Monday 9/3 early departure for God’s Golden Acre at Cato Ridge. Picked up two guys who were headed to work in Durban with a 9am start. They had worked for the company as drivers for 30 and 22 years. Glad I picked them up as I would have been looking for Cato Ridge prior to PMB but in fact it was 30 kms past PMB and I got there with their directions.
Was met by Gwyn as I don’t think I was due till 9.30. Given the start of the tour. Debbie Young then arrived and completed the tour. Over 300 kids and families on sponsorship.
70+ kids in residence. Buildings are very comfortable even though they are institutional. Lots of programs. Debbie runs the YP programs and life skills etc. Long talk with her. Zulu Warriors tour is planned for July 2009. The theatre they have is an amazing building. Went with Charlie an English volunteer to the valley where we did three home visits. First to a house where a granny in her 90s was built a new concrete house. Her old rondavel still stood outside - unliveable but could have been repaired. Then to a house where a baby had been removed on Friday. The mother is skin and bones and death will be a release for her. HIV+ status diagnosed in September when pregnant. She told no one and the baby was born in November. She has been sick for a month and deteriorating. Despite her status she did not seek ARV treatment. This woman is clearly dying. How many more like her in this valley who will die painful and shabby deaths for the lack of basic transport and help to access services.
Then to lunch with Heather Reynolds, Charlie, Debbie and Gwyn and Patrick is Heather’s husband. Lunch developed into a long discussion about funding and Heather I sense stayed longer than she had planned. When I left before six I had been through the funding proposal with Debbie and Heather and had agreed to facilitate a workshop for her staff next week originally on funding but this turned into a business planning workshop.
A long drive home on roads where I have never seen so many trucks. Carol and others were still at dinner when I arrived at 8.15pm
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