Getting into the Groove!!

So we’ve been here less than a week and I cannot believe all that's happened!! We are still getting used to the agency and exploring the different programs so we don’t have one specific duty. We have done multiple home visits that at times turn into day trips so our time at the (actual) agency has been more limited. However when we are there we start work at 9 and usually go till 4:30. The children aren’t back from school until 2 or 3 so if we don’t afternoon plans we stay around and hang out after work hours. We are still just getting to know the children so a lot of our time is spent outside. There are 3 cottages with 2 units in each building and as we get used to each cottage we will do more things with them. At this point many of the kids have discovered my ability to use sign so almost everyday I am teaching new vocabulary. Some of them have really caught on and I am excited to see how much they know by November.

In the beginning, it was kind of strange because we felt we were being more of a nuisance than anything, just hanging around not doing a whole lot. But as of recently I can tell they understand we want to do whatever to help them so now they are giving us more work. Luckily, the workers are more than happy to have us join them on home visits and we get a chance to leave our “compound.” Since our neighborhood is on the “rougher” side of Cape Town and we don’t have transport we are very dependent on the aid of other people. God bless the ones who have seen “pity” on us!! Lord knows it has been very needed.

(This is the non "rough" side of Cape Town)

 Another fun aspect is that the agency has 3 set tea times:10 am, 1am (lunch) and 3pm. It has been odd to adjust to this 15/30 minute break but now I thoroughly understand why my Grandpa (born and raised an Irishman) is dead set on having tea multiple times a day. Just watch,  I’ll come back to the states addicted to English breakfast tea and coffee breaks will be a thing of the past. My love is still present but coffee has become more of a rarity since the only type at our disposal is instant. There are little coffee shops around the city and when we are out I’ll get my 2 dollar (I know, right?) latte but apart from that, tea is my go to.

Last week we were delighted to join Carrie and Errol ( My friend Becki Faulk’s sister and brother in law. We have been so blessed to have them live 5 minutes from us) on our fist Cape Town hike. We were met by their friends Ben and Emily and together we trotted up one of the many peaks. We did the Lions head hike (at sunset) and well… I understood why people say Cape Town is the most beautiful place in the world. It was an hour-ish hike to the top and by the end we could see the entire city. Apparently, it was full moon but since it was cloudy we had a distorted view! After, they took us to tastiest and cheapest restaurant called Indian Food Bizarre and for dessert we had 10 rand Gelato (roughly $1.25).

(Carrie and Errol)

(The view of the 12 apostles from Lion's Head)

Friday we went with some of the workers on an Isinbindi visit!!  Isinbindi is a project where they train youth care workers in a community to do home care and preventative work. They will often work with Child headed households and make sure all needs are being covered. We traveled and hour or so through the mountains up to a mountain township. The Isinbindi office was a little metal transport box in the center of a middle school. They were planning to train 6 more Isinbindi workers and though space will be limited they aren’t worried. We saw the interview standard and learned more about the expectations of a care worker. The workers who drove us may be the funniest/oddest couple. They bicker and pick on each other as if they are an old married couple and every time we drive with them they have snacks, hahaha!! Tia and I will look over at each other and just laugh at the situations we are in. At times we will be stopped on the side of the road in the middle of a township buying Nik Naks (their version of Cheetos) from a women and asking if she knows where a certain person lives. So random but so great!! I just love my job!!

The cook/cleaner will also save us food and Rose, our roommate, will bring us food if she goes to one of the cottages for a special celebration. Usually we prepare and purchase our own food but it is special to know we are being thought of. She also told us she would miss us this weekend when we went to stay with a couple I have connections to. Isn’t she the cutest??

Praise the Lord we made it through our first week!

Be encouraged and message me if anything wonderful happens back home!!

(More Views of the Cape from Lion's Head)

Grace and Peace

-Kay