A general understanding

All we need is a general understanding of what we want and a willingness to allow access to the transformation tools available and there it is! life! happiness! finances! love.

The universe is magical and unexplainable, there are experiences that can touch the deepest primal part of ourselves while others others just pass us by. Is it a case of awareness, recognition, intention or is it just faith. I like to think its a combination of both as without faith we would struggle to tray and explain the unexplainable yet without awareness and intention for the highest good we would not know faith.

We have unlimited power in creating our lives for example this morning as I sit here I am actively choosing to do an experiment for the day, I am going to try and meditate and clear the mind then ask for inspiration within the workplace, to guide me on the right track.
How will I know if it has worked or if there was any divine guidance?
Not sure
I will let you know.

Right now I am just going to sit and meditate!

Building a school

It is a wonderful feeling to be a part of the building process, new beginning, each step is embedded in hope. I suppose we all want to feel like we are making a difference in some form or another and a school is a real soft target. One has a sense of pride that in the building of this simple structure the way is set for generations of knowledge transfer. Inspirational at best.
The steel honeycomb structures go up pretty quickly, the brick making is the laborious part. One hand compressor is used to compact a mixture of mud, clay and straw, they are then left to bake in in the African sun oven. Time is urgent yet allusive as it will take as long as it takes.

The community are behind the school and have seen the improvements in their children, so the energy is high and there are many helpers at the ready.

There is always room for more help!

Transport in South Africa

Luckily for us South Africans the 2010 world cup is bringing a lot of long overdue changes to our basic infrastructure. The roads are much improved and public transport is being overhauled in many cities. South Africa is a great country to hire a car and hit the open road in, we drive on the left side of the road which may take some getting used to if you are used to the wrong side.

There are a few bus services that are comfortable and affordable, they link all major cites and the smaller town in between, the most popular are the Greyhound and Roadlink then there is the tourist backpacker bus that reaches slightly less mainstream destinations called the Baz Bus. The local minibus taxis, of which there are thousands on our roads are often overcrowded and poorly maintained which gives them a really bad rap. Having said that there is nothing wrong with catching these taxis provided you have a contact within the country who can suggest a particular driver and where exactly you are heading. As I am part of a volunteer organization within South Africa we are careful to select the appropriate mode of transport for our volunteers, in many cases the project is based in the heart of rural South Africa and the only means of getting there is by minibus taxi of private vehicles.

For long distance travel the train is a must, South Africans are not big on trains as a mode of transport but for you as a traveler the Shosholoza Meyl is the way to go, kick back and relax in relative comfort and seriously wonderful secenary. Check out this blog for a great discription of the trip http://moralfibre.co.za/vincenthofmann/shosholoza-meyl-train-review/

Then there are the airlines, obviously the fastest mode and there are many local airlines offering great deals on in country but if you have time on your hands then nothing beats a slow meandering road trip.

Empowerment and sustainability in South Africa

This picture shows Adam (a volunteer from the UK) and Northa (a resident in Sicambeni village) working side by side making bricks, they are using a simple machine that compacts the locally found mixture of clay, sand and reeds.

It's a great way to contribute and keep fit at the same time, as a volunteer with VSA you will definitely find yourself a part of this process.
A community is built brick by brick, person by person and if you believe in karma, energy exchange or intention, then these bricks are the foundation of a community built out of love, care and mutual respect. Every human has the basic right to shelter, take that right remove the entitlement attitude many governments install in their people and empower each individual to take an active role in the building of his/her own community buildings and you are left with a strong individual and a united community.

Action is the first step to a result.

South Africa 2010 Durban

So much is on the go, the country is a buzz with change. The best thing about the up and coming 2010 soccer world cup is the camaraderie it brings. Stop anyone on the street at any time and say in what ever language you speak, the words 2010 and you will be rewarded with a smile and 2 thumbs up! Durban is my home town and I am living right on the coast line overlooking the Indian ocean, the workman are busily improving every corner of the city. Jobs have been created and proposals are being written as people are believing in their ideas.
It is exactly this kind of energy that we at Voluntour South Africa are harnessing.

Live well :)

Water

When we are borne we leave the nourishing watery amniotic fluid so vital to our healthy development and life support to enter a world where our nourishment is a little harder to come by. So begins our dependence on water. While the body can survive without food for about 5 weeks, the body cannot survive without water for longer than 5 days.
For many of us, this is no biggy, water flows freely from every tap, it is bottled at source available in it's purest state, but for millions it is a struggle. Water, simple water, is heavy, scarce and dirty.
Due to mismanagement on many levels there are communities of people who must walk far to carry back dirty, polluted water the stakes are high and we are unaware.

So what to do? Do not feel guilty for what you have or where you were borne, just take the time to think of others and remain ever aware.

Sicambeni, Port St Johns

Have a look at this clip showing the progress at Sicambeni, there is still a long way to go but it is clear that the efforts of the people involved are starting to take shape. Wonderful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBb7votvwbs