On A Mission: February 2014

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Guess what we did this morning?

"I'm flying" (a dream come true!)

People we've met...

So I'm aware that recent posts have been about the tourist things we've done and not so much about our volunteer service. I'm not allowed to post photos of the kids online and since I link this to Facebook, I've not shared any of those photos here. So I thought I'd share about some people we've met recently.

Otto - On Thursdays we go to the township of Gugulethu. First we go to Vukuhambe, a community center for disabled adults to go to so they have somewhere to go and something to do during the days. The center is a long hallway with 5 or so rooms off it. By our standards we'd say it is filthy, run down, hot and cramped. There are two rooms the size of small classrooms where the people sit around tables "working." You know the plastic hangers that clothes from Target or KMart are on? Well, these folk spend their days scraping stickers off of them so they can go to recycling. They get paid a few dollars for every kilo which they must share between then (20 or so people). We spend 30 minutes or so with them, to encourage them and to simply be a bright spot in their day.

Today I sat scraping hangers with Otto. It's wasn't clear to me what his disability is, it didn't seem physical, and with his accented English, I couldn't tell what cognitive/developmental disability he might have. Otto has lived in Gugulethu since he was 11 years old. Before that he lived with his family in Simon's Town - a LOVELY beach community down Cape Point (where the penguins are). At that time it was a mixed community - whites, blacks and coloreds all lived there. Then in 1967 the government decided that Simon's Town was to be a white town and so his family (mom, dad, sister, Otto) was "relocated" to Gugulethu. His father could no longer keep his job (a clerk in an office) in Simon's Town and was given a new job in Gugulethu. When I asked him what it was like to be moved like that, he simply drew tears down his cheeks with his fingers.

Baby Lisa - On Mondays, we go to Miracle Kids safe house in Constantia, where Elsie and her daughter, Nadine (25 years old) care for 13 children (mostly between 2-4 years old). Last Thursday they received a newborn who was born that day. Her mother is in prison for 7 years; she had abused another one of her children who had then died. So when she gave birth on Thursday, the social workers were waiting to take the baby immediately to Elsie. They think the mother has family in the Eastern Cape and so they will see if they can find someone there to take her in. (They always seek to keep children in their own extended families.) If they can't find family, they will seek a foster home for her. Until then, she will live at Miracle Kids.

Lisa has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. You know that vertical dip in our upper lip? FAS children don't have it (and won't ever have it.) They also have puffiness under their eyes, sometimes resulting in folds of skin there. There is also something about their ears that I don't remember. Those are just the outward signs. There will also be accompanying brain damage which manifests as they grow up.

They gave her the English name - Lisa - and a Xhosa name (she is black and black children also get a Xhosa name and learn to speak Xhosa) which means gift (which I can't remember or pronounce!). I got to hold Lisa for an hour and a half while she slept on me. While holding her, two white women came to drop off donations. One of them was carrying her 6 month old son. I was struck by the difference between these two beloved children of God already in their short lives.

At devotions before going out to Gugulethu today, we were encouraged to see the kids around us as God sees them - not defined or destined by their environment. "See them as future lawyers, doctors and teachers." Hard to do! When looking closely into their beautiful black faces it is easier; but I confess that when the view expands, it's hard to see what a path out of poverty might look like for someone like Lisa.

400 Children at Kids Club - Two weeks ago, Sophia gave the Valentine's message to 250+ kids. Last week there were 400 or so kids and Sophia taught them a song she learned at Grandparent Camp. I wonder how many will be there tomorrow!

We are blessed to be with these beautiful people.

Our typical week:
Monday - afternoon at Miracle Kids safe house in Constantia - playing with the kids and helping with bath time
Tuesday - free day - we do something touristy
Wednesday - afternoon at Mitchell's Plain (big suburb with a township feel) - after school program
Thursday - afternoon at Gugulethu - Community Center and after school program at Tembelatu school for handicapped kids
Friday - early Mass at St. George's Anglican Cathedral; afternoon at Westlake Kids Club
Saturday - free day
Sunday - morning at Hillsong Church; afternoon free

Our time is going quickly as I knew it would; we're feeling quite at home here and I'm trying to cherish every minute.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Visit on Saturday to Robben Island (where Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison)

"Robben" is Afrikannars for "Seal" - and back in the day there were a lot of seals on the island.

The view from the visitor's center in the village. Currently 120 people live in the village on the island. They maintain the park and facilities. The children go to school on the mainland (30 min. ferry ride!)

Our guide - had a little of the Samuel L. Jackson thing going on. All the guides in the prison tour were inmates.

Mandela's cell

Mandela's window (view of sky - nothing else)

Courtyard outside Mandela's cell

Photo of men working in the courtyard during Mandela's time there.

The room where our guide was imprisoned. 20 men were in this room.

They had two mats for a bed. Mandela had one.

After a number of years, they got bunk beds.

