Molweni! Wamkelekile!

Saturday, September 4th, 2010

Created by: James

Our mission started at 5.00 am for me, Olga and Ayanda our driver – It was probably earlier for the others in the team making their way to East London!

As we drove to meet and pick up the other 3 members of ‘Team 12 Malungeni’, we were treated to a clear but chilly and brisk morning but the promise of a new and beautiful day!

I was able to take in the sights on the trip to East London. Even though it was early morning and I would be otherwise engaged in a blissful slumber, there was a myriad of activity happening from shuffling people on roadsides and town streets to domesticated animals, all busily hustling and bustling to see what this promising day had to offer. We were visually impaired at times by a wispy mist blanketing the roads and landscape-this Olga articulated was a sign of a sunny day. Nelson Mandelas old homestead stood humbly on a distant hill while his present residence, within eye sight of old, was testament to the telling journey of this South African icon.

Four and a bit hours later and we arrived at East London airport. Teresa a former South African Volunteer’s plane had landed and the passengers had already come through baggage collection. There was a joyous reunion of Teresa and Olga but for me a nice realization to meet and know that our mission was one third complete! We decided that we would ring Theresa 2 and find out whether she had in fact made it to East London the night before and that she would be joining us at 11.30 when Dot as she is known by friends arrived. By 11.45 we were all together and mission was complete. Our next mission that we chose to accept was to spend the next few hours making our way back for the return journey to our home for the next two weeks, The Guesthouse @ Malungeni. However the mission wasn’t so much the trip back but was the 5 tired and weary travelers staying awake.

The 4-5 hours spent traveling for me was a time of connection. It was great for the team bonding process to be initiated and for everyone to compare traveling and family stories. Although each and every person comes from diverse backgrounds, we are similarly entwined through actions, thought, consequence and mind – We really are quite alike!
Arrival at the guesthouse bought us more treats; while it was nice to be off the dusty, rickety gravel road that leads into the Malungeni village, we were greeted by the Global Volunteers Community Committee (which was a warm, friendly and inviting gesture), the wonderful thought of a place and pillow to lay our weary bodies and also a beautifully sumptuous home cooked meal by Koena.

The final formalities after dinner were a couple of orientation activities. We went through and introduced ourselves again but we also got to hear a little about two of our hosts – Olga and Koena. Olga also provided us with a run down of the program context in which we were giving service and talked to us about the projects where support is needed.

Thought of the day: James Puati
The seeds we sow become the crop for the future – The more we sow the greater the yield!