We were very grateful to be visited by three UK schools this past couple of weeks despite their busy sport tour schedules. Austin Friars St Monica School arrived first on Wednesday, 22 July 2009 and received a warm welcome from our little ones in the baby unit and pre-school. It was wonderful to watch the group of 37 students and 4 teachers go down on their knees to meet their new friends. Before we knew it our pre-school was filled with 
lots of singing and laughter. Eventually, we managed to very reluctantly get them to say goodbye to their newly made friends and see the rest of the farm which included a stop at our sport field and amphitheatre, eating some of our very delicious scones, tasting Andrew Max’s table olives, a visit to the olive peace grove and finally a stop at the youth centre where Sophie Isaacs, our Youth Worker explained her exciting youth project activities to them. Then it was time to wave goodbye to our friends from Austin Friars as they head off to play a match against Swartland High School in Malmesbury.
Second to arrive was King’s High School, Warwick on Wednesday, 29 July 2009. This school visited us a few years ago and have been great supporters of our work. We were very happy to receive the group of 31 students and 4 teachers in the morning because they could also meet our little ones in the baby unit and pre-school who sang “did anybody tell you, I love you today…..I put you on my lips and let me be the first to say I love you.” After this the tears came out before anyone could stop it…even I had a few running out of my eyes (totally unexpected) when a tiny 2 year old gave me the warmest hug ever!
This group had just enough time to pay a quick visit to our newly established baby unit building which is situated behind the pre-school building. Here after they saw the rest of the farm and had to leave at to arrive in Stellenbosch in time for their match against RHENISH GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL.
Thank you Edwan Doran Travel Agent for making these visits possible.
This past Wednesday (5 August 2009), we had the last of the day visits from Duchess Community High School, Alnwick, who last visited us in 2004. Ms. Naomi Richardson and Ms. Denise Drummond who came in 2004 came again on this trip with their headmaster, Mr. Hall and a group of 51 rugby and hockey players.
The group arrived in the afternoon and had enough time to first stop at our second POP Youth Centre (in Riebeek Kasteel) where Edlyne van der Westhuizen, the newly appointed Centre Manager, showed them around and 
explained the various sections of the centre. After this, we made our way back to the farm just as the rain started pouring down only to get as far as the entrance of Goedgedacht farm because the bus could not go up the hill due to the wet road. It was clear that nothing was going to spoil their last few hours in South Africa! So, with great enthusiasm and excitement, the team got out of the bus and walked up the hill for 2km on the muddy road to meet our 50 children (7 – 14 year olds) who were waiting patiently for them to arrive. As soon as they arrived at the youth centre the games began. Together, this big group of 100 children and youth played a few indigenous games as well as some board games.(see picture above)
The time just flew by and before we knew it it was time to say goodbye. Did they walk the 2km road down to the bus in the rain again? Of course we could not let our visitors walk down hill for 2km in the pouring rain……we transported them like 
with a tractor and truck down to the bus. This must have been the highlight of their trip because they could not stop smiling!
I am sure that the late Mr. Debbage who came to visit us with the 2004 school trip, but suddenly died in June 2009 would have smiled too. Our deepest condolences to his family and friends.
Thank you Ms. Richardson and Ms. Drummond and the rest of the crew for visiting us. We all enjoyed seeing you again and meeting the new faces. Good luck to Kathryn (watch out for the flip flops next time!) and Tom who will be head girl and head boy next year!
What an enjoyable time we had with all your visits! Thanks for all your support to our work in trying to get rural children break the cycles of poverty that have trapped their previous generations for so long. Please send us your comments and your scores! We would love to know how you did in your matces so please send us your scores! Chat to you all again soon.
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