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Incredible First Board Meeting

Friday, February 19th, 2010

(Miranda) Tonight we had our first board meeting! The energy was great, and everyone got along really well. We had a nice time talking about how each of the members got involved, making a nice toast, and munching on South African foods. We also covered a great deal, some which was on our agenda, such as when our meetings should be, and what we will do during said meetings. We also covered a lot of other stuff, and threw some ideas into the Isipho Cauldron of Wisdom and Ideas ©. I really think this is a good foundation for our board! Off to sleep! I want to be rested for my Friday!

Miranda

P.S.  The Isipho Cauldron of Wisdom and Ideas is not actually copyrighted. I made that with skill and craft, and witty expertise (copy and pasting).

Happy letters from Nzinga! (by Miranda)

Friday, February 5th, 2010

In the past week or so we have gotten two extremely uplifting and encouraging letters.  The first was from the Principal at Nzinga Primary School, Mrs. Florence Thandiwe Nxumalo.  She said, “God gave us a blessing that we will never forget that is Isipho;  you wipe away our tears.”  It makes me so happy to see the vision that my dad and I had when we were driving away from the village for the first time two years ago, is now resulting in letters like this.  It also makes me very thankful for all of our volunteers, and donors, who helped create this opportunity for the village.

The second letter we got was from Amahle’s mom, Nonjabulo.  She told us that one of the crèches that received an Isipho garden had so many vegetables they couldn’t eat them all.  So the crèche teachers sold the excess vegetables to villagers who don’t have a garden, and then they used the money they made selling vegetables to buy some books for the children in the crèche!  That made me so happy!  Self sustainability!  This is the sort of thing we are hoping for in Nzinga.  Positive cycles are starting to take place and the people of Nzinga are starting to develop a self-sustaining community!  This is a great bit of progress.

Lastly, we received some photos from a volunteer who helps us in Nzinga, of the gardens full of vegetables.  It makes me so happy to think about the huge difference that something as simple as having fresh vegetables will make in Nzinga.  Thanks to everyone who has supported Isipho and the people of Nzinga, South Africa, things are starting to change!!

One of seven community gardens in Nzinga, now full of fresh vegetables!

One of seven community gardens in Nzinga, now full of fresh vegetables!