another snapshot of Howick

I wish we could have stayed longer at Howick. The boys were really friendly and approachable, and the setting was calm and beautiful. It would have been nice to stay there longer and really make friends with them. The boys were pretty enthusiastic to show us the structure that “Auntie Jo” made for them. The things I remember the most are how attentive our little guides were as they led us down (and back up) the path to and from the waterfall. My guide told me he was 16 but he seemed very small to be that old. I’m sorry I don’t remember his name, but he was very cute and he had very expressive eyes. As we walked, he pointed out every insect and bird along the way. He showed me a hole where monkeys had dug for food. Sometimes he grabbed my hand to help me over uneven or rocky areas. I was pretty impressed with the natural beauty in front of my eyes, so him showing me all the colorful creepy crawlers hidden away just added another dimension to all the layers of beauty I saw and experienced in South Africa. I loved watching Katie and Mike try to organize a soccor game and watching Jason play frisbee. Most of the kids had never played frisbee before, but by the end of the visit, they were throwing like pros. For kids that have gone thru as much as they have, they fell so naturally into being little kids again. What a relief that must have been for them, even if only for a little while. My interaction with the kids was limited after the hike, because I’ll be honest, the hike up really kicked my butt. But I did manage enough strength to make sure all the kids got an ice cream. I was pretty happy to watch the kids play and have fun with the more “youthful” BTC members… We learned that Howick is a historic place because that’s where Nelson Mandela was arrested before he started his 27 yr. prison term. I left there feeling really burdened about the fact that those boys don’t get to go to school, but at the same time, I’m happy they have someone like Jenny to care about them and give them a reason to stay off the streets. Everything in South Africa is a contrast, and Howick was no exception.