Calling for volunteers!

We are all aware of the situation the Eastern Cape education finds itself in. Sophakama Tutor Program focusses on helping children to get a grip on reading and basic maths. The more we speak to schools and other institutions, the more we realise how great the needs are in these two areas of learning.

During the past 18 months we have compiled a program from a variety of different resources that we tried out with great success. We are convinced that this program would be a very handy tool to help rectify this need.

We are therefore calling for volunteers to commit themselves for one school year, one hour, twice a week, to tutor three children with reading and basic maths difficulties.

The volunteers does not have to be qualified teachers. Training will be provided in order for them to preform the role of a parent helping his/her child with homework. Volunteers will serve at schools and institutions where Sophakama is asked to help.

The volunteers must also be willing to go on two weekend camps with their kids. During these camps other developmental areas such as, social, emotional, physical and spiritual development will receive attention. (A Sophakama ministry team will accompany volunteers on such camps.)

Volunteers will be responsible for their own funds for the training, tutor kit and transportation to and from their place of service. (The tutor kit includes all the material that the tutor will need for the whole year.) Volunteers are welcome to receive sponsorships from their congregations or other institutions.

If anybody is interested or would like more information, they can contact me at Sophakama2012@gmail.com.

My hope is that you will consider this prayerfully for the sake of the future of the children of the Eastern Cape.

Evelyn Lotz

Vrywilligers word opgeroep!

Ons is almal bewus van die situasie waarin Oos Kaap se onderwys homself bevind. Sophakama Tutor program fokus daarop om kinders te help om lees en basiese wiskunde te bemeester. Hoe meer ons met skole en ander instansies praat, hoe dieper kom ons onder die indruk van hoe groot die behoefte vir hulp in hierdie twee areas is.

Ons het die afgelope 18 maande 'n program saamgestel uit verskillende bronne en met groot welslae beproef. Daarom is ons oortuig dat dit 'n baie handige instrument kan wees om die nood waarvan ons praat, sinvol aan te spreek.

Dus roep ons nou vrywilligers op om hulself vir een skooljaar te verbind om 'n uur twee keer per week met drie kinders wat sukkel met lees en basiese wiskunde, te werk.

Die vrywilligers hoef nie opgeleide onderwysers te wees nie. Opleiding sal voorsien word sodat vrywilligers basies 'n ouer wat help met huiswerk se rol aan die kinders kan vertolk. Hulle sal die diens doen by skole of instansies wat ons (Sophakama) vir hulp genader het.

Die vrywilligers moet ook bereid wees om op twee naweek kampe met hulle kinders te gaan. Tydens hierdie naweke wil ons ook ander areas van ontwikkeling bv. sosiaal, emosioneel, fisies en geestelik, aanspreek. ('n Sophakama bedieningspan sal vrywilligers op sulke kampe vergesel.)

Vrywilligers sal self verantwoordelik wees vir die kostes van hulle opleiding, tutor knapsak en vervoer na en van hulle plek van diens. ('n Tutor knapsak sluit in alle materiaal wat nodig gaan wees vir die jaar se tutor). Hulle kan natuurlik hulle gemeente of ander instansies nader vir donasies.

Indien enige iemand belangstel om 'n vrywilliger te wees of meer inligting verlang, kan hulle vir my by Sophakama2012@gmail.com kontak.

My hoop is dat hierdie oproep biddend oorweeg sal word, vir die kinders van die Oos Kaap se toekoms se onthalwe.

Evelyn Lotz

Living and learning together

On 2 – 6 July 2012 we had our fourth Edu-camp, this time again at Jeffreysbay. We took 6 kids, between the ages 8 and 18 years, for 5 days to the Duhab house. The first hour or so, was a little awkward, when the kids still did not know each other. Eating together that first lunch was strange. The kids did not know how to sit and eat together around a table. They were nervous so a lot of giggling took place. Bongiwe, Ryan and I tried to model good table manners and also that you were suppose to talk around a subject during this time. (The fun thing is that the three of us, just love to talk about stuff. We have such similar interests.) During dinner it already went much much better. We discovered that not one of them knew what had happened in 1994, so Bongiwe told them the story. Slowly, over the next few days the kids not only started to talk to each other during meal times, but also to us. It was amazing for me to see that process of gaining confidence in voicing their thoughts.

Except for eating, which they enjoyed most of course, we also had reading sessions, maths sessions, comprehension sessions and times of art. In the afternoons we took them first to the library and then to the beach, (weather permitting). One day, we had tennis championships on the pavement. In the evenings we had a variety of activities.  One evening we played games. We discovered that they've never played monopoly. We taught them and they loved it. Another evening Ryan taught drama. We had so much fun watching their own plays. We discovered that Kimberley was a country :-) On another night we had a bonfire, where we taught them how to make “stokbrood” (bread on a stick) over the fire. And one evening we watched Sister Act II together.

As you can see this camp is more than just a lesson in reading or maths. We zoom in on the child as a whole. A highlight for me was when Global Challenge invited us for a meeting with a local ministry group called Ambassadors. During the introductions we asked our kids to show something that they are good in. One boy, Steven, (a very shy boy) surprised us by doing the moon dance so very, very well. We waited about a minute before he had the courage to do it, but when he did, it was fantastic. We had learned during the previous days, that we must just wait and then Steven would open up and surprise us. And he did. In looking, we discovered something special in each child.

Everybody was sad Friday, when the Acvv van came to pick us up and take as back home. We had a lovely time together. I believe that we have laid a good foundation to continue building into these kids' lives.

We shall rise!

Sophakama, has already had quite a road.  It all started last year, when Evelyn Lotz returned to South Africa from Jerusalem, after 4 years of teaching there.  She felt that her one claim to fame is that she has experience in teaching children to read.  After speaking to some people, she discovered that there was a need for this, because of the large numbers of learners in classes in schools.  So in September 2011 her friend Anna Marie Franken of Global Challenge Expedisions invited her to come and do a week long Edu-camp with some local children of Ithemba (Jeffreysbay) and some children from Jehovah Jireh (Alexandria).  In December 2011 she took some kids from ACVV in Kensington and again some children from Ithemba for a second Edu-camp. These two Edu-camps were such a learning curve in trying to discover what the ingrediants for such camps could and should be.  The third camp was then in January 2012.  This time though, they did not go to Jeffreysbay, but to Alexandria to work with a bigger group of kids from the Jehovah Jireh home.  It was during this Edu-camp that Bongiwe Magongo and Ryan Johnson joined Evelyn.  It was also during this Edu-camp that the penny dropped, and the realization hit home that Edu-camps are indeed a needed ministry.  The next week back in Port Elizabeth at the house of Stephan and Alida Bothma, Anna Marie Franken joined Bongiwe, Evelyn  and Ryan for a meeting where Sophakama (we shall rise) saw the light.