Community Day 4 - Mafambisa

 Mafambisa Care Worker Day 

Today we headed off early to Mafambisa; we were excited to be spending a full day at the Care Point. Jack and Ben were delighted that the monkeys had joined us for breakfast! 

We arrived and were set straight to work with peeling, chopping and cutting vegetables - the array of colours was spectacular. 

(An array of colorful vegetables for todays meal) 

Some of us then played with the balloon footballs with the under 5’s, Lucy raked leaves and cleared the decks whilst Chris, John and Jack set about creating a trench/ditch for the water to run down from the top field in the care point to the drain pipe at the bottom. Currently the water was just saturating the grass making it difficult for the children to play. They were successful!! 

(The beginnings of the trench) 

(Clearing the pipe and creating a barricade from the rubbish) 

(The trench part 1) 

(The trench part 2) 

(Raking and clearing the leaves and rubbish)

When all the Care Workers had arrived we went into the church for the relationship group. We sang and prayed before Carolyn shared an encouragement based on Romans 12 v 3-8. She shared that it is important to use our God given gifts and that although we are many people we create one body of Christ when together. We then asked the Care Workers to share the different gifts that they bring to the Care Point. It was encouraging to hear that they all bought different gifts to the Care Point and had different roles. We also shared what we could bring. 

(Praying for each other after sharing about our days) 

(Thanking God for the Care Workers and their gifts) 

Many of the Care Workers are new to Mafambisa and we wanted to get to know them better. The boys came up with some fun and interesting questions for them to answer. (Watch this space….!) Finally we gave the Care Workers a cross that they could hold onto when they are finding it tough to remember that God is always with them. 

(Pinky from “Hands” handing out the crosses) 

(Care Worker Nompulelo holding her cross as we prayed) 

Next it was Care Worker appreciation; we poured the coke, cracked open the cookies and set the chairs out - before we had even finished this… Khethiwe ran out and set up her chairs, flung off her flip flops and put her legs up ready for washing, massaging and nail painting!!! 

(Khethiwe and Du Du ready for a massage!)

We washed 12 feet, massaged 12 legs and painted 60 fingers and toes as well as put on 6 face masks. It was wonderful to see the pure joy and laughter amongst the Care Workers. We then had a photo shoot against the newly painted blue shelter! 

(Moisturizing by Lucy)  

(Foot washing by John) 

(Massages by Chris and face masks by Carolyn) 

(The Care Workers showing off their beautiful nails) 

Children then arrived; we sang, we prayed, we ate… Then we played with the long skipping rope before the requests began for dancing and singing…. After 1 rendition of ‘Shine’, 1 of ‘Be Happy’, 1 of ‘Help me be your eyes Lord Jesus’ and 2 of ‘Great Great Brill Brill’ it was time to say Goodbye. 

(Dancing and praying before eating) 

(John drawing bananas and hearts in the sand)

(Dishing up the Pap, Cabbage/Carrot, Potato and Soup) 

(More praying, singing and dancing) 

(Great, Great, Brill, Brill) 

We had such a wonderful time in the community today getting to know our Care Workers better and building relationships with them and the children. 

(Our Mafambisa Care Workers)