Same, same but different!

It is good to be back! It is very nice to see all the kids again and it feels like I haven't been gone for 1,5 years. Besides the fact that the children have grown older, some of them went back to their families and some new ones arrived and Mother of Peace has had some very good changes.

I am very impressed by the homeworkroom, computerroom, theatre, English classes, new houses, new church and offices. It is all very professional. However these things are all material things. And despite the fact that these are all in place, some of the same problems and challenges still influence the behavior of the kids. Of course these tangible things need to be in order to help the kids, but it feels like now is the time to start focusing on the causes of the challenges instead of healing the effects.

Thank god MOP has some incredible people working here. I am very impressed by two of them: Wilma and Brie. Both were volunteers last year, who after returning in Holland, couldn't quite let go of Africa. So they decided to go back for 1 year! The best thing to happen both for the kids and volunteers is to have a person there for a longer period!
 
It is their enthusiasm, understanding and love that makes me feel like MOP will survive! It will not only be a safe heaven for abandoned and abused children, but also a place in the community for people to get educated and get work. And it needs people like Wilma an Brie that devote a year of their life to make sure there is a continuation of projects that start up and volunteers that come. Wilma and Brie, keep up the amazing work!
 
So what have I been doing these last days? I played soccer, went to swimming lessons, we did a treasure hunt, went out for dinner, celebrated Xmas, did yoga with the housemoms and older children, watched a movie and danced! I had the luck to arrive while there was a bunch of great and active volunteers here! They even organized gourmet on Christmas day, so it was almost as being in Holland…almost that is... We were with 12, but unfortunately most off them left yesterday, so its four left. Next week a new group of active volunteers will arrive.
 
About the donated money, you probably want to know what I am doing with that. I have to tell you that the children here get loads and loads of presents during Xmas already. They are a little bit spoiled when it comes to material stuff….It is almost as if the material things need to compromise all the difficult things they have gone through. And we all know it doesn’t work that way. So, it is of no use now to give them even more presents at this point. I have the feeling that the children get enough, but the people that are here for the children sometimes are overlooked. For example, the gardeners. They clean the place, make it look beautiful with flowers, and are always friendly and helpful. They hardly have/get any money. So Brie brought them a Christmas box with healthy food for their family. And I decided I want to help financially with that. Then we have the housemoms, that hardly exercise and are a bit down lately. We are going to do yoga with them in the mornings so they get energized and happy again. We need an education video and mats for that. And the caregivers sometimes need a pad on the shoulders, so we sometimes spoil them with a night out (picture with the strawberry daquaries:)). And then there is still money left, which might even go to a ‘boring’ cause: the water bill.
 
Weather-wise it is unfortunately not as sunny as I hoped... We have had some good thunder and lighting, which you can look at via this link. The electricity at MOP is out at the moment, so it is cozy at night with candles. But they do expect better week next week, and they better be right because on Wednesday it is time to ride some waves and go surfing!
 
Keep you posted and talk to you later!
 
Love,
MJ

Picture 1: how many volunteers fit in a taxi?
Picture 2: a bunch of kids
Picture 3: Big smile and a bit shy
Picture 4: Yoyoyo, Thobile and MJ in da house:)
Picture 5: Out with caregiver Nuh
Picture 6: Remember the little, very sick boy I was holding in my arms 1,5 years ago?
Picture 7: The same boy, very cute and happy! Doing very well!
Picture 8: Foodparcers for the hard working gardeners
Picture 9: The gardeners&me.

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