It's been a sad week here, last weekend one of our local Zulu staff members died suddenly. Victor was sick for a few days with flu like symptoms and died within a few days of pneumonia. It has shocked all of us here; life can be wiped in a second. He has worked here as a driver for over three years and was respected and well liked by all the children, staff and volunteers alike. He is being buried today in the valley; almost everyone here is at his funeral as I type this journal. I stayed back because I have been sick with bronchitis and strep throat most of the week and it is cold and rainy here today. Zulu funerals last all day long and are held outside.

My roommate Libby from Australia leaves this Wednesday, it will create quite a void for me, I am finding one of the hardest things in being a volunteer here is so many of the good relationships I have formed are now gone. I can just imagine what the children must feel like.

Life does go on in spite of everything; I have enclosed some pictures I took of the children this week. The highlight of crèche this week is Phila got his first pair of shoes that are starting out brand new as his. This is a biggie!

I wish I had some news about Phila's adoption process but this will be a very slow process and could take a very long time. Please continue to keep my family in your prayers that we are able to take him home and that it can be done in a timely manner.

Again, thank you for your support!

Love,
Maureen

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Oct. 12, 2005

Update on the hospital visit last week -

After taking Thabiso's (from the valley) mother to a reputable hospital, where we knew she would have a better chance of receiving the attention she needed and deserved. We expected to be there a few hours, but not the nine, it became. She waited uncomplaining, as did all the others, though in great pain. We were the only impatient people there. She was subjected to many tests, and eventually admitted for the night, as they still needed to do a final blood test the next day. We left her, and promised we would call the next day. We did so, and were told that she had taken herself home, without waiting for the blood test results. We were dismayed, as it seemed we had wasted an entire day and a lot of money, and that we still did not know what we were dealing with. It seemed she just did not want to know, as so many people here. We slept very little that night, and felt that we could do no more. Everyone we spoke to told us to let it rest, but it was so discouraging. On an impulse Libby talked Ed (another volunteer she worked with at the preschool) into driving her down into the valley, Libby no longer had a rental car. Just before arriving at their home, she found Magdalena, Thabiso's mother, and her sister, sitting at the side of the road, still in excruciating pain waiting for a combi. You can not call for a taxi here. You just wait on the side of the road until a public taxi (combi) drives by with many many other local valley people all piled in and going different places. We had given her 100 Rand the day before for an emergency. This dear, brave lady had decided to face her fears, and return to the hospital under great difficulty to learn her test results. Libby’s heart almost broke. She and Ed reloaded them into the back of the truck and took her to the hospital. They were unable to wait, and knew they would be there quite some time. It is possible that they will transfer her to another hospital, where they will treat her. As I write this a few days later, we still do not know the outcome, but we are praying as devoutly as we can. We would like to think some other people are also.

She is home now, we still do not know much, the hospital sent her home after a few days of testing and she is still in pain but will be going back again. The language barrier creates great difficulties for us to discuss this with her.

On a brighter side we celebrated her son’s fifth birthday today, probably the first party Thabiso has ever had, Libby and I went to his home after school today, climbed that big rocky hill carting a cake, snacks and presents for everyone (thanks to friends of Our Journey who sent coloring books and crayons), a great time was had by all. Check out the pictures I am attaching, got some good ones of the new chickens and even some eggs. Libby leaves to go back to Australia in the morning she will be greatly missed!

Maureen

Ps, Of course I had to promise Libby I would watch over the family of 16 she is supporting while she is gone <grin>. She plans on coming back to volunteer at the preschool in the valley next March? I will be here waiting anxiously for her return.

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October 21, 2005

My roommates (all six of us) have been really sick with bronchitis; one of them ended up in the hospital with double pneumonia and has since gone home to recuperate. At the time of this writing we are all doing much better. We decided we think we will live! One day it is freezing cold here and the next day sweltering hot, I guess this is what spring is like here; summer will be here before we know it. The past month our rondavel has only had water for about an hour or two a day, we have been told it may be something that can't be fixed- now that is a challenge!

I would like to share some of the wonderful things Our Journey supporters have been doing; in the pictures I send you will see sand toys, pool toys, school supplies, craft supplies and even babies with florescent sunglasses on! All of these things have been sent from people at home. Take notice of the Itsy Bitsy Crèche sign hanging in our school, thank you George Horton for making it and sending it to us. We have also received many medical supplies recently, which were greatly needed and appreciated. I share most things you send with the clinic here and also families in the valley that have nothing. I am sending a picture of one of the teen age girls here that I have fallen in love with...she has nicknamed me "Fluffy".  Thank you all so much!!!

Something to make you smile, employees from my local post office in Darien, Georgia sent Our Journey a big box of supplies, toys, books, baby wipes etc. Also a local fisherman (shrimper) from my hometown had a low country boil to raise money for Our Journey, I have never even met this person. Bo, who is on Our Journey Board of Directors had a supply drive in Oklahoma City and shipped a pallet of supplies, they arrived in Durban, SA this past week and I need to figure out the process of the paperwork before we can clear customs and receive it. I will give you an update when this happens.

Some volunteers that have left have given me money to purchase things I need for my crèche babies, take notice of their new outfits in the pictures I am attaching. We even bought some new sterilization equipment and six months supply of the fluid. I am in the process of potty training two of my babies so we bought a new potty and some pamper pull-ups. Life does not get any better than this. Well if we had hot water it might be better, it has been 4 months since Mon's house (crèche) has had any hot water.

Update on precious baby Phila, most of you all ready know I am trying, God willing to pursue the adoption of Phila for my daughter Krissy and my son-in-law Ben. This will be a long process with many struggles along the way. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. I will be meeting with a private social worker (the one that handled the only two adoptions that have taken place here) in the very near future to get an idea of what is needed. I have to keep in mind I am on African time, which is not always the same as my timing. Because of this I am not sure when I will be coming home, my original date was next May but I will have to wait and see. My original plan was to come home in May 2006 for six months and do some fund raising to allow Our Journey to continue and then come back out in the field for six months every year thereafter. Hopefully Our Journey will be able to support others volunteer to come with me.

Thanks to everyone for all the support and the encouraging words you leave on the web site.

Maureen

www.ourjourneyinc.org 

Ps, Viola, the pictures on the web site looks awesome, thank you for all your hard work!!!

I just opened Our Journey September financials for donations... WOW!!! thank you so much to the people that have been making multiple donations and also thank you to the new people..some I don't even know.

A big thanks to the people from Oklahoma City that sent a pallet of supplies and to the people that paid for the postage for Bo to have it all shipped to South Africa! I continue to be so blessed by you all!!!