our South African poem

we've just spent three weeks in South Africa, meeting up with old friends, watching the cricket and packing up the remnant of our lives for shipping back to England. our time with the Thembalitsha Foundation has now come to an end and we are looking forward to all that is ahead of us as we move into the future.

as we return back to familiar surroundings, which will become our base for the next phase of our lives, we have been thinking about all the incredible experiences that we've had during our time serving in what is a truly amazing country and I (Tim) have written the following poem which is a honest reflection which we think captures all aspects of our time in South Africa. 

So the curtain on our lives in South Africa comes down
Ten years of memories of our time in Cape Town
Of people, places, the sights and sounds
In a stunning country, our stories abound

The tug of the AIDS orphans grabbed deep in our hearts
Could we make a difference to provide them new starts
Born with an illness with no known cure
That often impacts on families so poor 

Cape Town is home to some iconic sights
Like the mountain so flat with its awesome heights
And an island which sits within Table Bay
A home to a prisoner back in the day

Apartheid was banished a long time ago
But crowds still live in townships that overflow
In homes made of cardboard and wood and tin
The colour of their face seems their only sin

Up into the Overberg via the Sir Lowys pass high
Stands the town of Grabouw one oft passes by
But this was the place we were called to live
Offering hope with all we could give

We created a home called the Village of Hope
Where children who's parents were struggling to cope
Could stay with us for a month or so
Giving them love and a place to grow

In the townships we ran clubs each day
Where children could play sports right where they stay
Lifestyle and health were taught with a ball
Much fun and laughter was enjoyed by all

We made great friends with the rich and the poor
Welcomed in to all homes via every door
Homes set in vineyards and orchards so green
Others in places few venture or want to be seen

With mountains and lakes and sunshine abounding
Our days living there were all quite astounding
Weekends at the beach enjoying the sun
Taking time out after a hard day was done

Tough days were faced almost every week
Wiping the tears of those too sad to speak
But the hope we provided was welcomed by all
They were so grateful we followed our call

Other folk came to join us from far and near
Working and building the vision was clear
Honouring man as if unto God
Ushering in Christ wherever we trod

Students from Holland and Germany too
Offered their time right out of the blue
Constructing buildings from straw and clay
Supporting the children in their own special way

Our staff were amazing and family became
Working together we are all the same
Human beings wanting to share
The love in our hearts for those in our care

We stayed in that town for over six years
Each day giving more blood, sweat and tears
But that season has passed all in a blur
We now sit here wondering how that all did occur

Now we've left and said our sad goodbyes
To a projects of hope where we gave our whole lives
But onward and upward we venture ahead
Seeking God for a new place to lay our head

.....and a Happy New Year

Christmas eve footie match with the family!

well here we are all grown up and moving into 2016 at a pace, sorry we've been so quiet but since a hectic Christmas season, where we were able to celebrate with all our family in England for the first time since 2007, and what a time we had!, we've flown over to South Africa to tidy some things up before moving into 2016 with new plans and awesome opportunities.

newest member of the QPR fan club!

we don't think we need to go into every detail but just to say that it was so wonderful to be able to share Christmas with our three sons, Chris, Josh and Arron (who flew in from Honduras especially to be there), as well as Chris' wife Claire and their three children (and thus our Grandchildren). Christmas is always a special time but we've often missed out on the real family gatherings whilst serving at the Village of Hope for all those years.

it was great to catch up with Josh' girlfriend, Haddy, as well as both sets of our parents, sisters (and brother-in-laws) as well as nephews, nieces and great nephews and nieces too. our family really has grown and it's incredible to be part of one that so embraces us when we return from our escapades but also encourages us into what we feel God has for us in the future.

