Community Day 9 - Mafambisa

We woke up to the sun shining over the hub and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the peace and quiet of the village. We entered the day with mixed feelings - excited to be back in Mafambisa but also sad as it was our final day in Community. 

We arrived in the brilliant sunshine and were greeted by some of the Care Workers. It was interesting to see the cooking pot and fire outside and we later learnt this was because the wood was took long for the shelter. We were then set straight to work - Carolyn and Lucy chopped and grated, Chris found a spade (more on that later) whilst the others played with the Under 5’s. We got the bubbles out, the balloon footballs and even some paper and pens.

 

Papa Chris (his new name at Mafambisa) and Papa John (from the Hands maintenance team) set about filling in a hole in the cooking shelter. First they mixed the cement and then filled in the hole, levelled it off and let it set. The Care Workers were so impressed they asked if they could make the shelter floor flat so that the big logs would fit in so off they went. They later also created a ramp into the new Childrens shelter. 

Next it was time for relationship group, we sang; we checked in on everyone; Carolyn then prayed before Lucy shared an encouragement from John 1 v 5 - it was great to be able to link this verse in with the song Shine. We finished the encouragement with sharing a picture of the children of Mafambisa in 2019 that we took. The Care Workers absolutely loved this and seeing/ naming the children and how much they had grown. This is now on the wall in their office/store room. 

What happened next was a first for a St. Andrews Team and one we will never forget as was so special and humbling. We left the shelter after the relationship group but then about 10 minutes later we all returned. The Care Workers wanted to bless us as a team and pray for us as it was our last day. They shared about the importance of teams visiting and how they had been waiting for us to return since COVID 19 and wondered when it would be. They also said thank you for our support as their partner for the Children, for them and also for the provision of the new Childrens shelter. As a team, we then stood in the middle of the new shelter whilst the Care Workers sang a prayer of blessing and thanks over us before Maria (Care Worker) then prayed for us. Although, we didn’t understand every word - we could feel the power and Holy Spirit in her prayers. It was an unforgettable special moment. 

Lucy, Carolyn and Ben went on a Holy Home visit to the Care Worker ‘Du Du’s’ house (see the next blog) whilst Chris carried on with the cement and John, Alice and Jack played with the Under 5’s and then the older children as they arrived. 

We then sang, prayed and served food to the children before the music then started playing to “Shine”. We danced and sang to “Shine”, “Be Happy” and “Great Great” before pausing and taking a new group photograph of the children and care workers of Mafambisa. This produced some giggles. The music and dancing then returned for one more time before we then sadly had to say our goodbyes and see you soons to the Children and Care Workers. We left with heavy hearts but also ones full of love, joy and memories. 

On returning to the hub, we drank a well earned cuppa on the veranda before eating and then preparing for the annual South African Ceilidh that we were leading for the Hands Village. We danced; we danced; and we danced some more. It was very fun. We ended our evening with a reflective time around the fire pit.