July can fly

If July could fly...  wait, I'm sure it did!!!  How else do you explain that it's gone.  Over.  Extinguished.  Sigh.  I'm loosing grasp of time.

I hope this summer is treating you well and I'm pretty honored you are stepping out of the sun to read this blog post.  It's better for your skin anyway, so you can thank me later.  We were having a pretty mild winter by South African standards here, until I must have done something unforgivable and mother nature literally started testing me (until I rebuked it African-style and it has been behaving again).  I was in full survival mode for a while and a girl can drink only so much tea.

Luckly for her, little sister Charlene flew away to Manitoba for 5 weeks on July 21... just on time to not get punished by mother nature and to skip my birthday!!!  What is it with relatives and knowing they will get away with this kind of stuff???  Seriously tho, it has been great having her here and introducing us to people, and just catching up with her and learning more about the ministry she has been doing here for the last year.  It is also a great comforting feeling to be together with her here!!  She even introduced us to her version of Christmas in July.  So fun!!

Christmas in July

House
We love our house here and my favorite thing is that it has a bigger dinning room than our house in Niverville, and we have had people over more than ever before!!  

Hope Africa staff

The challenge for me is getting used to a smaller fridge while feeding multitudes :)  

I'm also very thankful to have my favorite helper becoming a brilliant chef with his magic pink apron:

Making pizza

Pray we find something similar as we only have this place for 3 months, and it’s been so good to host people!!!  We have been looking at a few other places, but have not secured anything yet.  Keep praying would you?


Jobs

One thing that we have learned since coming here is that people travel great length to get to work.  Can you imagine traveling 2 hours one way on the public train, bus or taxi to earn less than how much many of us in Canada earn in one or two hour?  Yet these people are so willing and grateful for the chance to work.  With such high rates of unemployment in this country, anyone can afford to pay their workers so little because there will always be someone willing to do the job.

There are often people who walk up to our house to ask if we need anything thing done, if they can wash our car, etc.  There are many people, including children, begging in the streets.  It's hard knowing that we cannot help everyone.

Garbage day
Garbage day for us means treasure hunt for others.  We bring our rubbish bin (I can't get enough of that word) to the end of the road and people walk around with stolen shopping carts and begin to dig through our trash in search for food and or any "treasures".  I have since learned to put the nappies (diapers) in CLEAR bags so they don't have to touch those or smell them too much.  I try to put some muffins on top in the garbage for whoever opens it first.  It breaks my heart.
(photo property Ralph Higgo - Cape Town)

 

Backing up is a "challenge"
People are really desperate for work and I believe this is how this job was create.  You park you car, go shopping and when you return, the car guards run to you to help you out with anything, hoping to get a tip.  They "guard" your car while you shop, help you park it, and direct you out as you back up.  We're learning to carry change on us to tip all those people who help us, whether or not we need it.  Can you imagine Mike requiring assistance to back up a car???  Thankfully for him, I realized that if you tip the person BEFORE getting in the car, they quickly go to the next car and you can freely back up at your own risk ;)  I on the other hand, gladly welcome any help I can get with this silly driving on the left side thing.  Sadly card guards have been banned in some areas and thus taking away jobs for people who really need it.

Cleaning with cow dung
Yes, with cow poop.  In the country side and other place in Africa (and the world), people clean with cow manure.  And cook with it too.  But clean?  That's the part I struggle with.  It sounds like an oxymoron...  Clean with poop.  They even like the smell (yes I had to ask for clarity...).  I admit I had a hard time eating my food while having THIS conversation.

Markets
South Africa is big into market.  There is probably a different market everyday!!!  It surely helps to get cheap goods (some goods were found in your neighbor's garbage)!!!  We have been able to get our produce pretty much all at markets and are enjoying getting to try different food.  At some market, you can purchase random expired goods that are clearly exported from North America or Europe, like deodorant, shavers, vitamins, feminine products, ...  It's quite something!!  There are also a lot of hand made things and crafts from all over Africa.  I like to support local business whenever I can and markets are fantastic for that.