2011 South Africa Travels to Date

BLOG… 7-26-11

Today we focused on the monthly meeting of the VMS HIV/AIDS Women’s Support Group. Eleven women attended today’s meeting. Our goal was to discuss the viability of sustainable work, work which they are capable of performing and would enjoy. The outcome was positive and encouraging. A ‘Becky’s Buddies’ comfort doll project is in the making. Watch our website for more information.

BLOG.. 7-25-11

Saturday was a memorable day at VMS. Local children who are either on ARV meds or about to begin the medication are participants in the first-ever (in the continent!) youth ARV workshop facilitated by children. We are beyond thrilled to be witness to this history-making gathering. Saturday they were busy preparing a drama that they had collaboratively written and hope to share with surrounding villages in an effort to break the stigma of HIV. With help from the Scottish volunteers everyone broke into small groups to paint the backdrop scenery and practice lines. Laughter! Mutual Support! Team Spirit! A joy to watch. More information on the ARV workshop when we return to USA.

BLOG...7-22-11

We arrived safely with warm greetings from our SA friends. How wonderful to know that ‘smiles’ and ‘friendship’ has no language barriers. Unfortunately we have had great difficulty communicating with friends back home: international phone is not programmed correctly and internet is sketchy thus the delay in blogging. Hopefully all are bearing with us.

We’ve accomplished much in the week that we’ve been here but we still have much to do and a very short time left in Limpopo. Jo spent the first week with Fiona, the Director of TVEP, discussing important pending projects that are awaiting funding while Tricia and I have focused our efforts on Vhutshilo Mountain School.

Mr. Makwarela, Vice-Chairman of the VMS school board, took time out of his busy day to watch us model a K teaching lesson. We bought some much needed school supplies and have managed to model sample lessons in all of the classes.
We were a bit overwhelmed when entering the preschool class and 34 active preschoolers ages 2-5 years swarmed us! Darling children but as any teacher knows, it is very difficult to control 34 children in one class, much less 2-5 year olds with very few educational supplies at their disposal. Before the week was out we succeeded in organizing the entire preschool classroom which allowed the teacher to prepare her lessons more efficiently.

We were thrilled to learn that 10 Scottish university volunteers had paid R35 per day for housing at VMS. They have been assigned to work with CPC (Center for Positive Care) and the Jumbo Primary School while boarding at VMS. They are such willing participants and ready to help us with many spontaneous projects around the school during their free time.

There is so much more to share but time eludes us and the school children await!

WE’RE HEADING BACK!

We cannot believe that it has been 2 years since we last saw our dear (young and old) South African Friends. And even less believable is the fact that we will be returning to the Limpopo Province in little more than a week. Our flight leaves JFK on July 13th bound for Johannesburg then a quick hopper plane to Polokwane where we will get a driver to take us the last 2 hours to Thathe Vondo our final destination. A long journey to be sure, but the thoughts of seeing our Vhutshilo Mountain School children and friends, our Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Program colleagues and grateful recipients, and the brave HIV/AIDS afflicted women in the Women’s Support Group make us anxious for the journey to begin!

We have specific goals for this trip. We’ve gotten news that the Child Witness Room has already been constructed with the Paul Newman’s Own grant money we received thanks to our nomination from Bob. Hopefully, while there, we can determine what extra money we may need to raise for a nourishment garden, a toilet block, room furnishings and comfort toys. In the past, HFL has sent money for the Women’s Bead Project, Elisa’s new roof, Freda’s new home, the children’s quarterly ARV workshop for area children who are battling the ARV drug regime as well as a few smaller projects. It is our intent to try to see firsthand the fruits of YOUR labor while we are in the area. Thank you Meryl and Laura for giving us an idea of what we must capture with photographs and video.

Additionally, we are resolved to collaborate with both VMS and TVEP to determine the future role HFL can play towards ensuring the longevity of our charities. We hope to discuss the creation and viability of self sustaining programs like ‘Becky’s Buddies’; a goat project; a craft/dry agri group network; new curriculum for VMS; training programs for teachers/volunteers in Limpopo Province; new children’s workbooks to teach them about HIV; and an agriculture component to our efforts. Perhaps you get the gist that this trip will be a fact-finding/planning mission.

We are pleased to share this journey with 3 young travelers who have asked to accompany us. Tricia, a graduate of Stonehill College and master of many aptitudes, will travel with us the entire trip. Cristopher, a doctor at Boston Medical Center and Amy, a teacher in Plymouth, MA will join us for the last 10 days of our journey.

Wistfully we wish that each of you could also join us, knowing full well that you have each contributed something to make Hope for Limpopo possible. We are packing our suitcases with goods that many have sent especially for the children: more precious handmade dresses from 6 and 8 year old Julia and Sabrina and their grandmother Karen as well as some from Debbie and Jan; 50 warm knit caps from Julia and Sabrina’s great grandmother and her church knitting group; handmade T-shirt ‘baggies’ (shorts) as well as assorted items and books from Sarah, Catherine and Cristina; additional ‘pillowcase’ dresses from the Westfield High School sewing class; a gross of bracelets and bouncy balls from Pat and Tom; head scarves from Karen, Sarah and SalGal for the women who volunteer at VMS; numerous much-needed school supplies from the teachers at Indian Brook School. We continue to be amazed that each and every item was unsolicited, rather, given from the depths of their own hearts! Beyond the donation of material goods we had behind-the-scene folks like Matt and Select Design who donated the T-shirts for the ‘baggies’. Can you just visualize some little South African schoolboy running around wearing a pair of ‘Phish’ baggies? We owe a debt of gratitude to people like Sally, Gene, and others who donated material and pillowcases from which the dresses were made. Advance Mfg Co and their employees (especially Joe and Tom) are always graciously willing to box up necessary items for us….thank you. Of course, monetary considerations such as those just given by Pat M, Joe and Jan, Anthony and Norma are always appreciated. Beyond the tangible items, emotional support and encouragement from family and friends are priceless. Those of you who are longtime supporters but who have not been specifically mentioned in this blog will also be tenderly transported to South Africa in our hearts.

Please try to follow us on our (almost) month-long journey. We will make every attempt to find internet access along the way, however, know that we must travel great distances to make this possible so bear with us!

See you back in the states on August 9th!