As I sit here and begin to write my first blog post of my Thembalethu adventure there are a few things that I have promised myself, first is that I will not exaggerate, and second is that I will not sugar coat anything, my plan is to tell it like it is, even if it does not sound glamourous.
As soon as I drove over the bridge and into Thembalethu I felt like I was once again home, it was like so many of the dreams that I have had over the past year and a half, hard to believe that I am finally here again. It is just how I remembered, lots of people outdoors, children playing, groups of people congregating outside around a man who is singing and of course the free range cows that roam wherever their hearts feel like taking them. I love Thembalethu, it is the only place that I really feels like home here in South Africa. I walked into the front door and Mama was there to give me a gigantic hug, the entire family was so happy to see me and I felt like dancing. These are the people who treated me like family when I was here last, and the same people who have yet again embraced me and welcomed me into their home for this next adventure.
At first glance it appears that Zone 4 is actually doing better! There are more government houses which is wonderful, people now have a roof and walls, but there are still many many families living in shacks that are close to falling over. There is still much work to be done!
My first night.....oh dear, one thing that has been a huge shock to me is not the tarantulas that I feared, but the millions of fleas that have descended upon this community. My first night was unlike anything I have ever experienced and sadly it is considered normal here, fleas, fleas and more fleas. I didn't sleep at all that first night, I spent the entire night being eaten alive. Today I sit here with more than 100 flea bites. This is not acceptable, and people should not have to live like this. Over the next few days I will purchase an enormous supply of flea spray so we can fumigate the entire property.
When I last visited this house it was in fact two shacks, one that was here before my arrival and one that I built for Gcinisizwe and his son. It was not an easy place to live. There was no outhouse. Today however things are better for this family, slightly, at least now they have a two room, very simple house that I will me sleeping in. Stumo, the youngest brother lives in his own shack behind the main house. He likes it that way because at least now he has privacy.
I spent the last two days canvassing the neighbourhood and taking stock of each school aged child, and getting their school uniform sizes. Children here need uniforms in order to go to school and with 80% of the people being unemployed it comes at a great expense. Luckily I have a wonderful donor in Canada who has donated enough funds so that each child in Zone 4 can receive a school uniform. It was so nice to walk through Zone 4 and see where each family lives. Everyone is so friendly here and they were happy to welcome us into their homes. Some people live in “fancy” houses, some in shacks, everyone struggles though, there is not a lot to go around here.
Next step is to go to PEP, a local store here, to purchase all the uniforms, it should be quite an obstacle, I am going t0 clean the place out! Stay tuned!
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