The little girl that complained yesterday of being too tired to take part in the holiday programme for children at Melkbosstrand High School perked up today. She wore basically the same outfit, and she was as thin as she was yesterday, but she was running and laughing and suddenly it was clear that she was tough and will probably survive, despite everything.

The start of the day. Photos: Marnette Meyer

She flung herself into the day’s activities. These included a big dose of Boeresport: events like the egg-and-spoon race during which 30 eggs were used and only one – take note only one – was broken. Also on the menu were events like the sack race and the ‘water cannon,’ the name for the balloons filled with water that the kids pelted each other with.

And then there was another small miracle. For one older youth yesterday had been an eye-opener. The youth, who comes from a privileged home, had attended yesterday’s activities and had not enjoyed them. He had shown it. Today he and his mom returned to the school with a peace offering. 150 Home-made muffins, a multitude of chicken breasts and a humungous bag of popcorn.

The youth brought the food to Karen Dreyer, head of the Melkbosstrand Community Center, saying, “Ma’m, I just want to apologise for my attitude yesterday.”

“Did you learn something yesterday?” she asked.
And he answered, “I learnt that I am privileged.”

In between dishing up the children’s lunch, which today was going to be especially generous, Dreyer emphasised, “We want to tell the community that our events are open to everyone. We are a community.” And so you see: Not everything in our country is falling apart, even if it feels that way. Small miracles unfold on the green sports field of Melkbosstrand High School.

The week-long activities were presented by the Melkbosstrand Police, Melkbos Care Centre, the Melkbosstrand Community Centre, the Melkbosstrand Fire Department, ACVV Koeberg, Melkbos Neighbourhood Watch and Community Police Forum.