Linda's Story: Name Tags
In preparation for going to Sanyu Baby's Orphanage I was able to obtain a list of all the staff members and their areas of work, mothers, cleaners, laundry etc. The list was over 40 so I had suggest to Karine that doing name tags for everyone would help them and us get to know each other better. She agreed it was a good idea so we arrived with name tags and a marker the first day there.
Initially I started with writing our names and a few of the staff but then I turned it over to one of the others and went to work with the nurse.
Sometime later I met up with Karine and she was exploding with enthusiasm over what had taken place. She said: "Linda, they were lining up to get their name tags, they were coming from all areas to get one." It is amazing what a small thing gave the staff a feeling of identity and a feeling of being important, many of them were still wearing their name tags at the end of the week.
The following day when Karine gave the first Child Development Workshop to the staff she talked about how our name gives us our identity and how important it is to call the children, even the small babies, by their name.
Kath's Story: Robert, our Driver
At the beginning of the trip he was our driver but by the end, he was part of the team.
He went that extra mile and made our journeys interesting, taking us "short cuts" that he took just to give us different experiences.We all appreciated his patience and his willingness to carry out personal requests - stopping to buy oranges for Ecko when she was sick and fries for Bree.
Most importantly, he learned about issues in his city through us and took every opportunity to learn more:
- both he and I played with the same 10 month old little boy called Joshua at Welcome Home Orphanage - the same name as his own son
- he joined us for dinner at Sally's, learning about her King's Daughters Ministries
- he drove the orphans of the Elohim troupe the 60kms home after the concert which would mean quite a late night for him
I felt he enjoyed the two weeks with us as much as we enjoyed being with him.
Ecko's Story: Life Changing!
One thing to say about my trip to Africa is ... LIFE ALTERING! How so is the question I am immediately asked after that statement.
This is how I answer... life altering to see people in such harsh conditions smiling the biggest smiles ever (holding up a spoon right now) and grateful for the smallest things... our presence, our stories, our questions for them!
I then try to cram in as much as I can about my experiences at ERRC, Sanyu, Sally and the King's Daughters, Welcome Home, and Living Hope! I always end with, "If you ever get the chance to go to Africa... DO IT! Go and ask how you can be of service and then help! You'll never regret it! I'm going back!
Most impressive is the drive that each person that I met has.
Sally with her giving nature and helping those girls with the little resources that she has. Veronica, Susan and Liz for their long walks to the centre to either volunteer or read a book or two. Stellah, Lydia, Susan, and Rachel at Sanyu being so open to us coming in and teaching them new ways to interact with the kids. The faces of the children at Living Hope when we sat and read to them. And how the children at Welcome Home all called us Mommy and counted with us and held their hands out to us to stay when we had to leave.
