- Melts my heart
This blog is one to nourish the soul! Think a life long dream. Hours spent wishing, visualising, wondering and yet despite this always believing it would happen. Then at some point in your life things fall into place and you think, yup it’s time!! This is pretty much how Africa became a reality. I’m not even sure when travelling Africa developed into my psyche, as it has been apart of me for as long as I can remember. It is also a passion that I have spent hours discussing and dreaming of with my closest friends.
At the start of 2012 it became a reality. Brett and I boarded a plane and embarked on the 2 days of flights, layovers and minimal sleep. I have to admit I was full of so many emotions and didn’t know what to expect when I got to Africa. It has always been the lure of different cultures and animals but above all it was to experience the people and the beauty and harshness that epitomises Africa. I felt like so many do that I needed to do something to help. But how can I help when I didn’t really understand what needs to be done. So the trip to Africa became a road to self-fulfilment and discovery. To this day it is all about what Africa gave to me, and it is something I will always cherish.
On our travels through Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya Brett and I visited orphanages and witnessed first hand the incredible work that people are doing for mankind. Often the volunteers and people who run these facilities have given up everything for a cause, to create a better world for the homeless children of Africa. It is so humbling to see these children who once lost everything to be so excited and full of life, embracing their new life and all of their new family. However there was still a small emotion that could be detected which was desperation, the need to impress the foreigners in order to gain something and anything off them. Again the heartstrings are tugged and you want to do and give all that you can. It is unbelievable to witness the number of children who are orphans living in orphanages and also the number that are unable to be in an orphanage due to lack of resources.
It was because of this that I wanted to stay for a month longer and teach in Mombasa, Kenya by volunteering with an organisation GVI. I had the privilege and pleasure to teach at Precious Vision Care Centre in Mombasa. During my month there I fell in love with the students, the teachers and fellow volunteers. My first impression was the passion towards the students and the program that radiated from the teachers and volunteers. It was infectious and soon Precious had found its way into my heart.
Whilst I was there I took on Standard 7 English and was completely taken by surprise. This fantastic class of students were an inspiration; they valued their lessons and respected their school and teachers. Being a teacher myself sometimes this is hard to come by in Australia! Getting to know each personality was a massive highlight and adapting to their needs and levels was a challenge I embraced. These students were at school from 6.30am till 5.30 pm Monday to Friday and again for half a day on a Saturday. This was their life for many of them and the only opportunity they had for a meal. It was hard to witness a student come in on a Monday looking lethargic, as they hadn’t eaten since they left the school on Saturday. The only comfort you can take from this is the fact that it was your money and time that allowed this student to have an education and two meals a day. Again a number of emotions to deal with and of course the ever present ‘is what I’m doing helping or is this just for me?’
As part of my time in Precious I was also set the task of PE teacher or otherwise known as Madam Sports. I embraced the role with the determination to have them value or perhaps consider any other sport other then soccer. Phew a hard task for the boys and welcomed one for the girls, the sport was to be netball. We of course had tomake some modifications and I am still not sure they realise that you have to shoot a ball into a hoop! You do what you can with the resources you have!! After a number of lessons on the field (think vacant lot where they burn rubbish) I had assembled together a class of standard 7 students ready to take on the teachers. This was to be the first ever teacher vs student match at a game they both didn’t really know. It became a whole school affair and proved to be a success. I wasn’t quite prepared for the fierceness of the competition by both the students and the teachers, apparently you had to win at all costs and believe me they don’t like to lose.
I could write on and on about my experience in Mombasa and the beautiful students that sneak into your heart. I could discuss the school and how the volunteers have turned it around and it is now something the community is proud of, I could highlight the need to collect water everyday or the lack of room for all of the students or the fact that the students have to bring their baby siblings to school or they would miss out on an education. However I will leave you with the beauty that is mankind and the way that hope can find its way into every child and the belief that through education anything is possible. I have walked away from Africa knowing that every little bit helps if the help is empowering the people of Africa. Providing them with hope and independence to take charge of their own future and destiny. To lend a helping hand, to give a little wherever possible, to ensure what you do goes towards empowering the individual and the community; that is how we can make a difference. The world is beautiful, however too many people miss the opportunity to understand and experience the good of the world. We can make a difference, even a little one!!
Nourish Fitness 