Name: Susan Molloy
Location: South Africa
Report Title: Sun and Heaven. Wow!
Report Date: 01/08/2009
Outside the sun is shining; seems like heaven ain’t far away… Sitting here, as I watch the children write their final Maths exam of the year, As envisaged, now that my days are numbered, I’m no longer counting them down. Our calendar with the past 11 months crossed off has been pulled off the wall - with only 28 small spaces untouched, we simply can’t look at it. I know they will go faster than I care to think about, and I simply cannot allow myself to even imagine August 3rd - the day I leave Thembelihle, my children and the country of chaos I have learned to love. I’m not ready to think of it, and I doubt I ever will be, even when it does arrives. Before I knew it, the days of April soon became the vanishing weeks in May, and Christie and I began to realise that our leaving date was drawing nearer than we perhaps wanted it to. The wishing to stay during these months was balanced out with the desire and thrill of returning home to our friends and families, however, with exactly a month before our departure, returning to the UK has never seemed so daunting, and living in and exploring South Africa seems to me, so unfinished. Having spent a full ten months in Umtata with only each other, both Christie and I were ecstatic when our friends came to visit us. They’d never met, like us all those months ago, yet they left the UK together and 16 hours later, ran into our arms in Johannesburg airport like something from a movie. Being so far away from them for so long showed us the significance of true friendship, and I am so proud to have been able to show my friend, Joanna, my little corner of this world. There is something special about Thembelihle that I know touched her heart, and watching her with the children confirmed that I’ve never made a better decision about anything else before. Travelling for 10 days up and down the east coast with her was fantastic; the sights and sunsets were beautiful, the journeys were hilarious and together we made memories that add just that little bit more importance to this already so meaningful year of my life. I am so grateful to her for the time and effort it took to visit, and for being so enthused and interested in the lives of those I’ve put mine on hold for. The country I was placed in for my Gap Year came with a warning. Volunteers were asked to be aware of the social complexity of the country, and to be open to the mixture of opinions, races and beliefs that are so wide-spread across the nation. When I arrived, South Africa was a country full of problems, rumours and dilemmas, and I definitely noticed. Although not much has changed regarding how things are done and dealt with, after a year of living here, to me, South Africa is far more than what you see, read or hear of. There is so much more to this country than is on the surface, and once you dig down, it’s a place you never want to stop searching. There are problems here, but there are problems everywhere. Nowhere is the same in South Africa, and wherever you go, it’ll be different the next time you return. The diversity really is incredible. The scenes of this country are not only some of the most beautiful places on Earth, but the local characters, travellers and passers-by all share something that I’ve only ever seen here. Compassion and kindness is nationwide, and an understanding lies between newcomers, visitors and those who’ve never set a foot out of Africa. There is definitely something about this extraordinary continent, perhaps it’s the warmth and simplicity, but whatever it is, it will draw you back. In the words of my father, Africa is like a bug; you’ll visit once, you’ll never leave for long. Within South Africa, there are more cultures and different traditions than I ever anticipated. The history and past of Africa has not been forgotten, and the people make sure they never will be. It’s taken a full year to grasp the Xhosa way of life - the diversity, nature, tradition and hidden splendour of it. The Eastern Cape is a place of beauty and great simplicity, although the culture is one that, at times, is not so stunning, nor so simple. The traditional dancing is wonderful, with the tribal drums, Xhosa skirts and songs as old as time. The friendliness and openness is there when you find it, and once unlocked, you’ll have discovered friends you’ll keep for life. Traditions from hundreds of years ago still stand strong, and will be practiced for decades to come. Families are huge, and love is anything but distant, yet behind the delightful faces and charming ways, there are secrets of the culture that are yet to fade away. Stories shared have given me an insight into a way of life I’d never imagined, and they have opened my mind up to accept the fact that life is not a wonderful gift for so many people of this world. With these stories, I’ve uncovered incredible characters; I’ve been taught of the Xhosa lifestyle, beliefs and customs from some of the most real and honest hearts I’ve met. They work like the rest of us, but they love more than most of us. A man from a village just outside Umtata once said, “There can be no keener revelation of