Highs and Lows

Last Saturday,we set our pitch outside Florence’s to sell the donated clothing and shoes.We had sorted the items into 3 price categories,R5,R10 and R20 (R15=1pound=1.15 euros).Soon we had to reduce everthing to between R1-R5.One very old lady picked up a pair of old,but warm,slippers;she said pointedly-but without looking me in the eye,as if she was ashamed of herself-I have no money!It kind of pulls the rug from underneath you when you are looking for a good haggle!A young teenager,having just paid R5 for a quality worsted jacket,was parading around,clearly feeling ``the man’’.But it must have been 3 sizes too big for him!A good number of people went away with clothing at prices they could just afford,others had fun trying clothes on.Two thirds of our wares were sold.We took R520.This,to you ,will sound pathetic.In terms of the work we all put in,it was.Nevertheless,Tia was happy.Cash is hard to come by,and she is in desperate need.It is more than the child support grants for 2 children for 1 month!
She had also arranged a carol-singing service for Sunday evening,to raise funds.This was sponsored by the Christmas Shop,an amazing shop.It opens for just the one month before Xmas.To walk around is to be in Wonderland.A wind band,the one that plays for all S.African cricket internationals,,gave their services for free and set up outside the mall.Tia arranged for all the children to be taxied in.When we arrived,they had been allowed to walk through the shop,eyes agog,and were very excited.Some of them went on the dais and sang the first 2 carols.Who are we,just short-term helpers;but we felt so proud of  them!As the main carol singing progressed,the children tried to join in.Thembeka(14) was sat next to me,and I commented on the silvery white Xmas.trees.I explained to her how the ground was all white in England right now. Snow?she asked.No,I said,white with frost.Ah,she said,it only snows on Xmas.Day then!At the end of the service,nobody seemed in a hurry to leave.Five of the eldest girls went back up and gave a final song.I think they surprised themselves at their own audacity and the thrill it gave them.Each of the children received a candle to light.Tamara came up to me and complained that her 2 weeks were not going to be enough.She would not be ready to leave these kids.Moments later,I noticed Limmargien comforting her as the tears flowed.
I have not found words to adequately describe the energy and warmth of this evening.Suffice to say,I would have given up a lot rather than miss this evening -even the whale trip!
Monday brought us back down to earth.Our day was due to start with a meeting with Tia,to plan our raid on the government vouchers.If only it were so simple!Sassa,the government dep’t,quite rightly,wants proofs and documentation.As so many of the parents and grandparents have either died or disappeared,the first hurdle can be to obtain birth certificates for the kids.These have then to be triplicated and certified at the post office.Only 10 families can apply each day through any one agency (i.e. in this case Tia),and they need a typed letter beforehand,indicating which families  will be applying.Given that we also need to arrange with the various black volunteers to take us to the various houses,in order to fill in the forms etc.,you can perhaps visualise the tortoise-like speed of our raid!
But before we could get started,there was a call from a very upset Maureen.Akhona(17)was having a fit of temper,throwing things around.There was a simple enough reason,not one I would have thought of ,however.3 of the children at Maureen’s are her own.As they are not orphans,she receives no support grant and has to pay school fees.With no income,she pays out of the grants she receives for the others.But her children have received their reports,Akhona has not.The school principal told her she could not have it as school fees had not been paid.Akhona,wrongly,is blaming Maureen,when actually the principal is absolutely incorrect.
We all drove over to Maureen’s.The euphoria of last night had vanished.It was as though it had never happened.Akhona had blockaded herself inside the bedroom and refused to come out to talk to Tia..Trying to amuse the kids was plain hard.Also a concern,Xolela,whose father,mother and brother died of Aids,and who usually is full of energy,was lying down all afternoon; smiling as ever,but no energy at all.Even last night, he had not looked sharp.This was the hardest day so far.
We had to split up the following day.The girls went to Florence’s.I have not mentioned yet,but she was diagnosed as having AIDS,last week.Her husband had died of AIDS.Having just started the treatment,she is very poorly.So the girls helped the children with the cleaning and washing.
I went to Julia’s to met Tia there.Members of 3 of the 87 were waiting for us.We arranged all the documentation,took them to the gov’t offices and back.One of them was a skeleton of a lad,but could speak some English.While out of work,he was involving himself in the 16 day campaign against abuse against women that is currently being  held around the country.He is a musician and earns himself some meals by playing music or helping kids with their music.Today,he was anxious to get back,as he was the MC of a drama/music day in the community hall,free to all the youngsters roundabout.He agreed to meet up with Sphiewe and Simphiewe,to help them with their music.
The rest of the day,we called at more of the 87 houses.Three of the black volunteers,those responsible for these houses, came with us .It felt more like a delegation.Two of them came in my car.One of them was the biggest mama I have  ever seen.The sun was eclipsed as she eased herself into the back seat.As I set off,I thought I had a flat tyre,and when I made the first stop, the exhaust scraped the ground!
Some of the homes we visited showed extreme poverty:tiny shacks,with unrendered,block walls dividing the area,the roof area open.At one such place,there were no adults,all dead.No income of any kind.At another,a blind woman lives with her niece.(The child’s mother died of Aids,the father stabbed to death.)Again no income at all.They were not in.A boy told us that the 8 year old niece had been caught stealing a bar of chocolate in the Spar,and the store was insisting on R200 to release her.The blind woman had gone to the store.After visiting more houses,we called back  to see her.She now turned up,a little stressed.All afternoon,she had been going round the area,trying to obtain R200,to no avail.I felt incensed;I could see Tia was boiling with anger also.These are people who have no cushiona t all,no state benefits,just nothing.How do they survive?Then her child is being held to ransm for R200.We charged down to the Spar,and confronted the store manager in his office.The girl was now gone.The police had just been to take her home.She had been 5 hours,held in that office,given nothing to eat.The store manager apologised profusely and assured us that disciplinary action would be taken against the staff responsible.Tia had struggled to contain herself,but succeeded enough to get over all the right messages.She had had another tough day.Going round the houses,she actually dropped off to sleep  for a second or two.To sort out the documentation for these people is hard enough;she is also dealing with their other problems,She arranges for children to go to school,starts applications for foster care grants and so on. 
  
