Thanks to all

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So it's finally over. Children are safely restored to their families, bags are unpacked and the heap of washing has begun to be tackled. The talk is no doubt of the past two weeks' experiences (with perhaps a little more information coming from the girls than the boys--though I hear Nat has been talking all afternoon!) and the photos are already being downloaded and bringing back memories which will linger long. It's good to hear that Charlie's have mostly been recovered, as he took the most. May I take this opportunity of reminding everyone that I would very much like to see your best 50: these photos are used again and again in slideshows and accompanying articles in the Chronicle, on the website and in the media, and just about everyone will have captured some unique moments that no-one else photographed, even if it is just a lovely smile or an amusing incident. They can be sad too, for there were some harder sights and they are all part of a true reflection of what we witnessed. A CD or memory stick to me via the office or Bursary at school would be the best way to let me have your selection.

I have asked Angela to write a child's perspective for the Chronicle (I shall do the main report tomorrow) but all are welcome to add to that with their own thoughts or quotations. I chose Angela not just because she writes really well (I know others can do that) but also because she wrote an article for a magazine and this could serve as a follow-up to that too. It would be great to get something from a boy's angle--maybe Charlie, as you wrote for The Country Neighbour before? I'm sure they would like news of how the trip went. All of you should also finish off your journals, and bring them with you to our Grace Assembly on Friday 25 September. It is to begin at 5.25 but if you are able to come, please be there by 4.45 to set up your stall and run through your part in the action. It would be helpful to know who will not be able to make it as I shall have to put a script together and it's difficult to change it at the last minute. Rob assures me he is coming up from Devon...(not sure whether you knew that, Kate!).

My main purposes in writing tonight are to round off with news of the journey home, to thank everyone and to reflect briefly on the whole.

The first is not of much interest as the journey from Ekukhanyeni to the airport was quicker than usual and uneventful, thankfully. There was nothing like what happened on the road to Nelspruit on Sunday. I was driving one bus (the non-banter one!) when a van passed us at high speed. On its uncovered back were stacked piles of brush. Suddenly, they started to fly off the rear. It could have been nasty had one hit us, but thankfully we were protected again, as we have consistently found in all our journeys, and each one missed us. Those in the other bus, and even some in ours, were not even aware of what had happened.

We had a great time spending the last of our rand at the airport, as no doubt some have discovered already on receiving gifts. Mr Mabbett was especially pleased to get his two SA rugby shirts at a fraction of the price he would pay in England; and I managed to get a message to Mrs Ntuli to cancel the delivery of gifts to us there, as we had arrived earlier than expected. They will be given instead to the next group going out, which happens to be in ten days' time--a small church group from Reading. Once we had settled into our seats we were given a surprise announcement from the captain. "We don't usually do this," he said, "but we have a lad on the plane tonight who is the godson of one of our co-pilots. Will Slatford is travelling with a group from St. Andrew's School near Thatcham who have been visiting a school in South Africa they have been raising money for--The Grace School." Whoops of delight from sixteen travellers in the sardines section at the back.

If the children were bleary-eyed today, it is because they either cannot sleep well on planes (join the club) or chose to enjoy their last night of relative freedom by watching a few films, or both. Knowing they could sleep it off, their teachers did not mind.

And so to the thank yous. First, to you parents who have been so supportive both before and during the trip. It is largely thanks to you that so much money has been raised, but even before that it was just your willingness to let your children go so far away for two weeks that means a lot to me. You place a great deal of trust in the leaders and that is a responsibility which we are much aware of. We are in loco parentis even more than we are in school, and this always strikes me as a huge privilege.

