Latest update
Blanket Drop 2013
Firstly a big thank you to all those that gave of their time and energy to make this event possible.
Also thanks to our various sponsors
Halfway Toyota for the loan of a Hilux double Cab to transport some of the goods
BIC for the supply of 1000 Pens, 1000 Pencils and 500 back packs and 500 pencil bags
Omnia for the supply of 1000kg of fertilizer
Bakkavor (Spring Valley Foods) and the Herholdt family for the supply of all the Spinach, Cabbage and Mustard Broad Leaf seeds and repacking into smaller packs
Aranda Textiles East Cape for the donation of fleece blankets and very fancy warm capes.
Geoff for his donation of 100 soccer balls
The Hub Pinetown for their donation of children’s clothes and toys
All the members of the LCCSA and the European Cruiser Club for their generous donations which enabled us to supply the blankets and school equipment. Elsa Boardman using her intimate knowledge of teaching small children had brought a variety of school supplies and teaching aids beautifully packaged and sorted into the relevant age categories they would be used for.
and of course the LCCSA ladies who knitted and organised a few hundred Beanies as well.
Our Blanket Drop 2013 seems to be very timeous as the Cosmos lined roads to Ficksburg and the tell-tale shades of autumn indicate the imminence of winter.
Day one
We (Peter and Jane Zietsman) arrived at Meulspruit Dam, our first overnight stop, on Wednesday to meet with the early arrivals Ken and Tina Schmidt, Andre and Karen Wehmeyer, Adrian and Lorraine, Jessica and William Flack (sans caravan!!!!).
During the afternoon and evening we were joined by Etienne (Random Bulls Supporter) and Adele, Bunika and Lehan Groenewald, Guy and Elsa Boardman, Geoff and Jason Horwood, Doug Fear and Alan Smith, and CM and Susan Kotze.
We relaxed around the camp fire enjoying the company of good friends and catching up on the trials and tribulations of our water drinker. Doug we feel for you but the results will be great.
Around the campfire Pete welcomed everyone and CM gave us a brief explanation of the places we were going to be visiting over the weekend to deliver the goodies we had been able to collect.
Day Two
Thursday (International Downs Syndrome Children’s Day)
This started off earlier than some of the crowd wanted but with us leaving only 15 minutes late we were all on the road.
Our first stop was a visit to Moolmanshoek ( the venue for Saamtrek 2012)
Here we met with Niklaas and Isabel Arangies who together with his partner Wiesman and his wife Mafie, have begun with the establishment of a school on their farm to serve the needs of the children in the area. The need has arisen as the only good school available is in Ficksburg and the distance to travel makes it extremely difficult. The intention is to increase the level of basic education to ready the children for mainstream school at a later stage.
School equipment and blankets for the needy kids in the immediate region where given out here.
From here we went onto Bonang Bacha Health Care Centre.
A sunflower lined R70 through glorious countryside took us to our next destination, the Bonang Bacha Health Care Centre and to meet with Petrus Grove, a local farmer, who with 12 other farmers in the area, has formed a Christian “Kingdom Driven” Trust. Focusing on the local people who are in bondage because of poverty and ill health they strive for the betterment of their entire community.
One of their programmes is the Health Care Centre, started by 2 local women, who began, using only their own resources, by caring for two members of their community who were ill. Petrus and the local farmers decided to assist in their outreach and donated them an old farm-house where Patricia, one of the founding ladies, now runs the centre, which has 13 beds.
The volunteers who work for the centre are not paid, and have been trained in subsistence farming to meet their needs and those of their patients. Medical assistance is from the local clinics and medics, and basic food supplies come from the farmers who are part of the Trust.
The primary problem facing Patricia and her carers is TB, HIV Aids and poor health care in the outlying areas. She and her team not only care for the 13 patients in the Centre, but their care extends to approximately 60 home based patients who get visited daily or twice weekly depending on their needs, as well as approximately 100 children. All this home care is carried out on foot, and the challenges are huge: the aged and destitute, parents who have lost their children to the ravages of HIV Aids and TB, child headed families, orphans who need schooling, prostitution, and much more.
We were amazed at the level of selfless devotion in this wonderful centre, and we were so thrilled to be able to help with blankets and seeds, fertilizer, school supplies and capes for the carers
After a tour of the small but thriving vegetable patch, where we sampled some of their produce and were donated a HUGE pumpkin, we left the Health Care Centre and continued on to the small school that has been set up in the area on the Templehof Farm.
We met with Sandy and Marthinus, had a tour of their small facility, and again donated blankets, and school supplies and stationery.
Our last stop was to the area the Trust had set aside on one of the farms to create a bigger vegetable garden. Here we met with another volunteer and donated more seeds and fertiliser.
Our visit had been very successful and Petrus expressed his sincere gratitude for our assistance.
Lesotho Child in traditional dress
Lesotho is a beautiful country where the people work the land and can clearly look after themselves, growing crops not only to feed themselves, but also for export.
Just look at this wonderful plant that seems to be grown everywhere. It is apparently highly rated for its medicinal value and provides lots of energy and has great export potential.
School classrooms can certainly use a lot of help and even the little difference that was made, was highly appreciated.
A number of Land Cruisers did not make it back.
Rumour has it that these are apparently the remains of a previous 'Bezel Boys' trip, those who specifically did not quite make it home! Or maybe they did - too their final resting places. 
Down Adolf! 
Strange place Lesotho - well sometimes 
Even Rodin would agree! I think?
River crossings a-plenty.
The smiling faces of those who received says it all!
Thanks you all who donated and gave. In whichever small or big way!
We can never know if we affected eternity, but we will also never know where the influence of these small gifts will stop.
More to follow
I will be participating and will report back on events. It sounds like a pretty large event this year with more than 30 LCs taking part (and many more applicants turned away) I am not sure how such a large convoy will work, especially in a country where roads are narrow, unmaintained and very winding, but it should be fun nonetheless!
