Here is the latest newsletter from my friend Maureen, who runs Our Journey, an organization that helps children with HIV/Aids in Africa. To learn more please click here http://www.ourjourneyinc.org/
Some moments you want to keep in your heart forever …. I have always had an easy time giving, but receiving continues to be a struggle for me. I find myself in so many humbling situations lately …. Today is one I will cherish forever. Mildred took off to the unknown this morning and I was left by myself for the day … Because of safety reasons, I am not allowed to venture away from my yard without a local Zulu person with me. So I was sitting under a shade tree reading a book when four Zulu woman joined me…they had their craft work (bead work) with them…they did not speak any English so we just sat together smiling at each other. They proceeded to do their work…only one needle between them; they took turns sharing it back and forth… one of the older woman appeared to be having a problem seeing well enough to thread the needle, I went inside and got her a pair of my reading glasses…and also brought them four needles so each woman could have their own needle …. You would have thought that I had given them the world, they were so appreciative…their eyes said it all. It was getting close to lunch time, I went in the house and heated the pan of homemade chicken soup I made the day before; I carried four cups out to them along with a soft roll… If I did not know better I would have thought I was serving royalty in the palace garden. It was difficult for me to take it all in without crying; they kept bowing their heads to me with a smile so wide and were so thankful. We have so much to learn from these gracious people. Why do we always think more is better, we never have enough and never seem satisfied? I am humbled in their presence!
Another day -
So many exciting things happening here! Our Journey is sponsoring a dinner (with meat – this is big treat for these people) this afternoon for the Zulu traditional dance group and their families. They will perform for their parents today with borrowed costumes; they have been practicing to the drum beat non stop in my yard. The group consists of about forty children, about 15 of them from our after school program, Grades 1-7 and the other f are high school children from all over the community. It has been fun watching them; they have been waiting anxiously for this day to finally arrive. I was not sure how Mildred was going to handle all of the work that would be involved to prepare food for so many people. I need to learn to not sweat the small stuff, last night five of the parents showed up at my house to start cutting up the chickens. Early this morning a parent and about 10 children from the dance group showed up to start cutting up the vegetables and start cooking the meat. The radio is blaring in the background to South African rock music as the children dice about 20 onions, all eyes watering: this is really a sight to behold. It is rainy outside and I am not sure how we will deal with that, but again, I need to remind myself to not sweat the small stuff!
Some of our guests have arrived 4 hours early in the rain …
Life is good! To be continued……
Well looks like all is taken care of, it’s still raining but little did I know all morning their were about 15 older children working like busy bees cleaning up Mildred’s old chicken house that has not been used in years … yep, we are having our dinner and entertainment in the chicken house, again I say…it feels like we are having royalty for dinner …. It’s all in your perspective! Life is “really” good!!! The party was a great success, we had enough empty beer crates to seat everyone, and we stayed dry. It was not a problem that we watched the children dance through a chicken wire fence.
