We thought we would write about some funny little stories about life in Zonke in this post. Recently the weather has changed and most days are cold and windy and it rains occasionally but only for 5 minutes at a time every 200 minutes over a period of a couple hours. During those 5 minutes it sounds like a war zone with the heavy rain beating on the tin roof of our container (or our tin can as my mom calls it). Something about this deafening noise makes Naveed feel the need to jump up and laughingly dance around the room yelling things to me that there's no way I can hear.
Yesterday we went to our second feast here. Before feast we were getting ready and Naveed shaved but he had to do this in the dark shower room and we don't have a mirror really, we have a shard of glass about the size of my hand that we use as a mirror. Lets just say his facial hair has seen better days and he was upset because I didn't notice/tell him until we were in the taxi half way to feast. Unfortunately, when we got to the taxi the only 2 seats left were in the front. Whoever sits in the front, next to the driver, has to collect the money from everyone and give proper change then give the driver his fare. No one seemed to have any small bills so we were left sitting in the front with a pile of 100 rand notes and no change to give anyone for the 10.5 rand fare! How embarrassing!
Feast was held in another township about an hour away at the home of one of the Baha'is. The assembly had donated money to build a little classroom adjoining his house where he holds children's and junior youth classes. Afterwards we went to the home of Koketso and Masande. It was Masande's birthday and her whole family was over. It reminded Naveed of family dinner back home, lots of people, loud talking and yelling, good food, and laughter.
There is a lady who volunteers at the centre who is in charge of the garden. She has been gone for a couple weeks and during that time Naveed took it upon himself to plant some carrots. When she came back this week she was not too impressed as the carrots had sprouted. There's about 200 carrot plants in a one foot by one foot square and no other carrots anywhere else in the six feet by six feet plot! Naveed would like me to add here that he is claiming this isn't true!
Although there is a truck that comes and collects garbage (apparently) once a week, people here find it easier to just burn their garbage and many of them do it on the vacant field next to the centre. We get lovely aromas of burning trash and plastic every few days wafting into our room. They also burn the garbage here at the centre occasionally. Friday, in a meeting with the staff while planning next weeks curriculum and activities, I suggested we do something about the environment. Naveed went on to give a speech about how burning plastic is very harmful to the environment and about the ozone layer and the hole(s) in it... The staff were very shocked to hear this and want us to teach the kids about it...
On days when the kids don't come to the centre we go on home visits to their homes to check on them and see how they're doing and show love and support, and for the children who are HIV positive we make sure everything is going well with their medication and their check-ups at the hospital. It's really nice for us to be welcomed into their homes and learn more about each of the children.
Today my friend from my service in Haifa, Hendrick, made the trip out to Zonke from Joburg to visit us. We showed him around and had some kota. He said this is a very traditional/rural township, not like any of the others he's ever been to and said it felt like a different world over here... It was nice to have a friend visit us in our tin can.
We're looking forward to the 2nd of November when TELIA comes to visit and our upcoming trips with her!!! YIPPEE!!!
Bye for now,
The Wandering Two
