I am flat broke so the ideas of travelling – first to India and then later to the hinterlands of Johannesburg – have been scrapped.
In my disappointment, I have decided to take time out and be a blessing to others and will be spending time with a group of dynamic people who themselves have taken the well being of others as their primary goal at least into the foreseeable future.
These people have taken upon themselves to provide a safe haven for the vulnerable children and teenagers in the Hilbrow/Yeoville area of Johannesburg (as well as in Soweto), operating a centre akin to an orphanage – providing the basic needs of life for a teeming 450 people who otherwise would have been without these.
First brought to my attention by my Australian colleague a couple of months ago, I have resolved to spend Christmas day with this children and hopeful ignite the interests of some of them in computers – that way I will have no excuse not to volunteer 10 – 15 hours monthly as from January helping out with their interests in the hope of building it up and perhaps sowing the seeds for another computer genius from amongst them.
I am also thinking about replicating the computer aid model of collecting old computers, refurbisinh same and donating this to charity/academic institutions but in this case, we will not limit our work to computers alone but to other things that people will rather throw away and that with little or no attention can become useful for people in this centre (and the likes) and those who work with them.
The centre where I am spending Christmas day is: Malaika Orphange (http://malaikaorphanage.cfsites.org/) – funny thing is, I am writing this on an impulse and as a way of committing myself to the plan before my roaming mind decides on another cause.
Time now to share this with the authorities at the orphanage and hope it is as exciting to them as it is to me.
And before I leave here, can I ask that you do something (anything at all) to make someone smile this holidays?
