| Young @ Heart: South Africa |
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| Saturday, 16 October 2010 12:19 |
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By Tanya Byl
From the fall 2010 magazine.
South Africa
The Land Rover bumps its way across the veld. Squinting into the brilliant orange sunset, you spy a lion padding through the waving grasses. Oh, to be on a safari in South Africa! On the very southern tip of Africa, this beautiful country is cradled between the Indian and South Atlantic oceans. Most of South Africa is grassland, called the highveld, which is a dry climate filled with grasses, shrubs, and some trees. It is also home to a huge variety of God’s creatures, including lions, leopards, wildebeests, hippos, hyenas, and rhinos.
But South Africa is not just about safari animals – it is filled with many vibrant people as well, and has 11 official languages! They include English and Afrikaans, a Dutch-based dialect. Each different ethnic group has its own language, and most people speak at least two languages. The great variety in cultures and color of people has led to some South Africans calling themselves the “rainbow people.”
South Africa is working hard to build a peaceful and prosperous country. It has many achievements in music, art, literature, science, sports, and business. But there are challenges, including poor lifestyles, the terrible disease HIV/AIDS, and many orphaned children. In this magazine, read how the Nakekela Clinic is being blessed. Please include this country and the clinic in your prayers tonight.
Here is a craft to celebrate the diversity of South Africa: rainbow people. This craft comes from a South African mother and home-schooler on her website The Crafty Crow. As always, I would love to see your creations – please email me the results. (Pssst – you could make rainbow animals as well....)
Supplies:
An old cardboard box, flattened
Paint & paintbrushes, or markers
Hammer & nail
Split pins
Assorted fabric, ribbon, yarn, pipe cleaners, etc.
Step 1: Make a template out of paper of the shapes you need to build your person.
Refer to above mentioned website for detailed pictures and instructions.
Step 2: Trace the template pieces onto a piece of thick cardboard. Cut the pieces out of the cardboard.
Step 3: Paint your people pieces.
Step 4: Use a hammer & nail to make holes for split pins to join the pieces of your person.
Step 5: Dress the person with bits of fabric, paper, or ribbon. No sewing is required: just glue, pinch, stuff, and tie! Use beaded pins if you like.
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