The warm sun saying its last goodbye on Friday, 13 August. Lara Kruiskamp and her loved ones stood on the 80 acres of land Makana Brick donated to the orphan village Kruiskamp plans to build on the outskirts of Grahamstown. “Anyone for some champagne?”
The warm sun saying its last goodbye on Friday, 13 August. Lara Kruiskamp and her loved ones stood on the 80 acres of land Makana Brick donated to the orphan village Kruiskamp plans to build on the outskirts of Grahamstown. “Anyone for some champagne?”
Kruiskamp asked the small gathering she congregated to celebrate with her. Justin Du Plooy, Ntando Mlilo and Frontiers Church International Pastors Kate and Dave Koch were among those who joined Kruiskamp on the plot situated five kilometres east of Kingswood College.
The idyllic setting Kruiskamp secured from Makana Brick, with CEO Colin Meyer’s help, is set to provide nine clusters of eight homes for 72 mothers and 500 children.
“This is going to be a place that gives our children, the children of South Africa, a second chance,” Kruiskamp said. The athlete, who has run marathons on all seven continents, has been working to raise funds and awareness for the Grahamstown village for over a year.
Beginning with the Vienna marathon, on 14 April 2013, Kruiskamp ended her planned project on 10 March 2014 with a marathon in the freezing Antarctic.
“It’s funny when you think you are in control but God reminds you that He, actually, has other plans,” Kruiskamp said. Recently returning from a marathon on Mount Everest, said Kruiskamp, “It was the most gruelling thing I’ve ever had to do, in my entire life.”
With unprecedented snow storms threatening the completion of the marathon, the Lesotho-born local said the experience was more a test of will than might.
“My running partner broke his arm twice, and he broke his jaw a couple kilometres from the finish line.
But he didn’t stop.
57 years old and this man did not give up,” Kruiskamp said. Other injuries sustained by the running troupe included fractured and broken ribs, broken legs and extreme altitude sickness.
“Everest is cruel. People have died from suffering something as unassuming as altitude sickness. If you were feeling even a little bit nauseas you had to tell someone,” Kruiskamp said.
“It was such a humbling experience,” Kruiskamp said. T he awe of being amidst such breath-taking beauty; snow caps and skylines merging reflected on her face.
“I’m so glad I took this last spontaneous adventure. It was a lovely close to that chapter of my journey,” Kruiskamp said. Stowing her running shoes, the aspiring community developer is working to realise her vision for the orphan village in Grahamstown.
“I ran to raise money to buy land. I have that now. The next step is to cultivate it,” Kruiskamp said. Moving forward, there are plans to meet with architects and land surveyors, level the land and begin construction.
“This is going to be a place that uplifts and bring the community together,” Kruiskamp said. She aims to include a sports field, a church and a state-of-the-art educational centre in the village.