"The long walk to freedom" is the 300 yards that prisoners would walk after being freed - from the prison, through the gate to the ferry.

The boat ride back to Cape Town after our VERY SHORT 3 HOUR stay on the island.

Hermanus and the very tip of Africa (where the two oceans meet)!

Hermanus is a small town on the coast (Atlantic side) about 2 1/2 hours south east of Cape Town. We drove down here yesterday evening and will return to Cape Town tomorrow morning. We're staying in a lovely "Beach Villa" nearly on the water with balcony views of the crashing waves in front of us and on both sides. The weather is cool at night - we sleep with the doors to our two balconies completely open!

Today we drove for 2 hours, further south east, to the very tip of Africa. Boy is that a remote place! There are a few SMALL towns that we drove through to get there, but it is desolate. Except that this is wine country, so the scenery is dotted with vineyards, as well as cattle and sheep farms. (I also saw an ostrich on the way.)

The tip of Africa is where the two oceans meet - the Atlantic (COLD) and the Indian (WARM). The colors are different as well. The very tip is a national park and is rocky and desolate. There is nothing touristy about it; just a dirt road, a few signs pointing the way, some wooden benches and a stone marker.

Sophia and I went and took the requisite photos at the very tip and then found a parking spot a bit up the road to enjoy our picnic lunch (in the car because it is VERY windy outside).

Then we drove on to Struisbaai - on the Indian Ocean. We pulled into a random beach parking lot (the only car there) at 2:00pm, stepped down onto the sandy beach and out into the water. It was so warm!!!! We were supposed to skype with Sophia's class back at the lodge at 4:00pm and needed to leave immediately, but she was so happy dancing and jumping in the water that I didn't have the heart to jump back into the car, so I emailed Mrs. G (teacher) to reschedule the skype session and we settled onto the beach for the next two hours. We left around 4:00 when two kite surfer were just getting going!

The topography reminds me of the midwest - long stretches of nothing but farmland - but with major hills, and mountains in the distance. Beautiful!

Friday, February 14, 2014

Friday Afternoon - Kids Club - Sophia and 250 other kids!

So, we were driving down to Westlake to Kids Club (an after school program for 200+ kids in a community center in a township), and Sophia began practicing out loud a Valentine’s Day message “in case they wanted one from her.”

When we got to Kids Club, I mentioned to Christiane who organizes the program that Sophia has a Valentine’s message if they want her to share it. She was overcome – because Arlene (who leads the group and usually gives the message) had a terrible week being sick and had not prepared a message and none of the other leaders were prepared so they didn't have one! So she agreed to do it!

The kids arrived – giving hugs at the door. 250 of them!!! Arlene began with a song. Then they played a Bible quiz game and the kids could choose between a prize of a box with a mystery gift and some coins. They were choosing the box mostly. It went on quite long and the group was getting antsy.

After 30 mins. or so, Arlene invited Sophia up to give her talk. She was amazing! She was calm and poised – started with an opening question:

When you think of Valentine’s Day what do you think of?

The kids were getting loud, so Martin got their attention back. Then she spoke of how God loves us and how Jesus died to show his love for us, and we can show our love for God by showing our love for others. Especially people who are our enemies – that if we show them love, then maybe we’ll be the person who causes them to begin to change. Then she asked them to share how they can show love to someone this week. (In the video below it's very hard to hear her, but gives you an idea of the setting.)

Then they went to the craft tables to make Valentines cards - A few of the kids gave their valentines cards to Sophia!

Sophia fell asleep in the car as we drove back home...

Kids playing the quiz game.

Sophia speaking to the group - Martin (founder of the Orphan Care Foundation) beside her.

Helping a girl with her craft.

Sophia speaking to Kids Club (you can't really hear her, but it gives you an idea of it...)

In the township, Gugulethu

On Thursday, after serving at the Tembaletu School for handicapped children, we went to visit The Church of the True Vine where Pastor Mike who was with us at the school preaches. It is surrounded by shacks made of corrugated steel and other scraps in a dilapidated area of Gugulethu. By our first world standards, we'd say that these people live in squalor. Yet this is their home and they are full of life and joy and love. And in this tent, Pastor Mike preaches to 200 people each week, and the Gospel is spreading.
I have much to learn...

The pulpit

Morning Prayer and Breakfast with Archbishop Tutu

We went to Morning Prayer at St. George's Cathedral again. Archbishop Tutu was presiding. He has a gift for expressing a warm, comfortable welcome and dignified, reverence for the liturgy and the Eucharist. He asked people he knew to share updates of pastoral situations in their lives, pointing out moments of grace and the miracle of healing in these peoples' stories. We have a local friend who is a friend of his and invited us to their weekly breakfast with him. He was enthralled with Sophia's silliness and has a childlike laugh that exudes pure delight. We look forward to making a habit of these early Friday mornings.