Early “Mass” at St. George’s Cathedral today. The small
“said” service (as opposed to “sung”) was held in a side chapel with 75 people
or so and Bishop Tutu presiding. What a blessed moment to receive the Body of
Christ from him and then a hug at the door as we were introduced to him by a
local friend. I think we will make this a Friday morning habit!
We spent the afternoon in the township of Westlake, south
and east of Cape Town. We were part of the volunteer team for Kids Club –
picture a one-day Vacation Bible School with nearly 200 children in one big
room (a community center)! Everyone is warm and kind and we hug everybody –
kids and adults alike. After large group fun on big carpet remnants rolled out,
the kids go to the craft tables for a time. Then we hand out snack and they
leave.
We spent time with Veronica who runs programs out of the
community center – she is a nurse and does home health care in the community;
and is also a “safe house.” A safe house is an identified home with a
trained/certified “mom” who takes in children whose parents can’t care for
them. They are not “orphans” because the parents are known but unable to parent
their children – usually because they are drug addicts or prostitutes. One girl
who lives with Veronica, sees her mom in the community drugged and prostituting
herself.
I was taken by her daughter Jodine – a bright and articulate
14 year old who has been accepted to an elite school in the area and has dreams
of studying research medicine (in America even!). She knew about American
politics – Michelle Obama is her role model!
We look forward to returning every Friday!
Check out the Orphan Care Foundation link on the right to learn more. (Martin, the founder, is a volunteer along with the rest of us, and has his own amazing story!)
Check out the Orphan Care Foundation link on the right to learn more. (Martin, the founder, is a volunteer along with the rest of us, and has his own amazing story!)
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