society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children”. This man was Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s most famous president, and his words are not only respected by many, but the words are true. The Eastern Cape of South Africa does have its wonders, but its problems are still here, and they are the reason for my work here. It’s undeniable, parts of this country are corrupted, flawed and, to an extent, damaged. There are things that can never be altered, yet many things that can be - but as with everything, the main factors needed are time, trust and belief that things can change. Having learned so much from the country, and of course the children, I know when I return home, life will seem all too perfect. The little flaws of my life here have just added to it; I now actually enjoy knowing there’s no light in the kitchen, and the fact that I hand-wash everything. With the knowledge that I’m beginning to see things as they are for the very last time, I’m noticing aspects that I’d grown used to and learned to ignore, the issues that I remember identifying when I first arrived. Many of the thoughts are the same, although of course this time I see them from a whole new angle, with new experience and understanding and with a whole new approach to life. The children praying every morning and evening has become as natural as the sunrise, yet I’m beginning to realise that every time I listen, it is one closer to the prayer that will be the last I hear. The deep hum of my children thanking the Lord for life, expressing dreams and thoughts and praying for love is simply indescribable, and I will never forget, nor replace, it. They astound me. Their silly ways, manners and traits are all too predictable these days, yet I hate to think of the day that I don’t wait to see Wantu with his shoes on the wrong feet, the day I don’t have to try to remove a comb embedded in Nomama’s hair or the day I can’t stand and watch Zoleka pretend to be Beyonce as she sweeps the yard. Living without these children is going to be a hard aspect of life to adapt to, even though exactly a year ago my fear was solely about learning how to do so. I’ve never been so continuously happy than I have been when I’ve spent my time in the company of the Thembelihle Home children. They have made me prouder than words can express, and knowing them, loving them and receiving the affection and friendship from them is something that is dearer to me than life itself. I have watched them grow, learn and laugh, and when I imagine this time next year, as the volunteers prepare to leave, I simply feel jealousy. They will have had a year with these children that I will have not. Yet I know for certain that these kids have hearts so huge, no matter how many people they love, they’ll still be space for more. The past few days have been rather intense, as the June Exams have been taken, marked and returned. Watching them scribble answers to questions I know they didn’t know the answers to previously gives me a sense of achievement beyond belief. The children have improved this year, and nothing can bring more satisfaction and delight. Pre-school can now all write their names; in Maths, group one are grasping times tables, and group two are just incredibly eager in every lesson. What Christie and I have done this year is something I will never forget, and I am so glad to have accomplished the target we reached for. Here are a few answers that brought smiles to both our faces – we are the proudest teachers ever. “When I am older, if I want something, I am going to go for it. I am going to be something.” “A problem in South Africa - the police always come too late.” “I have the right to be protected, to have shelter, love and food and I have the right to be happy.” Another reason I fear leaving South Africa is of course the fact Christie will no longer be a shout away, but rather in a different country. The distance between our homes will not make it easy to see each other, and after a year of seeing one another every day, going home without her is going to be very odd indeed. This year has been one of independence, but it has been shared, and there’s no other person on Earth who knows the real reasons why Thembelihle is such a part of my soul. I left the UK with a girl I hardly knew anything about, but I am proud to know we will leave South Africa and arrive in London together, having grown up and into great friends. As I finish this report, it saddens me to realise that this is the last one I’ll write in South Africa. My final report in August will be the last, and after that, a whole new chapter will begin that I will not write to you about! All I know is that if it has half the joy, laughter and achievement of this year, it’ll be a good one. Susan Molloy 
still counting using their fingers and toes, a thought that has crossed my mind a hundred times comes back once more. I don’t want to leave; I’m not ready. In this moment, there’s nowhere I’d rather be. Having faced every emotion here, having faced the trials and successes that I have, I’m aware that this is the place where I have found life. Happiness has truly entered my heart, and a part of it will stay, behind me when I leave, as I head for my other home.
