http://rachelmullan.be-more.org/ Rachel Mullan Thu, 09 Sep 10 04:05:59 +0200 http://rachelmullan.be-more.org/message/1/finally-a-weblog%2521-%253a <p>Hello everyone - Apologies for the delay in eventually posting a weblog! things have been feeling pretty hectic around here for the first week! I had no expectations before I came to Mother of Peace so I had absolutely no ideas of what I would be arriving to. What I can say when I did however is that MOP really is a beautiful, tranquil place situated as it says 'in the rolling hills of Lower Illovo' and surrounded by sugar fields! First impression - wow!<br /> I was very pleased to meet the other volunteers Nikki, Annelies, Jacqueline, Michelle and Sanne who we clicked with without hesitation. Our accomodati<br /> n is 'top drawer' and I can safely say I have slept like a log each night i've been here. On arrival within the first day or two than I became aware that MOP operates so successfully due to the amount of effort in organisation created by everybody here. The kids are well adapted to a routine of mass twice a day, school, daycare, homework room, art classes, theatre, playground and toy library. This keeps them very busy so it took a few days to become adjusted to this hectic new way of going. I think after a week here things are eventually falling in to place for me.<br /> Coming here as a volunteer I had no ideas as to what I would be doing here other than knowing it would have alot to do with spending time around the children. We have each been assigned tasks of assisting the caregivers with games and activities and partaking in helping children of different ages from daycare to assistance with their work in homework room. I love this feeling of responsibility and getting 'stuck in' to life here at the orphanage.<br /> On top of these roles were are also assigned to a house here at Mother of peace which consists of a house mother and her children in which we are here to assist the housemother with any chores,help which she may need and spending time with the children. My house mother is lovely and I have yet to really get to know the kids but in my next three weeks i look very forward in doing so! :)</p> Mon, 24 Aug 09 18:38:08 +0200