Cape Town, South Africa

We arrived safely in Cape Town and have much to report. Our project near Mozambique did not go as planned and regrettably we made the decision to end our time there earlier than intended.

Arriving in Cape Town and having an unexpected day off, we decided to do what any shameless tourists in South Africa would do: we went on a safari. We drove two hours outside of Cape Town to a phenomenal game park replete with indigenous (and not so indigenous) animals of Africa.

On horseback we climbed up mountains and found ourselves just feet away from giraffes. With incredible views all around us, our horses led us by hippos sunbathing in the water, a family of ostriches (which happens to consist of one male and his many many wives), and various other animals of interest.

We ate breakfast outside with elephants that were grazing nearby, and after lunch we were affectionately licked by a cheetah.

All in all it was a productive day on the range.

Although our aching muscles were still reminding us of our adventures, we got back to work as scheduled this morning. Home from Home, an initiative to provide community-based foster care for children orphaned by AIDS, is currently operating seven houses in the outskirts of Cape Town.

One of these houses was built with funds from Wellspring donors and is officially opening this week. Wellspring has also committed to cover the operating costs of this home for the next three years. Pippa, our contact with Home from Home, led us to each of their seven houses where we met the amazing house mothers and children that make each house a home. Many of these children have HIV themselves and bravely face multiple injections of antiretroviral medication a day.

With six children and a house mother, each home feels much more like a family than a facility. Little hands were immediately wrapped around our legs in an irresistible attempt to garner new playmates. At the end of the day, we left our new little friends behind, selfishly wishing we could bring them home with us, but happy to see them in undeniably happy homes.

In preparation for tomorrow’s official ribbon cutting ceremony, we moved furniture and appliances into Wellspring’s house that has appropriately been named “Luxolo,” which means Peace.

Later in the day, we also visited Home from Home’s community daycare center and drove to Hawston, a fishing village along the coast, to view land for two new potential homes.

Tomorrow we will be attending the home opening event with the children and house mothers from all seven homes. We will also visit Wellspring’s first graduate, a 37 year old single mother who courageously left behind a life of prostitution and recently completed culinary school on a Wellspring scholarship. She has accepted a job at a four star hotel in Cape Town and is now doing something she loves. We are looking forward to congratulating her in person on our final day in Africa.

Thanks for keeping up with us.