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August 3, 2003
Hi everyone well I have been here just over two weeks now and am doing okay.
Thomas and I moved into St. Mary's on Tuesday. They had a nice dinner for us
and I saw so many new faces that I do not know how I am going to remember them
all. There are only 29 children in the home and about 20 adults working. Thomas
and I live in one of the 4 operational cottages on the premises of the home.
They use to have 6 cottages open and a house across the street was where the
volunteers lived but due to fanatical problems they had to shut all but four of
them down. There are about 10 of us living in the cottage. There are only
three of us girls and the rest are guys. Two of the guys actually work for St.
Mary's and the rest are students who have finished school and don't have
anywhere less to go. The area in which the home is located is not all that
great. There are a lot of drug sales and prostitutes around. The drugs have
become a problem in the home to and they are trying to figure out a way to deal
with them. Thomas is still really quite around other people but talks my ear
off when it is just the two of us.
During the week we basically spent our mornings in the office and then each
afternoon we were in a different cottage getting to know the kids. Some of them
are very nice and friendly with me others are shy. I think I have picked out
the ones that are going to give me trouble but hey they might surprise me. I am
so tired of answering the same questions over and over again. Take the game 20
questions and multiply it by 29 kids. They all have this big picture of America
and all are going to live there some day like it is some great castle or
something. Most of them think that I am crazy to come here and leave the
states.
The food is okay I already have a huge shopping list for the kitchen in our
cottage. I can't cook anything without needing to buy something. My room is
quite nice I think it is as big as my one at home. It is a lot bigger then
Thomas's but that's okay he is a guy and doesn't have that much stuff. My
cottage mates are okay we are getting to know each other better. A couple of
them smoke around us when they are suppose to do it in there rooms or out side.
When ever they do this I go to my room before I get a headache that will last
all night. Christina and I have gotten talking more because Mary is not around
much. The guys are okay but some of them annoy me.
Friday night Christina invited Thomas and me to go with them ice skating. It
was actually with Basilz's (a guy who lives in the cottage with us) church group
but we all had a lot of fun. Our knees are all bruised up but we can not wait
to go back. I really had a lot of fun. Saturday morning there was a meeting at
the home which included all of the committee members of the home. They are
trying to figure out what to do with the neighborhood around the home before it
does the home it. Thomas and I were introduced at the beginning of this meeting
and then allowed to leave. That night we went to a variety concert that was put
on by a church to raise money for the home. Sadly to say it seemed more like a
karaoke night. A few of the
singers were good but the rest were not that great. This morning Ian came and
got Thomas and I for a Rotary Orientation. It had started on Saturday but we
had agreed that since the home allowed us to start a week latter then planned we
needed to be there on Saturday for the meetings and such.
Susana is in charge of the kitchen and she and I are hoping to do a bake sale or
something that the kids can help with to raise money for the home. She really
does not like baking and prefers to prepare full course meals so we might have a
dinner where she does the everything except the dessert which most of you would
know that I would love to be in charge of that.
Tomorrow morning Thomas and I are to be in the office by 8:30 am so hopefully we
will get a more of an idea from Sonia on what our jobs are going to be. This
last week was sort of a test week. I don't know really what else to say so I'll
let you go. I don't know when I can get pictures to you because no one here
that I know of yet has a scanner and I took all of my pictures at the park with
a regular camera since it had a better telephoto lens. Hope everything is well
for all of you at home. I miss you all very much. Please stay safe.
Love,
Katelyn
P.S. If you want to send me something by snail mail you can send it to.
Katelyn Justice
St. Mary's Children's Home
P.O. Box 49106
Rosettenville 2190
South Africa
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