Thursday 29 August - Msholozi

Our team meets with Charles and Siza

  Msholozi

After a day to settle in at Mercy Air we joined a team from the Africa School of Missions to help.at a local community clinic in the informal settlement of Msholozi.  Many of the people who live here are undocumented - perhaps their birth was snot registered by their parents or maybe they are refugees from Mozambique, Swaziland or Zimbabwe. Thw community has a feel of temporary existence, but it is growing in size and numbers at a rapid pace.

There is no health provision Msholozi and only one school ( fora population of about 80,0000 people)

We arrived at the clinic at 8am and there was already a queue of about 30 people waiting to be seen..  We helped to set up the large amount of medical equipment and we were then introduced to Elle-Marie who was instrumental in setting up the clinic, and she told us about  a clear sense that she felt that God wanted there to be provision for the people who live in Msholozi.  It is a remarkable story, and well worth hearing.

We then met Charles, a local community volunteer who visits people.and in their homes and links them up to the clinic and the remarkable Volunteer run school for undocumented children. We went to visit the school together an on.thw way he told us about some of the problems which exist for those who live in Msholozi. At thw school (held above and behind a disused shop) we met the volunteer headteacher, Siza.   we had chance to visit lessons where children who may never be  allowed to take South African exams were being taught by caring volunteers in calm and ordered classes. It was a moving experience to see such people refusing to accept that 'nothing can be done.'   

Some of the homes in Msholozi

We walked back to the clinic and played with the children whose parents were waiting to be seen. Simple games and colouring activities were well received and we all enjoyed rhe delight which they showed.

Bubbles seem popular today

Meanwhile, all the Africa School of Missions team were busy seeing the patients who were waiting. Their work was caring, thorough and attentive.

We said our goodbyes and left at around 1pm. The nursing  staff continueduntil after 4pm without a break. Our afternoon involved packing donated clothes for some of the neediest in Msholozi and after a final team meeting we enjoyed a BBQ (Braii) with Paul.and Cathy Middleton and Nigel and Erin Trainor who had hosted us at Mercy Air

As our last full day in South Africa draws to a close we agreed that we have so.much to give thanks for- and feel privileged to have been able to meet the many remarkable people we have in our time here.  our job now moves with us back to the UK to speak up for those who have no voice.