Welkom: Steunen op school
lizzinafrica:http://lizzinafrika.blogspot.com/
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Support at school
As a result of the murder Friday last week (see posting: An unknown victim), we were invited by the director of the school where the boys go to.
The director asked if I was willing to speak to the students about what had happened.
So last Monday we went into the class room (grade 11) where the boy would normally have been.
All depressed faces of students who had just heard the news that their class mate had been stabbed.
After a short speech about the event and a question round, we tried to make clear that such act is completely senseless and that there can’t be any reason why someone would draw a knife to kill someone.
We hope and wish that the students have learnt something of the message.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
What a succes
Whitesunday... Mothering Sunday in the
Well, a few tremendous people, amongst whom Lizzy’s parents, two young men and a very nice lady who runs a café, decided to organize a 24 hours marathon in darts for the benefit of the crisis centre of Incognito Khulani Simunye.
The two men, Bart and Bart, would play during 24 hours against people who pass by in the café.
The marathon started on Sunday, May 11 at 2 p.m. and ended on Monday, May 12 at 2 p.m.
Success? Enormously ! A nice amount was gathered. Each participant paid €10 to play against one of the boys.
At the same time there was a tombola for which people could buy lottery-tickets.
If there was any enthusiasm and animation ? Sure there was! My dear mother and Veerle were also present and they would not have been good Belgians if they hadn’t poked fun on Dutch ground ! The picture shows it clearly enough.
Via this way I want to thank Bart & Bart and the dear lady of the café extra for what they did.
Also Lizzy’s parents who recommended our organization for the marathon.
We will certainly keep you updated.
What to do with too many lemons?
Indeed !!! Deal out.
A few days ago we decided to deal out the surplus of lemons from the trees in our garden.
Lemon is a very welcome product for people in the townships. Especially children like it.
They eat Maize-pap every morning but it does not have much taste. It is very healthy but the white porridge causes disgust after a while when no extra taste is added.
So we can’t leave the kilo’s of lemons from our trees rot and we like to make people happy with them.
We drove out with a couple of friends and dealt the lemons out everywhere we met people.
The photo’s are self-explaining.
Gunter
Saturday, May 10, 2008
An unknown victim
At 4 p.m. I got a phone call from a boy of the township, crying out for help. His friend had been attacked and stabbed with a knife and lied bleeding on the street.
At that moment we had just left the airport where we waved Lizzy’s parents out, and were at about 40 minutes from where the boy was lying.
We drove straight to the place and during the drive I made several phone calls to get a clearer idea of what had happened. I also told them to call the police and an ambulance, which they had done.
When we arrived after half an hour, three quarters of an hour, it was already too late: the boy had died meanwhile …
I called the police again while we were on our way …. 3 hours after the first phone call !!! – and the ambulance never showed up.
We looked after the boys and waited together with them for another 2, 5 hours before the inspector and a photographer arrived.
While we stood/sat waiting, the ideas in our head started to tumble. How is it possible that we are sooner on the spot than the police who have their base at a distance of only 15 minutes… Why doesn’t the ambulance arrive… What moves these boys to stab somebody cold-blooded… yes, it does happen, and mostly during the weekends we were told by the kind police officer… Especially alcohol is the evil-doer; the offenders would have been drunk according to witnesses…
A telephone rang and was handed over to the police inspector who on his turn handed it over to the boy that was being interviewed by another police man… it seemed to be the mother of the deceased boy… She was in
A young life …17-18 years of age, a little heap on the asphalt road, lies peacefully with his arms crossed, eyes closed. It looked as if he could wake up every moment. I saw no wound, only a little rip in his T-shirt.
In the name of God, how is this possible?
A flash back to my own youth… have I ever known the feeling that I wanted to kill someone? Answer: ‘NO’, been angry, yes, wanted to smack someone’s head, yes… but to take someone’s life? I have never known that feeling.
After the officials had left, we took the boys to their home and remained talking with them for a while.
Gunter
Our thanks to an Incognito friend
A little boy of 9, physically and mentally disabled, lives with his grandmother on the flank of a mountain in a very small house. Someone of the community called me and told that there is “a problem” with the disabled little boy.
During my first visit I soon noticed that the life circumstances are not the best for this little kid. Something had to change here but I was happy to see that the family is really concerned about the boy and wants to treat him well.
The boy looked well cared for and the grandmother told me that she scrapes her last pennies together to buy neat diapers for the boy. What I did notice was that the boy had a rash on head and skin but the grandmother told me not to have enough money for a taxi to drive them to the nearest hospital.
The question was if we could do something. The boy needs special care and attention. A boarding school for disabled children would be ideal for this boy. There he would get the attention he needs and all medical care.
A visitor of Incognito Khulani Simunye accompanied us on a day we went to visit the boy and her heart was immediately stolen. She saw the needs and also the piteous life circumstances of the family.
After the visit she told me she had been so touched because she herself has experience with a son who is lightly autistic. She said she would like to help to find a solution for this boy.
We immediately got into action and made a first appointment with a doctor to examine the boy. This examination – assessment - has to take place before we can address schools.
Each school for disabled children asks for an ‘assessment’. This determines partly how big the handicap is so that an adapted programme can be made up.
The search took a while. It was more difficult than expected to find the right place for an examination. But we found it.
We also received the good news that part of the costs for the school will be born by a Dutch Incognito-friend.
Again a child that can look forward to a better future.
Indeed a cow on visite
Apparently the cow had found an opening somewhere around the garden and smelled the fresh grass. There she stood, enjoying her meal in the burning sun.
I send you some pictures to illustrate it.
Gunter
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