We flew into Johannesburg from New York and Dublin, rehearse for two days at Jamie’s grandfather’s house, and then head northeast to Mpumalanga, a province north of Swaziland and west of Mozambique. In Malelane, we were joined by South African based performer, Garth, at Amazing Grace Children’s Home, an orphanage for 55 children from all over Southern Africa, and conducted a successful workshop on juggling using stones found outside in a field. Then our team headed for KwaZulu/Natal where we worked with Ingwavuma Orphan Care in the highlands north of Durban, the Sibusisiwe Orphan Community Project in Ntandabantu – an area stricken by drought for the past 2 and a half years, St. Philomena’s Orphanage in Durban, Pietermaritzburg Child Welfare Society, Howick Hospice in Mphophomeni township, and the Woza Moya Project. In Ntandabantu, we led a brief workshop on creating the sound of rain with our bodies which amazingly culminated in a brief shower as we drove away. Our time in the Mphophomeni was especially memorable with home stays in the township with members of the community. After KwaZulu/Natal, our mission took us to the Free State – a bastion of Afrikaneer culture and the Sotho people. We briefly visited Lebone Land in Bloemfoentein performing for their preschool graduation and then to Ficksburg where we performed an exhausting five shows in one day including a visit to a children’s ward at a hospital in Lesotho and at a fancy dinner party for members of the local Rotary Club who were our hosts. Finally, we had a long drive to Cape Town for site visits with Beautiful Gate in Crossroads and Muizenberg, Baphumelele Orphan’s home, and the Homestead Street Children Project. Then, we hauled our donated Nissan Sentra (which was packed to the brim and on its last legs) back to Johannesburg where the team dissolved after an exhausting but thoroughly blessed expedition.
Nov 18-19 Arrive in Johannesburg
Nov 20 Nelspruit, Masoyi Home Based Care, 900
Nov 21 Malelane, Amazing Grace Children’s Home, 55, workshop
Nov 22 Ingwavuma, Ingwavuma Orphan Care, 600
Nov 24 Ntandabantu, Sibusisiwe Orphan Community Project, 150
Nov 25 Durban, St Philomena’s, 200
Nov 26 Mphophomeni, Howick Hospice, 200
Nov 27-28 Weekend off
Nov 29 Ixopo, Woza Moya Project, 200
Nov 30 Pietermaritzburg, Pietermaritzburg Child Care Society, 200
Dec 1 Ixopo, Woza Moya Project, 200
Dec 2 Drive to Free State
Dec 3 Bloemfoentein, Lebone Land, 150
Dec 4 Ficksburg, Sunshine Organization, Lesotho Hospital, Rotary Club, 500
Dec 5-6 Drive to Cape Town
Dec 7 Crossroads, Beautiful Gate, 150
Dec 8 Khayelitsha, Baphumelele, 150
Dec 9 Muizenberg, Beautiful Gate, 12
Dec 10 Cape Town, Homestead Street Children Project, 40
Dec 11 Return to Johannesburg
