Mosque they do that?

 There is a mosque (a Turkish Masjid to be exact) being very, very, very slowly built in Midrand.

Isn't that interesting?

By Day really it's just a rather ugly building constructed for religious worship by someone to whom 'ghastly' is a medium worth delving into.

 

 I affectionately call it the Dead Cow, because of those four legs in the air in 'udder' despair!

But okay, it's not the world's most glamorous building, being all dark and stoney, interesting but not all that?
Ah but this bovine has a few tricks up her sleeves!

Because Baby when the sun goes down the lights go on!!!

Neon greens, purples, reds and blues!
Lit up like a Christmas tree - which ironically is something they'd not be into...

Don't you think it looks a bit like a casino?
"Come in for worship - slots are hot and the aces wild, by the end of the night we'll give you ample reason to pray!!"

In the early morning the building tends to wind down a bit. It's left with a few lights upon each hoof  and these bands of colour around the legs.

Bands of colour that change colour that is!
Heaven, or whatever paradise is connected herewith, forbid the lights should stay the same shade!
Red, blue, green, purple! (They do seem to have their favorite colours right there hey?)
This temple does nothing by half!

I must admit I always feel a place for worship should be somewhere out doors with mother nature, or at least somewhere pretty where you can contemplate all the wealth your god(s) has given you. But I suppose for others they need a bit of Razzle-Dazzle to heighten the experience, and each to their own I say!

 If nothing else it does give us "heathens" something to talk about!

I think one day I need to go in for a visit and see what's cooking! Until then I've attached a link to someone else's website for you to see what it's like within. Trust me, it's worth a look!

Aren't other cultures fascinating?

http://www.nanima.co.za/2010/11/midrand-masjid-complex-largest-in-southern-hemisphere

Discovery World Health day - Friday 13 April 2012

 Friday afternoon, World Health Day and us Discovery Volunteers were ready and waiting for the kids who would arrive soon to help us celebrate it! They came from various schools aged from around 5 to 16 years old. I don't think the kids new what to expect. I'm not sure we did either!

 While we waited for all the children to arrive we took a bunch of photographs to signify the sober way we undertook this  solemn challenge.

Finally we got to mingle with the kids! Dance, the language we all understand! (With varying degrees of success...)

Our photographer cleverly camouflaged himself within the crowd, can you spot him?

 We had a few speeches from different inspirational speakers. For example this lady told us all about what it was like to climb mountains, and how she trained by walking up and down 21 flights of stairs carrying 10kg's of potatoes! We're sure the potatoes enjoyed the company! I think her little friend there was to help her in case she got a case of nerves!

The kids were held rapt by the speeches.

Then the bunch was divided into groups. My group, Group 2, ended up with 11 little tots who mostly didn't understand a word of English. But a little kindness went a long way to bridging the language barrier.
Here's our lesson on recycling, The kids were better at it than most adults I know.

 Then off we go to a new station and new tasks and challenges! I think most of our exercise came from darting between stations!

 Here we had an interesting lecture on all the good and bad foods you can put into your body. Our young friends didn't seem to really understand what was going on but were very well behaved all the same. I couldn't help but notice though, that while the lady talked of fruits and veggies, their eyes often strayed towards the chocolates and chips. I'm not entirely sure this talk was a complete success...

 

 Run! Run! Run! Good exercise with everyone getting a case of sticky bums!!
Let's just say the events were nothing if not interesting!

And how often do you get to legally tie up kids?

When is junk not junk? How about making skipping ropes from black plastic bags? There's always a way to stay healthy when you're willing to think out the box!

Work those bodies!!! The kids enthusiastically got to do aerobics! The Discovery volunteers did as well! There was some moaning and groaning but the kids understood that sometimes adults just behave that way.

And as the day draws to a close and energy levels start to sink, tired bottoms happily filled chairs. We even got to sit through a fire drill. I suspect we were so tired that even a real fire might not have seemed all that scary.

As the day drew to a close, we had one last farewell and then waved good bye to our tiny charges as they went back to their buses happily burdened down with great Discovery goodies!

It was a very rewarding event, and I think, in the end, our bodies were warm with more than just the ache of used muscles.