Thinking Day

Thinking Day was actually yesterday, 22 February, when Guides and Scouts all over the world think of each other and send greetings to each other.   Since it fell on a Guide meeting day, I had gone to some extra trouble to organise a cooking meeting.   I had organised with Ikhya Lomusa to use their kitchen and a large pot and the plan was to cook Spaghetti Bolognaise as an Italian dish.   I would send two of the senior Guides across to the kitchen and the rest of them would earn cheese, grater, tomato and onion as well as tin opener by answering questions about Guide history, Thinking day and, as usual, the Guide Laws.   We would also practice the Mauri Stick Game that I had taught them last week, in preparation for visiting the Old Age home later in the term.
Guides starts at 3.30.   By 4 when they had not come, I made some phone calls and found out they were on their way.   Meanwhile I switched on the urn in the kitchen so we could have boiling water to start cooking the spaghetti.   At 4.10 they arrived.   Three of them.   The two youngest and a new comer.   Well, what could I do?   I was a Guider, I had three girls and I had ingredients.   So the four of us started cooking spaghetti, opening tins and grating cheese.
When the spaghetti was almost cooked, Laiza came.  (She lives at the orphanage and had walked home from school)   Not long after her, another 5 came – 3 of my seniors in uniform, another newcomer and an 8 year old sister.  I left Laiza with the young ones to finish the meal while the rest came back with me to our meeting place across the road where they coloured in Italian Guide pictures   No sign of the three new girls from last week although I had received an SMS from Khosi to say that she was waiting for transport.   She never came.
In the end we had 10.   Maria came about 5.15.   The Spaghetti Bolognaise was delicious but we didn’t have time for flag breaking or practice of our stick game.


Today was much more successful.   The region was having a Thinking Day teaspoon tasting lunch.   I had got permission from the principal of Roseact, the Saturday school that the Rays of Hope girls were obliged to attend, for three of the girls to miss school today.   I went to fetch 5 of my senior Guides to take them to Trefoil Park.   Our district was given the country of Jordan to highlight.   I found a photo of some Jordanian Guides on the internet and made head punjabs for the girls.   I was only going to take 4 and identified the 4 before Maria had come but couldn’t leave her out as she was one of the founding guides so one of the punjabs was in another colour.
The girls had a wonderful time and other Guiders from our region had provided the most amazing food so that was a very successful day.  There were games from other countries, as well as wonderful meals.   Everybody had gone to so much trouble and the costumes were great. Happy thinking day to all.

Patrol dinners

When I asked the girls at the beginning of the term whether they could cook, they all put up their hands enthusiastically.   When I asked whether any of them would like to do their cook’s badge, one from each patrol, Jeanette and Maria volunteered.   We decided to have patrol dinners at the end of the year, the Flamingos would go to Jeanette’s house and the Blue Cranes would go to the orphanage where Maria would use the kitchen.

I wasn’t sure whether it would work.   There was transport to organise, food to be bought and got to the cooks, a tester to find.   Thanks to the Rays of Hope staff, the ingredients and transport were organised.   When I found out that a friend of my son used to be a Scout, I asked her to come along and test the girls.   Trying to find our way in Alex was a bit hairy – there don’t seem to be any numbers and we had to ask passers-by to help us.   I am sure the Lord was helping us because we came to the right yard just as two young boys were going in and they knew where Jeanette lives.

I was proud of the girls.   Jeanette made us a baked beans dish with vegetables and jelly and custard.   Kathleen and I had to leave before cofee because it was getting late and we still had to get to the Blue Cranes.   When we got to Ikhya Lomusa, my heart sank because there were two Guides sitting on the couch, Maria was nowhere in sight and there was no sign of food or eating.   However once Maria was called it turned out she had finished cooking but they were waiting for us to arrive.   We had yummy chicken with rice and a sauce and a green salad.   Well done to the cooks and weel done to the rest of the patrols who found their way to the right places and came in uniform.

The girls in their new skirts

 

 

Heritage Day

The last day of last term was Heritage Day.   Jeanette's school had had a special celebation and she came with her two neices dressed for the celebration.   Tsegofatso and Zinthle were enrolled.   We played the chocolate game afterwards which was not a success.   The girls just got too excited and out of control.





Some of the Guides in uniform

The chocolate game

This term the court-of-honour/patrol-in-council decided that one girl from each patrol would do her Cook's badge at the end of this term.   The rest of the patrol would come to "her" house for a patrol dinner.   The Blue Cranes will come to the orphange where Maria will cook and the Flamingos will go to Jeanette's brother's home.   During meetings we will learn table settings, balanced menus and start Christmas crafts.

