The Springboks headed out Monday morning at 4:30 A.M. to explore the South African coast on the adventure tour of a lifetime. The group was split into two adventure packages, both filled with exciting activities to push them outside of their comfort zones. Global LEAD truly believes that many times we don't understand our own inner strength until we're pushed beyond our limits. During adventure week, the Springboks students had an opportunity to push themselves and redefine "extreme", while bonding with new friends.
During their 5-day excursion along the coast, the students rode elephants, explored amazing South African landscapes such as Knysna and Jeffrey’s Bay, bungee jumped off the highest bungee in the world, zip-lined over waterfalls, saw, lions, elephants, zebras, kudu, and much more on a safari through Addo National Elephant Park, watched whales, seals, and hundreds of dolphins swimming and jumping along with their dolphin-viewing boat, explored caves on the Congo Caves tour, rode ostriches at a local ostrich farm, and even went Shark Cage Diving with Great White Sharks. Each night the students stayed in backpacking hostels along the coast where they played pool, listened to music, enjoyed the stars, and experienced several traditional South African Braai's (BBQs).
The Bafana Bafanas finally got the chance to come into our amazing community of Sir Lowry’s Pass. Global LEAD has been working in Sir Lowry’s for the past three years, and it is always the most incredibly encouraging experience being there with all the students. The entire community is filled with such beauty. From the mountain ranges surrounding it to the radiant joy on all the kids’ faces- it is truly an uplifting experience. We have partnered with the most wonderful women in Sir Lowry’s, known as the Soup Mothers for their generous mission to provide a hot meal every day for all the children of the township. On Monday all of our students were introduced to the soup mothers, and each student was given a mother and became a part of that mother’s family for the week. We all gathered in the pre-school as it was pouring down rain and Ms. Fiela led us in some songs and dances. We heard many stories and introductions from the mothers, and then all went into their houses and cooked dinner with them. Throughout the rest of the week, we led after school programs for the children, bonded more with our South African families, and began connecting with many of the high school age members of the community. It was such a wonderful week, and we can’t for the Springboks to have these same experiences.
Over the next week, the two groups will switch weeks- Bafanas head out on adventure week while springboks begin their service week. We cannot believe the trip is more than half way over. Time has passed so quickly!
