Packing up a Guide Company

I felt I was called to start the Rays of Hope Guide Company so it wasn't easy to close it.   I had prayed about it though and, as the 4th term progressed, fewer and fewer girls attended.  When on the last day only Samantha turned up, I felt at peace about closing the company.

It was only yesterday when I went to empty the cupboards at the hall that sadness crept across my consciousness.   I went through workbooks and was again impressed by what the girls had learned, their art work, the enthusiasm that shone through a lot of what they had done.   It was three years of my life and I don't think it was in vain.   I believe their time as Guides made a difference to at least some of the Guides and it certainly changed me.   As I looked through some of the photos of the girls, I realised how fond I had become of them.   I understand more about poverty and about the different ways different cultures think.  There will always be a place in my heart for the girls of the Rays of Hope Guide Company.

Going Wild at the end of the year

We managed to get a booking for a Night visit to the Zoo in early December.   The interest was amazing and in the end we had over 40 Guides, parents and friends arriving the Johannesburg Zoo just as it was getting dark.   Many of the Waverley Guides had contributed to the cost for the Rays of Hope Guides – even to the extent of providing money for a picnic supper, drinks and treats.   Even their driver was able to visit the nocturnal animals.   Exciting moment when a lion cub made a lunge at a little sister.   He obviously thought it was prey just the right size for him.

Unfortunately only 3 of the Rays of Hope Guides attended as the interest had been waning steadily ever since the camp and when at the last meeting I only had one Guide arrive, I felt it was wise to close the company and not split my energies any longer.

Everybody thoroughly enjoyed the zoo tour.   We had a shuttle to transport us to all the different areas and a guide who told us all about the animals.   My favourite was the Tiger and I now know what noise a tiger makes.    Meow!

We ended up with a campfire and we ate our picnics around it.