I was given an old guide uniform by one of my old Guides.   Zinthle wore the skirt for her enrollment.   When I asked the girls if they would all like to wear skirts, they were very enthusiastic.

    We had been donated two big boxes of craft materials.  
Among these were about 15 packs of finger-puppets to make.   I undertook that if the girls made some finger puppets last week and the week before, I would take them to work and try to sell them as well as the left over kits.   Well, we made enough money to buy skirts for all of them, especially since Mary, our    Regional Commissioner ,will let us have them for a little above cost price.   Thanks Mary and my supportive work colleagues!

Zinthle

Tsegofatso

Rays of  Hope asked us to do a performance for the closing ceremony of their fund raising cycle rally.   Luckily we have done two performances already so just just had to practice what they already knew.   Here's hoping it all goes well tomorrow.

Guide Sunday

 

When I got an invitation for Guide Sunday mentioning that part of the collection would be going to the Rays of Hope Child Headed Household Programme, I thought it would be really nice if the Guides could go.   Unfortunately the event was to be held in Sasolburg.   However, with co-operation from Bertha, Trish, Ikhya Lomusa and Saul, transport was organised and lunch was provided and 8 nearly perfectly clothed Guides were underway.   The church service was meaningful and interesting, I had to do an impromptu presentation on Rays of Hope.   Afterwards we went to Echo park for lunch.   We took a game drive around and spotted Giraffe, Zebra, Wildebeest, Springbuck and waterbuck.

  

Candlelight Club

Candlelight Club is an organisation for senior citizens whereby once a month they have a tea hosted by different organisations.   Once a year the Girl Guide Asociation hosts them at Waverley Guide Hall.   When I heard they were appealing to Guide companies to provide entertainment and remembering how much the Rays of Hope Guides had enjoyed the visit to the old age home in Alex last term,  and after suggesting it at court of honour to great enthsusiasm, I offered their services.   In a way that was a mistake because although I thought I'd consulted all the people, four of the girls were involved with a drama production which clashed.   However we went ahead, sang our songs and then rushed off to get the girls back to Ikhya Lomusa not too late.

Althought the practice had been better than the actual performance where nerves started kicking in, the girls did very well and were much appreciated.   Two who were not involved in Roseact met me earlier and I transported them to the hall where they were involved with other Guides, Brownies and Rangers serving tea to the old people.   Our commisioner thought the girls were good enough to merit their entertainer's badge and signed it off for us.   The girls thoroughly enjoyed themselves but I had been stressed and was glad when it was over.

                                         If I were not a Girl Guide.......

                                        Practicing their Zulu dance

3rd Term 2012

Things are going a little better with the Rays of Hope Guide Company.   One reason is that I now have two helpers, Bongikele and Nelly.   Bongi lives in Berea at the Christchurch Shelter.   We tried the taxi route.   At the beginning of one meeting  I got an SMS from her saying she had taken the taxi to Alex and was now waiting for the local taxi to fill up before it would leave.   An hour later, near the end of the Guide meeting she sent a message again saying she was still waiting.   I had to tell her to go home again.

Nelly is studying in Pretoria and can't always get away on Friday afternoons.   During the holidays I met them both at Park Station and we investigated the Gautrain as an alternative transport option.   It would work well for Bongi.   She can walk to Park station from the shelter, catch the Gautrain to Marlboro and then walk to Ikhya Lomusa.   It is about R15 more expensive than the taxi per week but I have a sponsor for Bongi and I don't mind paying in the difference.

The girls relate much better to young black women and the behaviour has improved.   They are also getting the idea of the law and promise and are becoming real Guides.

We have three new Guides, two who are not part of the child headed households programme.   When they can both come, Nelly and Bongi act as patrol leaders, setting an example to the girls of how things should work.

Today we had another cookout at Trefoil Park.   We made omlettes in zip-lock-sandwich bags, a technique I learned at an international camp in Canada.   Although the top of the plastic bags melted a bit on an open fire, we could cut the bottoms off and the omlettes were delicious.   We cooked lunch using a hot box.
                                        
                                         Omlettes on bread

                     
                                             Making dampers.   Not everybody's was successful
                                           One fell in the fire and two were too runny to cook.

                               Then the girls learned to make a tripod.

                                                  And tried it out

By 1.30 the chicken and rice had cooked really well in the hot box

and everybody was hungry

After tidying up, including scrubbing black pots, the girls got a lovely surprise.   Rays of Hope had been given a sweet hamper and we shared out the goodies much to everybody's delight.

Next week the Guides are going to be performing at the Candlelight Club which is organised by the Region once a year to invite pensioners from varius old age homes for a tea and entertainment.   Rays of Hope Guides are going to be the entertainment.   Here's hoping all the arrangements go well.