Hallo Namibia!

I have been back in Bonnievale for 10 days and it started off with the sports day at the project. Oh what a wonderful day. If I ever had any doubts about leaving the project in good hands - I have now no doubts at all. Parents and children and teachers and visitors all were involved and all had a good time.

I tried not to go to the project too often as it is sad to hear the children shouting " Heidi - Heidi." And the teachers try to get them not to do it - but just does not succeed. But with the teachers now creeping into their hearts I think next time I will hear a different name called out.

I will be working in Namibia for the next few months as a driver for a film shoot. I am very excited and I think it will be a completely new experience.

 I will continue to serve on the board of Bonniepeople and my main job will be fundraising. Especially for salaries, petrol, William's needs, Daniques community dancers and for specific children that are abandoned and need financial help.

The guesthouse continues on a self-catering basis and reservations are done by Chantelle - (daughter of Lee)

We still also receive volunteers and Marieta Bosman, my neighbour will be hostess and cook for them.

Marloes  is living in the house and will take care of volunteers and Lee will do programmes for them.

William is doing fine in Malmesbury. He just now have been identified with diabetes and has to learn a lot what to eat and how to eat. Very difficult in their culture. Vulelo, his brother takes care of him during the night and on weekends but in the week he employs a young man to look after him. He cannot even chase a fly sitting on his face....his hands and arms are useless and I have been very saddened by the rehab centre rejecting him as a "no hope" case. Now only what we can do for him can make a change in his life.

I missed Lethu as he was visiting in Bonnievale and is now back in Cape Town. But he is doing a lot better and is also receiving a grant for the next year from the government.

Dieter and Jean-mari are doing their final school year and next year Jean-mari will do nursing and Dieter will do a gap year in Germany.

Hugo had an angiographm and they found two places in the heart that was blocked. He received two stents and he is looking and feeling a lot better.

I will now give over this blog to Lee as she is a very gifted writer as many of you has seen from her monthly newsletters.  

My only email contact is: merwenstein@gmail.com

This is only goodbye and not farewell.....

Heidi

Most of you must be wondering what is happening at Bonnie People...

I have not written a blog in ages, although it feels like yesterday. The problems at the project, with WIlliam and personal problems were getting just too much and I needed space.

Normally I do tours in Namibia every year from May to September but this year an oppurtunity came along to work as a chauffeur for a film company that is filming the next Mad Max movie in Namibia called "Fury Road". I applied knowing that I will have a lot of time - waiting - but that is exactly what i need to clear my thoughts.
I got the job and since June I am now in Swakopmund for the next few months.
To leave my home, guesthouse, Bonniepeople project and William for a few months not just a few weeks needed a lot of organizing and I consoled myself time and again if I was in an accident not able to do all this work - someone else would have jumped in to do it.
For Bonniepeople Lee jumped in. And actually it is very good that I am so far away - now she can make the project - her project - and not "Heidi's project". I am always available on e-mail to help out but Lee is very capable and she has got a team together with her now that I think will take the project on a more visible path and not an "idealistic dreamers path" like I have been. My main duty for the project will be to find more sponsors and the first of those is our local Rotary Club that has received a grant of R to spend just on Bonniepeople. Is that not fantastic?

But there are a lot of needs and at the moment it is as follows:
1. Money to pay realistic salaries for trained staff
2. Money to pay for Williams needs, his caretaker and for future eduaction of his children
3. Money for accommodation needs of Volunteers that want to come and help at Bonniepeople.
4. Money to help foster families that take in abandoned children.
5. Money for the local dance school to take in more needy children, especially for paying for dance shoes, clothes, transport and lunches.
6.Money to develop the local soccer team, especially for transport to attend matches in other towns.
And so the list goes on...
I have big plans for this but more about this in my next blog.