Poo Explosions

Table View, South Africa (Day 6)

disclaimer: Please do not be offended by anything I am writing in this post

5 babies,twenty-five nappy changes, and a shirt covered in diarrhea; it was day of poo explosions.

I was bathing three of the babies when a volunteer shot into the bathroom with Kia* a fourteen month old girl that was at the time covered in shit. "I am not sure what to do" she said; have another baby poop machine I am sure she was thinking. Then she passed  Kia* my way like a hot potato. So that was how the diarrhea covered shirt occurred. From there the afternoon was only going to get better.

So after I cleaned up Kia* it became necessary to change my t-shirt. However this became an issue as I had no change of clothes. So I worked with the limited resources I had. I hand washed my t-shirt and was kindly given an apron to cover my bra from the grinning house mother.

But the babies did not want to have a bar of it. They were intent of stripping me of the fabric that was covering my exposed chest. I was crawling on the ground in a costume that resembled a bar tender in a strip club as three toddlers pulled at the strings of my apron. They were giggling; I was mortified, it was really quite a spectacle.  


( * name changed to protect the identity of the child)

Beautiful Children

Table View, South Africa (day 5)

Today was my first day at Home of Hope. Home of Hope is a place of safety for children that have been abused, neglected or orphaned. I do not know the stories for each child but there scars, bruises and cry for affection explain more than words ever could.

I can not describe what it is like to work with these beautiful children. It is heart breaking, frustrating, draining and inspiring. Despite having the most horrific of beginnings the children smile and laugh. When you see their precious grins your heart warms and you draw them close. You thank them for the opportunity to be welcomed into their world.  

Africa is stealing my heart. Beauty and tragedy roll in together to make the resilient people of South Africa. I am not sure if I will ever want to come home.

Anonymous

Table View, South Africa (Day 4)

I am enjoying exploring my new suburb. It's great to be able to say my address in Jenssens Ave in Table View, South Africa. I am adapting to making purchases in rand, hearing the traffic news for Table View and reading the Cape Town times. 

I am anonymous here nobody knows my background or the fact that I used to be truly messed up. It's good to be anonymous but difficult at the same time. My background makes up such a significant part of who I am. I feel like when I tell a story I am constantly censoring it so I do not shock or offend anyone. I guess when I begin to grow closer to the girls I live and work with I will have to decide whether I can show them the real me.

The Cape Peninsular

Cape Peninsular, South Africa (day 3)

I spent the day touring the Cape Peninsular with the girls I will be working with. As I said earlier Cape Town is similar to Australia. They have even imported eucalyptus trees and scattered them across the coast line. It wasn't till I spent the day exploring that I began to notice the differences. The townships that consist of houses made of scrap metal, the sign that says do not feed the baboons they are dangerous and the barb wire that protects every house.

There a security guards every where in Cape Town. Today I went to a cookie factory which I am sure was just a cover for something really dodge. I had to go through metal detectors and there was a generous number of security guards. I can't imagine there are many arm hold ups for cookies; anyhow it made for an interesting experience and the cookies were good. 

As part of the tour we went to Table Bay National Park and finally I felt like I was in Africa. There were baboons, antelopes and ostriches. The baboons were so cheeky. I interrupted them attempting to break into a vehicle in there search for treasure. I also went to Simon's Town Penguin Colony where hundreds of penguins soaked up the sun. By the way penguins are nothing like Happy Feet and lots of the volunteers are covered in bruises from their nasty bites.

There is so much more I could tell you but for now I will say goodnight

Very Much the Same

Cape Town, South Africa (day 2)

I spent my first night in my new home. The house is beautiful and the people I live with seem great. However I did find myself longing for my own bed and for Vegemite which is something I don't often eat.

I have to admit that when I walk through Table View (my new suburb) it does not seem like I have left Australia. The roads are the same, the houses similarly constructed and everything is written in English. It isn't till I have to make a purchase groceries using rand that I really notice that I am in a foreign country.

I am about to leave on a day trip so I will tell you more about South Africa when I return.

Through the Mist

Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia- Cape Town, South Africa (day 2)

I am flying into South Africa. The mist fills the sky engulfing the cherry sunset. I am listening to Cat Stephens and thinking to myself; this is something I would like to remember forever.

The happiness, nervous anticipation but above all the pride. I am so proud that I am making my dreams come true.

Toilets in Reverse

Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia (day 1)

I am at Kuala Lumpar international airport at the moment; waiting for my flight to South Africa. So I have not really ventured part the gates of the airport. Despite this I have noticed a few cool things.

