Challenges and Personal bests!

On Sunday July 26, 6 international volunteers came together to form our team "home runners". In total we ran 49.2kms, each running 8.2kms each. This was a real stretch for me as my usual jog is a meandering 4-5kms. At the end of the day, The Richards Bay Coal Terminal donated R5000 to Ikhaya! This was a real bonus for the babies.

Below is the most current newsletter written by Melanie Grant, founder of Ikhaya Likababa. No sense re writing everything that she has detailed so well! I am sad to see, over the next couple of weeks, all the volunteers return home. In such a short period of time we get to know each other, support each other and broaden our worldly perspectives. To me Volunteering at Ikhaya is MUCH more than helping the orphaned babies of South Africa, so much more. It is challenging, emotional, difficult to comprehend, exciting, frustrating, rewarding and causes you to stretch beyond our boxes and cultural "norms" to grow and in some small way grasp the unfamiliar. At times it is uncomfortable, South Africa culture is much different in so many ways than our western culture...and it should be. Past experiences and struggles makes South Africa what it is. Right or wrong, good or bad, it is South Africa, it is the "experience"!
Below is Melanie's blog......

BABIES - TRANSITION AND INTEGRATION
Three of our babies have been transitioned into foster families within the past two weeks!(Their intention is to adopt but still need to finalise the adoption) Two of the three children were sisters (2 years old and 4 months old) and have been welcomed into a large family with loving parents and many siblings to play and interact with. The third child, the youngest at our home at just three months of age, was transitioned into a small family, but with just as much love to give. Additionally, one of our most medically fragile babies – who also happens to be a favorite among all the staff and volunteers – is in the process of being adopted and will be leaving us soon.

But, the cycle continues...one baby finds a home and family, and another one becomes homeless and parentless. We accepted a new, abandoned baby boy – just two-and-a-half months old – into our home late last week. His story is a complicated one with many unanswered questions, but he has been welcomed and integrated into our home with ease and joy. Each day he makes visible strides in the restoration of his physical and emotional health. Our doors, arms, and hearts are open wide and ready to do the same for more babies like him.

VOLUNTEERS- CHEERS, APPLAUSE, AND EMTOTIONAL TEARS!
iKhaya LikaBaba has been buzzing with many eager and energetic volunteers from all over the world. Seven French volunteers and a six American volunteers have donated their time and skills to help this organisation function and expand over the past few months. Each of their strengths have been utilized to their fullest and each of them has taken on a wide array of tasks, from fundraising, to administrative assistance, to hands-on baby care, to building/land duties, to volunteer coordination and more. Strong friendships and bonds have been formed, appreciation for a new culture has been developed, languages have been learned and improved, lessons – some hard, but all valuable – have been learned, and a difference has been made in the lives of the children at iKhaya LikaBaba.

By the end of August, each and every one of these volunteers will have returned to their homes, families, friends, responsibilities, schools, jobs, etc. In particular, we must highlight the American volunteer, Claire Jesse, who was here for a solid 7 months. She worked tirelessly and bore many titles along the way: House Manager, Assistant House Manager, Volunteer Coordinator, Development Team member, friend, and momma to the babies. Her organisational skills have helped us develop processes, procedures, forms, and systems so our home can run efficiently. She contributed to making a fully functioning office sprout up and take shape from literally nothing. She has boosted staff morale and spent countless hours adoring, nurturing, and loving our babies. She has worked wonders here and she is destined to continue doing great things wherever she goes.

A surprise going away party was held in Claire's her honour at a local restaurant with a whopping 26 people in attendance. The rare occasion of having every single volunteer, the current House Manager, and many of the local volunteers together around the same table was also used to surprise and recognize each of the “Frenchies,” as we affectionately call them. Certificates of appreciation, a hand-crafted wooden spoon, and a South Africa flag postcard was presented to each of them, with special words of thanks and praise spoken about them one-by-one. Cake for everyone with the words “Thank you for volunteering at Ikhaya” written on it was shared by all. The table was full of cheers, applause, and emotional tears. They may be leaving iKhaya, but iKhaya will always be with them.


BUILDING - ITS CERTAINLY MORE THAN A FOUNDATION - ITS A HOME!
The hours and hours of volunteer-power that went into laying the foundation for the new babies' home have been matched by hours and hours of volunteer laboUr by the local construction group, “Why Not Africa?” to build up its walls. It's simply amazing how quickly they are working and how fast this long-held dream is becoming a reality! Each day, the walls reach further into the sky, windows panes are sanded and shaped to fit the mold, doorway arches are formed, etc At the rate we're going now, perhaps we will begin the work of furnishing, decorating, painting, and turning the building into a home sooner than we had anticipated!

DEVELOPMENT - IT'S ALL ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS!
The recent activities related to development/fundraising at iKhaya prove just how generous people's hearts can be and that building partnerships and networking are key. One of the major recent events we participated in involved a team of French, American, and Canadian volunteers who formed a fabulous team, called “The Home Runners,” for the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) Relay Run on July 26th. At the end of the day, we received a highly unexpected donation of R5,000 from RBCT. Beyond this, we have received several e-mails and phone calls from individuals who want to approach their local contacts, organisations, grocery stores, church groups, and the like and seek donations from them on behalf of iKhaya LikaBaba. The development team has been busy sending off needs lists, informative flyers, and our Case for Support packet and providing whatever support is needed for these persons to serve as representatives. Also, a team of American volunteers came for one week and donated a substantial amount of money and services to iKhaya LikaBaba and they are working together to realize their goal of setting up a non-profit organization in the Unites States to raise funds for us. Other than that, donations of nappies, food, bottles, toys and the like continue to arrive at our door steps and the local businesses in the community are expressing their support by donating several needed household items, such as paper for our office, a free subscription to the local newspaper (The Zululand Observer) to assist the development team, a replacement for our broken computer keyboard, etc. So, we will keep on keepin' on – working with each other, working with communities and individuals both locally and abroad, and keeping our eyes on the prize!