Maz and Honi checking their facebook status!

we flew into Cape Town between Christmas and New Years and were not only greeted by the bright shinning sun, which we had missed during our English summer and dreary but warmish (for England) autumn and winter, but also by a wide array of faces of wonderful people who we had really missed during our ten month travel time. thanks to Jen and Laura for taking the time to meet for breakfast on your last day in Africa and for Mel, Babs and Shannon for making us feel very welcome as we returned to a country we had grown to love since our first visit in 2005.

our Jeep!

after picking up our beloved Jeep Wrangler (now sadly sold to fund our next trip to Madagascar, and beyond) in Grabouw we ventured to the stunning Paul Cluver wine estate where Inge and her wonderful family were willing to host us for the first week of our return. we were joined that evening by Dan and Lucy, recently engaged friends of ours who had been enjoying some winter sun, and wine, vacating their jobs in London for a few weeks.

gogo in the informal settlement

it was lovely to have Dan and Lucy around, we had opportunity to share some of the sights and places that were special to us, including visits to vineyards, beaches and a couple of bars, but we think the one place we loved to take them was to visit our friends in the Grabouw community, those people who live in the informal settlements with homes made up no more than tin shacks. to step out of the Jeep and to be welcomed by familiar faces in what are very tough daily living conditions and to walk around and see children who had been impacted, either those who had spent time at the Village of Hope whilst we sorted their home situations or children who had attended our daily sports outreach was amazing, it was like going home and its a moment that we will savor forever (we hope Dan and Lucy will too).

our friends aly and ross

our early arrival into Cape Town was timed with the visit of the England (and Wales, there you go Trefor) Cricket team who were due to play the second of four Test Matches against the current world number one team, South Africa, at the absolutely awesome Newlands Cricket Ground which sits in the shadows (dependent on the time of day, mostly it was hot hot sun for the duration of the five day match) of Table Mountain, the iconic backdrop to one of the worlds prettiest cities.

ben stokes' bat and gloves at lunch day two

England were on a role, after winning the first test in Durban in the 'Boxing Day Test' just a week before, our hopes were high as we settled into our seats to enjoy the cricket, the Barmy Army (who weren't as barmy an army as they had been in Barbados where we last laid eyes on them), and soak up the atmosphere which can only be captured in such a magnificent setting.

selfie with dan and lucy at the cricket

without going into too much detail, which I (Tim) could if you really wanted me to, England played well on the first day where the game was evenly set, that was until the second morning, remember this is a game invented by the English so we have lunch and tea and then we go off to bed to return the next day to do battle again!, our two middle order batsmen, actually one was our Wicket-keeper and the other was an All rounder, took apart the South African bowling attack scoring a world record breaking, and remember these records have stood for hundreds of years, 190 for no wicket in the morning session. in fact after Ben Stokes (the all-rounder type) had enjoyed his lunch he had scored a record breaking 258, on his own, I mean South Africa, remember the worlds number one team, had only scored a total more that 250 between all eleven batsmen during 2015!, so well done Ben and his partner Johnny, who also scored his maiden test hundred recording 150 not out, set the stadium alight.

the rest of the match (we mean the remainder of the near on four days) had little to write home about, so we won't, only to say that it ended in a draw, of which everyone seemed happy, and we go on to 'The Wanderers' with England still leading the series 1-0.

stunning location for a cricket ground

during the match we said our goodbyes to Dan and Lucy, who had to return home to go back to their day jobs, boo, and also had the opportunity to meet up with a couple (Ross and Ali) who we'd meet in Grenada and then Barbados. we enjoyed each others company at the match and then at a couple of delightful restaurants in the evening, it was so nice to make time to visit places that we haven't really had the chance to visit.

now the cricket has ended, for the time being, we've had the opportunity to meet up with some friends and ex-colleagues from our time here in Grabouw. it seems funny now packing up our lives again, ordering shipping tea chests to fill with the odds and ends that we had shipped here in 2008, plus a few more bits and pieces. we are grateful to our good friends Sandy and Ali for hosting us again, they always make us feel very special.

some old friends!

it is so good to touch base with those we hold dear to us, the House Mom's, Sport's Mentors and even the ladies who work in both the inpatient and outpatient units at Thembacare, it's hard to say our goodbyes not knowing when we'll see these beautiful people again but we move into 2016 with so much to look forward to, we are very very excited about the Emerging Leaders programme and the time we will spend in Madagascar sharing that with some people we already know.

so it's with our heads held high, expectation in our hearts and with warm blessings to share with both you and yours and with encouragement to you to really really seek to serve your fellow man with all your hearts and minds in whatever way you feel you can and to seek to make the world a better place and to know God in all His (or Her) fullness in 2016.