End of August/September Update

We aren’t sure if you heard about the strikes here in South Africa. But the teachers union went on strike for almost 4 weeks in some schools. The union was demanding an 8.5% increase and a R1000 housing allowance. The unions here work on fear and intimidation. Negotiating is not an option they choose. Unfortunately the situation got out of control as teachers & students who tried to attend school despite the strike, were being attacked. After 2 weeks of the strike affecting all public schools, St. Francis being a private institution was also eventually affected. Members of CASATU were heard marching down our street, singing, yelling and blowing their vuvuzela’s. Our principal was ready at the gate to see them before anything happened and our school was closed for the following week and a half. Luckily our school is back up and going now and we won’t be affected like other schools. Due to the length of the strike other schools have classes until 7pm and their holidays will be cut short. Although the schools open again the “negotiating” between government and unions is still trying to be resolved.
Not only was there a teacher strike but also a public servants strike. Nurses didn’t go to work and those that did were attacked on the way to work. The hospitals were in chaos as people were left stranded. Women in labour and emergency patients drove all around looking for a hospital that would accept them. The private hospital (St. Mary’s hospital) that is here in Mariannhill was so busy that they turned away everyone except for those in extreme emergencies. It was an extremely unfortunate situation in which some people suffered losses. Petrol stations also decided to strike, leaving only the managers to pump gas. In SA the attendants pump the gas, so the lines were long at the stations as the one or two managers rushed around to help everyone.
With that said, the week and a half or so without students we got to explore and work on new projects at the school. We cleaned out the cellar of the school. We found boxes and boxes of used school textbooks and other books. We sorted them and no we have hundreds of used textbooks to sell to learners next year which will really help cut their school book fee cost. There were also many other beautiful books and about 200 were added to the school library. We still aren’t quite sure why they were in the cellar… We checked out all around other parts of the school to see if we could find more “hidden treasures”. We found amazing antiques such as old desks with the ink blots built into them, old typewriters, beautiful old cabinets. Also stacks and stacks of new cupboard doors. So after examining everything we thought we’d try to contact some people here and sell these things to help the school. Also, we want to start a museum in the cellar we cleared. The school has such a rich history and it would be nice to display some items. Mariannhill has some tourists who come to check out the monastery and their museum, and the Cathedral, etc. So we’d love to add the school as somewhere where they can also stop, check out and donate.
The last few weekends we have enjoyed touring more of South Africa. We headed to the Southern Drakensburg and did a few hikes one of them being through the Sani pass (only road connecting our province in South Africa to Lesotho). We drove to the border post but then we had to hike the rest of the way as the road only allows for 4X4 vehicles. We really enjoyed our hikes in the mountains. It was a very hot day but as we climbed it got cooler and soon we were seeing some snow and ice still on some parts. We went through the border post of Lesotho and hiked in there. The country is very different to South Africa. Very remote, quiet and peaceful, almost eerie like as it is so desolate. Just mountains and mountains and you see the odd random person walking through the mountains, and you think- Where would you be going? We are definitely planning to do more hiking in the Central and Northern Drakensburg also as we really enjoyed it.

Back to the schoool…We are very pleased that the school has hired a new financial manager to take Caleb’s place just last Thursday. The lady is a former learner of St. Francis and a Zulu. We were very grateful to find someone like this and pray everything works out smoothly. Caleb will start showing her around and train when she begins late October. Today Caleb and I are sporting the school uniform along with the other educators. It is “Market and Fun Day”. The students don’t have to wear uniform while the educators do and the students set up tables and sell different items and food to fundraise for the gr. 12 trip. The students think it is just hilarious and they haven’t stopped laughing since the morning seeing the teachers in the uniform. Other recent event at the school was Prize-giving day where awards are given to students for academics, sports, etc. Along with the other teachers, I enjoyed choosing the trophies out and designing and printing the certificates. It was a great day and the students also performed some dances and skits afterwards the awards were given and they again, blew us away with their talent!
Well we think this is about all the “new news” for the last bit. Our flight was recently booked for Dec. 6th. So we’ll keep you updated on our experiences until we see you then. We hope you are all well. Thank you for all your responses to our emails, we love hearing from you guys!
Love Caleb & Brittany