If we did a good job in that role, it owes a huge amount to my three wonderful colleagues who gave up part of their holiday to do this. Mrs Reeves did a vast amount of paperwork, emails and phoning to make most of the arrangements before we set off, and then acted as treasurer, medical officer and 'granny' for the whole team. She is such a cheerful and well-balanced person no matter what happens, and that helps us all to keep calm and in perspective. I do not see how these trips could happen without her. Equally, we could not have taken this number without the support and assistance of two others on their first trips. Mrs Davis abounded in energy, enthusiasm and ideas. She threw herself into the role of cover teacher at The Grace and her creativity was obvious, but I never knew she was such a talented artist and performer too. She was also great at getting alongside children for chats and quiet words, especially on the walks she often led. Mr Mabbett complemented her perfectly, with his more practical skills and wide-ranging knowledge and competence. He is going to make a fine teacher--he was already doing the job really well at The Grace--but he is also such good company that the children enjoyed just hanging out with him. Both these two led the canasta ring which became very popular. Most importantly, all three really cared for and loved the children. Mrs Davis' tears on parting today were an eloquent testimony to the attachments she had formed.

Many thanks are due to our excellent and very hospitable hosts at either end of Mpumalanga--the Mahlangus who allowed us to take over their home, and Mrs Ntuli who not only let us invade her school with more freedom than we would grant any visitors at ours, but also prepared a banquet for us at her house, and broke down in tears of gratitude at the final assembly; and the Miles who looked after us so well in our five nights with them. Thanks to these people we have sampled milktart, bobotie, a braai, mopani worms, pap, boerewors and chicken feet. Together with the biltong which a number of us enjoyed, and the koeksusters which Mrs Davis insisted we try and which everyone loved, we have truly sampled South African cuisine.

And finally, a big thank you to every pupil on the team. Mrs Reeves said today that she thought you were the best team we have ever had. Considering the high quality of previous teams, that is praise indeed, but well deserved. I loved the way you got on so well together and did not form cliques but naturally mixed with each other at meals and just chatted sensibly whenever you had to wait, which was quite often. You were great at The Grace as you showed such care and concern for the children. You made friends easily and they loved you. You rose to every challenge, even taking lessons with no warning in some cases! You were generally polite to the adults (even when driving hard bargains at the market!), fun and compassionate with the children and really interested in the animals. I hardly heard a moan the whole time we were there and you gave very helpful feedback to me. Overall you were fine representatives of your school and your country, and we were all so proud of you.

Amazing is a word we probably use too readily. It is one I heard a lot from you when describing your experiences, but maybe you really were amazed by what you saw, heard and felt. I suppose on my fifth trip I have seen much of this before so I am not easily amazed, but if there was one evening that really did amaze me it was the first Friday, and that meeting we had after what was our worst day, when rain, illness and a bus that kept failing to start had done their best to spoil everything, and you had seen the hardest sights you faced, and there had been some tears and a very quiet bus travelling back to the mission. We talked it all through and Tom suggested we should pray for the family whose mum was dying of AIDS. What followed I shall never forget, and it affected us all, adults and children alike. There were few dry eyes in the room, and suddenly everyone was hugging everyone else! If anyone asks me what made you such a special team, I think I shall just tell them about that, and how wonderful it was to see you trying out praying together, and how bonded you all became after that. We have shared things together which those who have not been on the trip may not be able to understand, and that made us all friends at a level we do not often reach outside our families. It goes beyond the moments of irritation and disconnection we all have with others at times, and which we felt occasionally on the trip. In a way, we became a family. This is something precious and worth holding on to.

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Photos

Young people have so much energy!
Good to see the Team looking so fresh just before they begin their 24-hour journey home.

Goodbye Ekukhanyeni
Mrs Reeves almost managed to steal Stitch the dog...

Those sky blue hoodies went everywhere...
At least, they were sky before the colour ran in the wash. Here they are at Milly's, Machadodorp, our first pit stop on the way back on Monday. The absence of soft drinks indicates a group with no love of wasps.

The Canasta Crew
Nat and Charlie both claiming victory.

Home at last
Livvy said just before this hug that these had been the best two weeks of her life. Sorry Mum--but at least she was genuinely pleased to see you.