Anna on the power of one

Anna walking through the library her vision and hard work helped to build.

Last night, most of the pool house was piled on my bed looking through the 3,500 pictures I have taken since being in Cape Town, reminiscing over the past four months. My camera has easily become my most valuable possession. Through it, I have been able to capture times and memories on film that others may capture through their journals. The past four months have been dream like, so much so, that I'm afraid when we step off the plane and say goodbye that they won't actually seem real, because, how can they be? We laughed and joked about even how physically different we all looked, hair longer, making most of us look older. When we leave here, this entire experience will simply be a memory. I'd like to think that we have left our mark on Cape Town, but more accurately, Cape Town has left its mark on us. One of the biggest landmarks of passing time for me, has been the library. When looking through the pictures it was the first time that I really looked at the two states of the room side by side. What it was on our first day at Sithembele Matiso and what it looks like now and all of the steps that we had to take, obstacles that we have overcome and hours we spent working to make the room what is now. We finally finished on Friday, and were able to bring in local book donations that we received.  As this project progressed, at times even I questioned whether or not it would actually come to fruition, would it work out, or were we making Joseph and the school false promises that we wouldn't be able to keep.  Somehow as everything seems to in this magical place, everything did. We just heard from UPS that they have completed the process of the donation of shipment and 1.5 tons of books will be headed in Nyanga's direction in the next few days. It's hard to dispute that someone or something whether it be karma, luck, or fate, is on our side. We covered the walls in inspirational quotes, as you walk in the door, the first thing that you see are the words of Nelson Mandela, “It always seems impossible, until it is done.” Very fitting. The walls are covered with the words of Albert Einstein, JK Rowling, Dr. Seuss and others. Patrick painted a beautiful tribute to the victims of the Newtown shooting and Sharon a mural of Table mountain. Each person who contributed to this project made a world of a difference. I don't mean just Allie, Patrick, Sharon, Liz, and Kelsey, but every person who donated, told a friend, or offered words of support. The completion of the library would not have been possible without every single contribution, proving first hand evidence of, the power of one. 

The group at Sithembele Matiso High Library under mural painted by Sharon.