• They have a rain forest in the middle of the airport. (Okay so it's not a real rain forest and the animal noises are a recording). But it's still super cool
• Toilets do flush in reverse after you cross the equator. But I won't be following in Bart Simpson's footsteps and make reverse charge calls to confirm that this is no coincidence
• A small coffee is the size of a generous portioned large milkshake in Australia
• They have a smoking room which is actually really gross to sit in, even for a smoker
• And not only do they have a rain forest but they have an indoor train

So it is goodbye Malaysia for now I will see you again in May.

A Sunburnt Country

Sydney, Australia- Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia (day 1)

It is ironic that it is only when I fly out of Sydney I truly appreciate the beauty of my homeland. Eucalyptus covered mountains where Sapphire rivers intertwine, paddocks of moss green and cinnamon brown form a patchwork quilt, where luscious bushland meets red dessert and sparkling inland lakes are placed amongst sun burnt plains. A country where rivers shimmer in the sunlight like golden cotton.

Today is the first day of my journey. I would like to learn the skill of writing so I can articulate my experienecs. So that when you read my story you are coming on a journey with me.

F**K

Sydney, Australia (30 minutes before departure)

I said goodbye to my  mum, sister and little brother. There were a million hugs and I did not want to let go. My legs were like jelly and my stomach churning. F**k  I was thinking I don't know if I can do this. However when I stepped over that threshold that said "passengers only" a quiet sense of determination  possessed me and I realised "I can do this"

Goodbye

Sydney, Australia (day of departure)

Goodbye Australia. I can imagine it will be the things I took for granted that I will miss the most.

Buzzing

Sydney, Australia (13 hours before departure)

I cannot sleep which is to be expected I guess. I can feel the excitement buzz through me like electricity. My stomach is doing somersaults.

Tomorrow I will board my plane. I suspect that when I return in five months time I will be a very different person.

I will leave on a high

Sydney, Australia (3 days before departure)

Today was my last shift with the nine year old I work with, who has so innocently stolen my life for the last three months. It was a good shift; I was not soaked in urine, stabbed or wacked with a stick bigger than he is. Instead we went bowling, played cricket and laughed.   I would like to pretent that this was him honouring the importance of my final shift. However this would be narsistic not to mention naive. The truth is it was luck that my final shift ended on such a high.

Today marks the end of official buisness. I can now enjoy my friends, family and my own bed. I leave for Africa in 3 days, 2 hours and 40 minutes and yes I am counting.

Zombie

Sydney, Australia (one week before departure)

At the moment I am walking around like a zombie. I am completely disconnected from those around me and my environment. My body is functioning but that is about it. When someone asks me how I am feeling about my trip I reply 'excited' or 'scared'. But the truth is that I feel nothing. At first it scared me I wondered if I was even going to make it to Africa. Now I believe I feel numb because what I am about to do is so different from anything I have ever done before. I am about to take off half way across the globe on my own. Perhaps the feelings would be too overwhelming and I am protecting myself.

In one weeks time I will be on a plane to Cape Town, South Africa; even if I do resemble a zombie

What have I done

 Sydney, Australia (2 weeks before departure)

I started packing my bags yesterday and it dawned on me; I am going to Africa. I am not quite sure what I was thinking when I decided I would head half way across the globe on my own. Originally I was just going to South Africa for four weeks. But like anything in my life I do not seem able to do things in half measures. So my itinerary kept getting bigger. I will now be spending five months trekking across two continents; Africa and Asia. So now I am staring at my backpack asking myself what the hell have I got myself into.

The missionary club (Where it all began)

Camden, Australia (1996)

I sat on the edge of my seat listening intently as our teacher told us the story of the little match girl. My heart ached for the little girl who froze to death as those around her feasted on roast dinners; comfortable in the warmth of their own homes. The story of the little match girl may have been bitter sweet but the injustice gnawed at me. As a child I was acutely aware of the suffering within my world, I realized that in many ways I was very lucky. I wanted to help other kids living in poverty and war torn countries.


The story of the little match girl had a profound effect on me and motivated me to do my part to make the world a better place. This is how the Missionary Club began. My brother, myself and some close family friends decided that we would start a club to help children overseas.

I took my role as the Manager very seriously. The club was surprisingly official considering we were young children. We had our own club house with a pulpit that my brother built from scrap wood.  We would have meetings to plan ways to raise money. A significant part of the club was musical performances for the parents where we would sell coffee and refreshments. After building the club on good foundations the recruiting began. I was very proud when thirty-two children joined our cause.

Letters would arrive in the mail from bigger organisations addressed to the manager of the Missionary Club.  I would race around the house carrying my prize. We held a 40 hour famine and other similar fundraising activities. The Missionary Club gave my life meaning. I felt I was working towards something really important and I had big dreams for our humble club.

I feel like I am finally about to endevour on the dream that began over fifteen years ago.