Last visit to Granny's

Sophia and me

Doug and Tseppo, thumb wrestling

Sarah and me with Winnie and Sophia

Nthabiseng, me, and Tshegofatso (I've finally figured out how to spell their names...)

Farewell party

When we arrived at Granny's, the family had a surprise farewell party planned for Sarah and me.


We also celebrated Granny's birthday together...here's me and Sarah with Granny:

And here's one of the plates we were served, Emily telling us that if we didn't finish our plate, we'd have to stay here in South Africa.

The family looking at the photos and photo album we brought as a goodbye gift:

Goodbyes at Potter's House

Tonight was my last visit to Potter's House. And it was an interesting night. Dinner, anyone?



Yes, those are chicken feet.

Painting

We've been meaning to get this room painted all year. On Sunday, we finally got to work...


































































And we concluded the day with dinner out.

Long Day

The five apprentices headed to Hartebeespoort today for some shopping for friends and family. And, Katie and Sarah got a little something extra...



Waiting for Katie:

Awkward

A series of rather hilariously awkward pictures taken tonight during a game of 30 Seconds (sort of like Catchphrase). Or maybe they were only hilarious to Katie and me...

Write me a caption

In progress

These are the pieces of an art project I'm working on for the end of the year...it's called a "heArt Project." Oooo, clever.

Another Monday at Potter's House

The kids always want to do my hair. Often several of them at once...

Glitter Boy

Iain, in the aftermath of having poured glitter all over his head.

Sleepover

Sarah and I invited some of the girls from Granny's to come spend the night at Pangani. Here's us making dinner...

Sarah stirs the pap

Sophia and Pretty defrosting the chicken





















Winnie and me cooking the chicken

McDonald and his garden

McDonald is a friend of ours in Soshanguve. He runs a car wash...with a garden. =)

Last braai of the year

Although we have a few more weekends left, our last official Pangani braai was tonight. =(

Dishing up...


Mairin, wearing the headband she had me make for her...





















And, finally, my gigantic steak. No, I didn't eat all of it. Yet.

Arthur's Birthday, Observed

Arthur's birthday isn't actually today. But we celebrated it today.

Doug and Arthur having, no doubt, a very serious conversation.

Grace and me

Baby Bahati and Cori

Continuing theme

Coming home

Here's the conclusion of the road trip. Sunrise...then I went to bed.

Finding Dumazile--Part Two

A reunion after 37 years...this was an amazing experience!

Here's Dumazile with her two mothers. The woman who raised her is on the left, and Granny is on the right.



Annah reunited with her sister Dumazile...note the family resemblance. Annah said: "We are twins!"


Dumazile and Annah walking to the car





















And then we were on our way home, over more bumpy dirt and gravel roads.

Finding Dumazile--Part One

This weekend, I went on a road trip with Granny's family to find Granny's oldest daughter, who had been kidnapped when she was seven. We drove through the night to KwaZulu-Natal, slept for a few hours, then followed a couple of helpful policemen on a two-hour drive through the hills and mountains to the home where Dumazile grew up.

We were surrounded by amazing scenery as we drove through the hills


Annah and Granny walking up the hillside to Dumazile's mother's house


The front of the house


Lungile looking out the doorway at the valley and hills beyond