Friday 21 February 2020

Friday 21 February 2020 - our last day in Mafambisa


Today we sang songs at the community prayer in Mafambisa. It was very powerful and happy, and it brought lots of people together. Even though they had lots of troubles and worries they had a smile on their faces and danced along with the singing.  
The family we visited on the home visit we went on was very happy to see us and greeted us with big smiles. The children were very good and doing well in school and they loved going there. Luckily they had papers to be able to go to school. Lots of people opened up on the home visit and we discovered the children were often left on their own. The care workers are now going to keep checking on the houses so they are safe. There are 10 people living in the house.  

Daisy 
Today I have realised how different our lives really are with those we meet in the communities and how hard it can be for them, but they still come together and smile and laugh. Also, we went to meet a boy called Vernon*. He is 16 and was in primary school. He had forgotten to give the school the form to get into high school and wasn’t allowed in because he didn’t have a birth certificate. He lived with his aunty who was also 16 and didn’t have a birth certificate either, but was already in high school. He had recently broken his arm because his bike didn’t have any brakes and he had crashed into someone else. He was meant to go to the hospital today for a check up, but he missed it and wasn’t interested in going late because he didn’t have the money to travel to the hospital. He said that because he missed his appointment he would be fined 40 Rand which he didn’t want to pay. The care workers said they would help to provide the bus fair to get to the hospital and encouraged him to go. 
Leyton 
Tonight we were invited to eat with Jen and Dan from Hands at Work, and their family. We were treated to a lovely meal and enjoyed relaxing after a long, hot day.