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THE ADVENTURE OF LIVING IN SOUTH AFRICA

Can you imagine the challenges of moving your family from Knoxville to a rural South African village? Lynne shares with us from their November newsletter a little bit of what it is like to live in Ubombo:

“Winter is behind us, together with the dry season. We did not see rain for 3 months and by the end of winter runaway fires scarred most of the landscape. One night driving home after church the children and I were surrounded by flames, some roaring higher than the car – the heat was intense! We are happy to welcome spring to the mountain but not the arrival of insects and snakes. I spent the best part of an afternoon spraying 'Dyant' and snake repellent around the perimeter of our house. Jeff has seen the first snakebites and has made sure the hospital is well stocked with anti-venom.

Spring also brings the much-needed rain; however after living in a cloud for 5 days, one is inclined to want to complain. Everything is damp (miss my drying machine!) and muddy. In the U.S. seasonal changes are signaled by a change in wardrobe, flying a new flag and decorating your home appropriately. Here everything revolves around water. We discovered that during winter the livestock couldn’t survive on the mountain due to limited water and food supply. The teenage boys take it in turns to live at the base of the mountain in a make shift hut and herd the cattle. The cows have returned home and we have started the seasonal game of 'dodge the cows'!

The scenery in this part of the world is breath taking.

Not ever having lived in KwaZulu-Natal I must say I came with reservations. Many folk asked me if I was excited to being going home. I was raised in the city, so this was not really 'home' to me, although I have fallen in love with rural South Africa.”

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