Many YAGM alumni that I spoke to before coming to South Africa shared the journey that lead them to find the right fit in their volunteering. Some said that they only found their volunteering placement half way through the year. One of the alum even said that they finally felt like they found a match one month before coming home. I have actually felt very lucky in finding Thusong Children’s Center within my first weeks in Kimberley. Each month I feel more connected and attached to that place. However, just recently in this New Year I have been lucky enough to walk through the doors of a home for disabled children, which after two weeks I can say will be a permanent place of volunteering, along with Thusong, for the next five months.
Feeling as if I needed to do more with my time, I asked my host mother to walk with me to a home that I pass each day while taking kombis into town. From the taxi I would see 30 kids in wheelchairs sitting under a tree in the late morning and always wondered about them and the home. Dinah and I walked in and after a quick tour and a cup of tea the Matron told me that they would be happy to have me help out. We decided on twice a week helping with breakfast through lunch. Later that day after coming home and feeling pretty good about this new place, I received a text from our country coordinator, Kristen, telling us that now is a great time to reach out if we felt like seeing and learning more. I smiled at the text, thinking that she was absolutely right.
I was pretty nervous on my first day at Helen Bishop. Within three minutes of being there I was spoon-feeding a 20 year old who is paralyzed and has been in a wheelchair his whole life due to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. I spent the rest of the day in the Physiotherapy room helping to place children in and out of standing braces and playing catch with a little boy who kept saying “scopey ball”. Later I found out that meant ‘kick ball’- oops.
Spending the morning talking with the staff and therapists they eventually learned that I hope to pursue Social Work upon my return home. Five minutes later they had a plan for me to meet the Social Worker working along Helen Bishop. A week later I was driving with her to the next town to pick up a mother and child so that the little girl could be fitted for a wheelchair. During our drive I was able to ask her my questions and learn a lot about her experiences as a Social Worker, the types of families and individuals she has had to deal with and how South Africa’s social welfare relates to Americas. I hope to soon make plans to accompany her as she makes home visits and court dates in Kimberley.
So, all that happened two weeks (only four days volunteering) after walking through the doors hoping to maybe get a volunteer position at Helen Bishop. Over and over YAGM alum and coordinators have told us that great things happen the more you explore and get to know community members. It is absolutely true in my case. I was unsure about starting something new, but it turned out to be a decision that will become a large part of my experience in the second half of MUD. Attachments to the residents of Helen Bishop are already there, as well as a fondness and respect for the workers who do so much for these individuals. Knowing that there is always something more to be a part of is really exciting and I can’t explain how happy I am to have decided to make that step towards something new.