 
Mxolisi (pronounced kolisi,the m being sounded with a little click that we cannot do!)

I have mentioned before about our concerns regarding his attitude.At the carol service,I was sat just behind him,and he was happy to follow the music with my help;there was,I felt,some meeting of minds,The next day,I took Maureen with her three children,of whom Nxolisi is one ,to the school, for their reports.They had all passed,So they all bore wide grins.Later,I had to go to the Post Office to copy some certificates,so I took him along for the drive.I gave him a rand for passing  and he was chuffed.The most special moment occurred Monday afternoon,when we were playing with the kids in the yard.Mxolisi and Yonela were practicing their acrobatics on two old mattresses.They wanted to backwards somersault from my shoulders.Unfortunately,I gave too much of a push and little Yonela could barely stop himself after the somersault.Something hurt him in the process.There was little in his face to betray his feelings,yet his eyes welled up with tears,and they started rolling down his cheeks.Nxolisi,showing  surprising warmth and maturity,put his arms around him,spoke consolingly, and then tried to make him laugh.Soon they were both at it again!
 
Yesterday,the girls did marvellous work.They went to all three homes,fixing them all up with swimwear,ready for next Wednesday.Then they stayed at Julia’s,showing the kids how to make some beautiful cards.Hilda had brought plain cards from Holland,with various embellishments to stick on.The kids are able to make up the cards themselves,each one different,and they look just wonderful.They will sell them at the church,and Peter and Daphne will take some to their church to sell.This really could be a cottage industry for them,and provide a lot of amusement.
Meanwhile,I got the nine people,whose documents we sorted out yesterday,over to the gov’t. offices.There were a few blips.One lady was told she was lacking a birth certificate for one of her children.I took her back home and waited some while in the car outside.She did not speak English,but had obviously not been able to find it.Taking her back,I could see that she was constantly wiping her eyes,clearly thinking she would not be able to get a food parcel. At the offices,I suggested that they write down the birth date of the child,and  let her sign it.Apparently,there had been some misunderstanding,which was highlighted once the birth date was written down.To see the happiness on this woman’s face really brightened the day.
I have to say,I am impressed by the resilience of these people,their ability to laugh at themselves,and their situation.The blind lady did it,in the midst of her little crisis.The big mama did it ,as the other woman in my car, poked fun at her enormity.A certain balance is maintained.
 
Sorry for being so long-winded!If you have reached so far,you should receive a pat on the back!!
 
Bast wishes,
Eric.

Photos.
1 Tia,on her 72nd.birthday.
2,3,4 On stage at the carol service.
5 Yonela doing his somersault.
 
Food for thought.
Tia has been trying to get 50 local businesses to donate 10 pounds (12 euros) a month.Times are very hard here and so far she has drawn a complete blank.It is not easy for anyone to commit  like that,So I have been thinking of other  ways in which perhaps it could be done.
1 Churches:would your church like to become a sponsor?Ten pounds is very lttle for a congregation and could provide an interest with feedback from the orphanage.
2 Any group of people,society or social circle,where perhaps each person put in a small amount.
3 Schools:children readily understand the problems of other children.They would get a lot of satisfaction from funding activities,learn in the process and hopefully have a 2-way interchange of  news.
4 U3A If you are a member could you ask if they would consider sponsorship.
 
I hope you do not mind my suggestions and nothing may come of it.But anyone that wants to talk about it ,if they wish,can always email me at eric_olverson@yahoo.co.uk
 

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