Ja-boo-lani Africa

Ah, demela.

It has been a couple of weeks now, I was able to spend them up on mountain top. A couple from California came to stay with us. They were so much fun to have around, I learned a lot from the guy, he reminded me of Andrew Clark. And the wife and I were always laughing, she actually reminded me of Miss Lauren Jung.

I dont want to carry on about every last detail, so I will give you some highlights, and then let you in on my absolute best day.


I was able to see the milky way, and a constellation called 'three sisters' very clearly each night.

I braided an entire head of cornrows.


I visited a cultural village and sipped beer with the chief.


I went on what was probably the hardest hike of my life. Hard in got my heart going, but also, just sketchy. I found a bright green grasshopper about two inches long, in my shorts! We walked through tight tight bushes, and lots of unknown water. It was all to reach some natural pools though, where Mary and I got gutsy and took a bath.


We went to a Lion park and went on a Safari drive. There we got to eat incredible burgers right beside the lions, and go on a neat jeep tour.




Another highlight was the time I got to spend with the ladies I work with. I remember when I was in Mexico, how great it was to cook, even though I was horrible, with the ladies we were building for. Usually I sit and have tea with them, but when we were on the mountain, I got to do a whole bunch of laundry with them.


My favorite place that visited during those two weeks was a shack church in Qwa
Qwa. It is a church of about 50 people held in a little tin shack. The pastors name was Stumpy and he was the kind that shouts AMEN! (with everyone saying it after). They sang with the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. I moved to stand beside this lady who just belted it out. She shook her bum and clapped her hands, she was incredible to stand beside. (I am going to try and post some video later). We had a little contest back at the orphanage and picked 5 kids to come with us and we preformed some songs. One song, is called Jaboolani Africa. It means, sing for joy Africa... It is so fun to dance to.



Ok, and now the full day to mention. It started out about 5:45am with a wonderful sunrise.

We hiked to cliff called Pride Rock that oversees most of the town to read for a while. Then we came back, had a regular day at the Care Center, and then older kids started coming around 3 or 4. We saw a bit of an afternoon storm coming on so we invited a couple of them in. Now earlier this day, I had almost burnt my face off. I really don't know how I avoided it, but I poured cold water into boiling oil, thinking it would cool it down. Huge explosion. So to make up for my severe lack in cooking skills, I hosted a tea party for some people. I loved it. We were able to sit with this guys and really get to know them. At one point though, we found out that the two of them had each lost both of their parents. The girl started crying and the boy just became quiet. I could not believe this from them, every day that I see them they have the biggest smiles on out of any person on the mountain. It was sad to see them like this, but we were able to cheer them up and play some cards. That night, the storm was terrifying. I slept in my own room, with a tin roof, and the hail and thunder kept me completely, wide eyed awake. Very scary.


And then, the child that has become like my daughter as I have never heard of or seen a single member of her family. She is like a cat to me. She will sit with me for hours and I could talk and talk and talk. She just takes it all in, sometimes lets a little noise out. One of her fingernails was pulled back completely, just hanging on, and it was rotting underneath. I had no idea until she hurt it playing. We decided to pull it off because it would have come off in such an unpleasant way otherwise. That made me so sick, she didn't cry, she just cringed and them squirmed a bit. Her name is shweshe, or mongshwesh.


And lastly, here is a picture of the craft we did yesterday. We are studying the ten plagues of Egypt with the kids, and we made DARKNESS glasses with them.



thank you for reading,
I hope you are all healthy and happy,
love Nicole