Graceguysandgals

As the holiday comes to an end and we look back on our summer, I'd like to thank everyone involved with what proved to be a very happy and successful trip. I have seen Mrs Reeves' lovely set of photos this week, which brought back memories, and I have met with a group who visited Grace last year and wanted to ask me all about the school and this year's trip. I have also written and sent photos to some of our sponsoring parents. During all of this it has struck me again what a fine, enthusiastic team you were, how supportive your parents have been, how much you did both in raising funds and while you were at the school, and the lasting good you have done for the Grace children and for our relationships. ... read more

Greetings from the team on our last day at Ekukhanyeni--or, as Izzy would say, 'Sup famalam!' We have really enjoyed our 'rest' day here before the ride back to Joburg tomorrow. This morning, after a ridiculously long lie-in till 7.30 and a relaxed breakfast, we finally got the children off the lawn, where they were practising long jumps over each others' prone bodies, to go and visit the nearby Sudwala Caves, which were (Tom) 'All right--really cool and big--amazing!' and (Izzy) 'Dark, humid and scary!' Funny how the boys enjoyed them more... The girls did, however, sing 'Amazing Grace' in the cavernous 'Amphitheatre' there as the guide wanted a singer to demonstrate the perfect acoustics; and we all liked shopping for relatively cheap precious stones in the shop, and sitting down with ice creams afterwards. We ... read more

We have just returned from a long day out. Rusks and hot drinks were at 5.30 am so we could leave before 6.00 to be at the park by 7.00 when the animals are active. The children had no problem getting up early, and during the day we saw as much of the park as we had in several days before, with the help of a brilliant guide, Trust, who trains other guides. In fact it was a quiet day for sightings and we didn't see any lions :( or rhinos, but we did see hippos, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, buffaloes, wildebeest, a crocodile and many types of antelope and bird. We were held up on the way out by a complete traffic blockage caused by the sighting of a leopard, but we were unable to see ... read more

Messages first--Mrs Reeves wants to say that everyone has been mightily malaroned this evening, and Archie says he will try to get some biltong but we don't know yet whether we'll be able to get it to and through customs. I think getting it TO will be the greater problem as Archie and Tom could eat it quite happily all day, and when they are asleep, Mr Hudson may take over! It has been a day of gifts, thanks and farewells. Hendrick told us we were the salt of the earth and a light in the darkness. He said just as a little salt flavours a big dish, so we had made a big and lasting difference in The Grace. It began to come home to us what we and St. Andrew's as a whole has ... read more

Hello fellow followers, it is Archie speaking catching up on yesterdays news, we forgot to do it. the assembly was amazing, not just because we sang and played Amazing Grace. Tom did a reading from the bible, Mr Hudson spoke about it. Mrs Tysall then read out a letter from a 15 year old girl called Carys, who has been passionate about South Africa since she was four. It was very moving. Mrs Ntuli then asked Grace learners to thank us. Two boys, Musa and Taps came out first but no girl. So Mrs Ntuli asked for a girl to come to the front. Just when we thought no one was going to come up. Up stepped Mbomi who gave an amazing speech that left people in tears. We made beads with Grade 4 (year 5) ... read more