horns.  I can’t even imagine what the World Cup was like.   My goodness I wanted to take those horns and hit people with them.  Hit them hard.  My ears were ringing all night.   The South African fans were just nuts and I tell you what - those Africans know how to do a proper “wave” around the stadium.  Over and over and over.   I guess that’s what you do when no one is scoring.   I think I spent more time watching the wave go around the stadium then the game.

Things at Kuyasa have been very good.  I continue to work with the older students.  Some of them I help study and show them tips on studying more effectively.  Others I work with on figuring out what they should study.  Some of them just want to talk and use me as a counselor (which I love.)  It has been great and part of me is curious whether or not I should consider going back to school to try to get a masters in some type of counseling.  It gives me such satisfaction talking one on one with the kids and they all open up to me about their issues, difficulties and fears.   I have connected with quite a few of them and I honestly feel our conversations have impacted some of them.  I have encouraged them to deal with some of these issues and to have the courage to try and get an education so they can get out of the life that haunts them.  

I am still so amazed at their faith level.  We have a prayer meeting every Monday morning to start off the week.  In the Xhosa culture they worship by singing, so we start it off with a couple songs.   I bet that sounds dreadful to most of you, but I promise you - it is some of the most beautiful songs I have ever listened to.  No instruments.  Just their voices.  They are powerful and melodic.  They all seem to know the exact moment to feed off of each other and go into their own little harmonies or echos.   I’m not a music person but I just sit there in awe every Monday morning and I try to sing along, but most of the time I get choked up realizing again... “Oh my Word.  I am in Africa.”   Then they sing parts of it in their native language (which I love even more because then I can honestly just sit there and listen.)  It is very cool.  When they pray, they all pray out loud, at the same time, which is so strange to me.  I try so hard to concentrate on my own prayer but all I hear is the other voices and then I catch myself trying to hear what they are praying about.  OH my goodness, I am terrible!   I am used to praying silently to God, unless I am praying at small group or a prayer for a meal... but when they all pray I need my ear plugs.  I think that is why they all pray so loud and with such power and passion ... they need to hear themselves think.   Maybe my very last Monday I will surprise them by praying even LOUDER then them and see how they like it.  LOL.

Onto the exciting news which some of you already know!  I have been mentoring Yandiswa more since I helped her apply at the Universities.  We have spent much time together during the weekends and I have talked her through many different options and her goals and plans for the next few years.  Unfortunately she was declined at all 3 Universities, which I sadly had to share with her.  The good news though is that she met all academic standings and they said she would have been approved, but we were just too late on applying.  Both of her programs of choice were filled back in September.   So, I took her to meet the Admissions Director at MSC College (which was my back up plan) and the meeting went very well.  There is an International Bookkeeping program that she is interested in and it still has spaces available starting mid January.  This is a 3 year program, but after 1 year she would receive a certificate which would allow her to get a nice paying job (for S.A. standards) and continue her studies on Saturdays if by chance she couldn’t get a scholarship for 2012. 

As I mentioned to some of you, I feel a very strong desire to help Yandiswa.  She is unlike all the other students I have met.  She has a very sweet & humble character, with a dream to study and create a new life for herself.   She wants to give back and help other children with unfortunate circumstances.   She has no parental support or older siblings that can offer any financial assistance.  I would like to help her with her 1st year of college to get her a “kick-start”.  I honestly feel with the mentoring and knowledge I have provided her that next year she will successfully apply for the Universities and Bursary’s on her own and get accepted.  The full year cost for this ICB accredited program (which includes all books, registration and exam fees) is R19,000 - which is roughly$2,700.   I have already raised R2000 on this side, so that leaves $2,400 to raise.  I will be contributing to this fund and I ask that you consider it as well. 

This will be the one and only time I will “officially” ask for your help before I leave here.  I will drop it after this as I don’t want to offend anyone or jeopardize friendships.  It is not my intention to come across annoying and begging.  I know that asking for any financial assistance is a very touchy subject now with the economy.  However I also know how much just 1 American dollar can help over here.  So many of you reading this blog have mentioned to me before “Please let me know how I can help you, or if you need me to send you anything.”  This my friends, is how you can help me.  Forget the packages, forget the gifts, letters or phone calls.  This is our chance to send an underprivileged broken child to college.  I believe this girl will change the lives of others someday.  She has a true pay it forward attitude.  For those of you in the holiday spirit who sometimes adopt a family or a child, think about Yandiswa and possibly supporting her with $20. or so.  If we all just put a little bit in the bucket we could pay for an entire year of education.   How many of us during the Christmas holidays over-buy on gifts just because we like to shop and feel good about giving?  Please consider buying one or two less gifts this season and using that money for Yandiswa.  Buy a few less bags of Hershey Kisses.

I have set up a special account through Kuyasa’s NGO “Lead To Serve Inc.” in California.  Any money that is received for her will be wired directly to Kuyasa who will then make the necessary payments to MSC College for her.  This non-profit organization should provide a tax donation 5013C receipt for any of the donations received.  I have set up this account in the states to simplify the process for us and avoid wiring fees, which are around $30.   The organization will handle all the fees.  If by chance I can raise enough for her, any additional money will be donated to the Kuyasa Education Fund to use for other students who need financial assistance for application fees in 2011.

If you are interested in helping to send this child to college, please let me know.  I have both the mailing address and the electronic banking info that I can send you, with instructions regarding what to reference.  I sincerely hope you consider helping just a bit.  My email:  katiedilks@gmail.com.  Thank you.

My next post will be about the end of year summer camp with the kids.  I will be sure to take a lot of photos.  I am on the games & adventure committee, so I feel very sorry for those children.  Have you heard of Survivor??

Have a blessed Christmas season!  Love, Katie