Farewell South Africa... you don't know how much you will be missed

Today was our last excursion and it was by far the most adrenaline-charged. We went shark diving. It was quite the experience with massive Great White sharks, uncomfortable wet suits, taking risks and overcoming fears. It took two hours to get to the site, so I had plenty of time to think about the experience and the whole trip in general. The before car ride was mostly spent trying to control myself and convince myself that this was a sane idea but the after car ride was quite different. As I thought about the fear that I overcame with the sharks and the risks and experiences I had with other parts of the trip, I found myself thinking about my priorities. Is what was most important to me before the trip the same as it is now? Why is it different? How can I reorganize my very well planned out life to accommodate to my new found self? Because of all of the things that I was exposed to and immersed in, I repeatedly asked myself if I was ready to settle, not only on a career choice but on where the rest of my life was going. I thought about all of the other things that I wanted to experience, to see, and appreciate. I thought about all of the challenges and risks that I may or may not want to face. I thought about how possibly one of those adventures could take me down a completely unanticipated path and lead to following a dream and I am not yet aware of (somewhat like our friend Justin with These Numbers have Faces).

All of these thoughts brought me back to one of our lectures about identity. Have I explored all of the pieces of me? Yes, I am human, female, American, student, daughter, sister, friend, child-lover (couldn’t think of a better way to put that?), and white. But what else?  After being here for three weeks and learning so much about myself, I cannot help but ask how much more of me is left to discover.  Will being present with my future endeavors be enough to lead me?

With all of the experiences here and all of these new thoughts about my future, how will I explain the trip to those who want to hear about it? I can say now that nothing I say or write does this trip justice. There are no words for the events and rollercoaster ride of emotions that each of the group members endured in their own way. Good thing I have 24 hours to think about it on the airplane ride home.

See you in the states my friends

Robben Island: June 7th

This morning was an early one, early enough to see the sun rise over the mountains. It was almost as pretty as the sunset in Camp’s Bay.  Approximately 85 other people accompanied our group on an hour long ferry ride to Robben Island as we tried hard to overcome the sea sickness and embrace the beauty of yet another view of the whole city (at least most of it). We exited the boat and began our two part excursion on Robben Island. I had no idea that the island consisted of more than just the prison. They have a school, a hospital, and about everything needed for living. They even create their own energy and can live independently from the main land. The one thing they did not have was an ATM. During the first part of our Robben Island experience we explored the other things on the island had such as the Leper Graveyard and the Limestone Quarry. This part of the tour gave a lot of background on the island and its amenities, for example, the island was named so because of the immense amount of seals that lived on the island at the time. The tour ended at the prison. After watching Invictus and hearing stories about people’s experiences visiting the prison, I had a certain set of expectations (which I tried to void, but failed) that were not met. I anticipated that the experience would be much more emotional and moving, but instead there was an absence of any emotion whatsoever. The prison was cold, white, sterile-feeling and empty. Our leader (ex-prisoner) spoke in a loud mono-toned voice with a thick accent and didn’t speak much about his personal story. We had the opportunity to read some personal stories, however some didn’t make much sense and others didn’t say much at all. The Robben Island experienced ended with Nelson Mandela’s cell. It was kept set up with the minimal belongings he was able to keep while sleeping on a concrete floor with one thin blanket. It was sad but almost didn’t feel real. I left Robben Island tired and not knowing what to think or feel.

The rest of the afternoon was spent on the waterfront exploring the mall area. The place was huge and reminded me of the Mall of America but more open and bright and not quite as big. It was frustrating. We were in a VERY ritzy part of town so not only could we not afford anything it had to offer, but it also brought back memories of living in the township and reinforced the “tale of two cities.” It was an exhausting day to say the least. Early to rise and definitely early to rest tonight to be up for another day in South Africa J

In Country Assignment #2: What did I learn from my week in Guguletu?

Some of the experiences we had this week brought about common realization; such as the effect of presence and listening, the effect of mindset on daily living, and the effect of community in personal development.

One concept that was reinforced before almost everything that we did was being present and actively listening to what our gust had to say and try and make sense of it in the context of the bigger picture in the community. Not only did being present mean consciously being aware of what was happening, it also meant simply being the human presence for someone to use in order to express their feelings, talk through issues, and embrace the company of another person. One example of this was our visit was Lydia. As she told us her story about her struggles with HIV and raising a son born with HIV on top of many other defects, I realized that just giving her the chance to talk through her experiences is an active form of coping with them. It allows her to express built up emotions that may have been restricting her from performing activities of daily living and dealing with challenges that may or may not have presented themselves. Many people, like Lydia, may not have people who accept her and her son’s disease, who don’t want to see the problems within the community or who don’t want to feel the pain of another, so they block them out and don’t allow them to show their true colors. Thus, I was able to first-hand experience the power of presence and how important it is to recognize and listen to those suffering in the community.

The food parcel day was when my recognition for the effect of positive mindset was solidified. It was amazing to see the black and white picture that I got from talking with two separate women. One woman used my presence as a way to vent about her emotions (which is great, because everyone needs to vent), but as she continued, her constructive venting turned into complaining and feeling bad, ashamed, and worthless. I concluded the conversation by trying to help her find some good that came out of her story and the day in general; one thing that would lift her spirits and give her hope. We left the conversation with a smile and I continued on with my work of distributing the parcels.  A while later I encountered an old woman who had a certain pizazz to her step.  I went to help her and before I even got her name, she began preaching to me about how grateful she was of this program and our help. She didn’t tell me much about her life or the struggles that she had endured, but she told me about her relationship with the church and with God and that without the support of the congregation, she wouldn’t have known where she would have ended up. She talked about how beautiful South Africa was and that she wouldn’t have wanted to grow up and live any other place. She explained all of the things that she wanted to do to improve the community and that the youth was the only way (which we bonded about because of my love for children). As the conversation came to an end she told me to keep my chin up. She told me that the only way to conquer the hard stuff was to celebrate the good stuff. She told me not to worry about her and her community members and to leave here celebrating the newly formed friendship. I wonder after having the two separate encounters, if my approach with the first woman helped her get through the day. Did she always think negatively, and if so, how did that affect each and every day? How did the second woman come to have the mindset that she did? How does she nurture that mindset to not drift towards negativity? She really inspired me to look to the good things in life and celebrate their occurrence and then use the power of positivity to help cope and get through the rough times. I only wish the best for these people and hope that those with positive outlooks on like can help those who don’t and make them see the good in life and just how beautiful it can be.

After all of the experiences and emotions this week, I came to one last conclusion: the positive effect that community has on personal growth. Each of the experiences that I discussed in my previous blog postings have all given me a different taste of how community effects people’s lives and how it really aids in personal growth and development. One place where I saw community building within JL Zwane was with the youth group. The church itself is a developing community with many positive things coming out of it, but the youth group, I feel, is a place where the youth community is explored and can easily be taken outside the church’s four walls and into the community where they are involved in and experiencing a variety of different things. It impressed me how open they were to discussing their personal lives and how accepting they were of all of our different backgrounds and genuinely interested in what we had to say. From the beginning they welcomed us with warm arms into their group and the church community and tried to get to know us before judging. They encourage people to speak out and voice their concerns and issues they are having in the community. They provide an open, safe, and nonjudgmental space where people feel comforted to share those opinions. We can learn a lot from their willingness and ability to go above and beyond for their fellow community members. 

Finding Strength in Pain: June 3rd

Even with all of the pain and sadness that came with this week, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. We concluded the week with the visit to Thembalethu School for Children with Special needs. We toured the grounds and visited with students in a variety of classrooms. This school was very impressive – from the quality and cleanliness to the equipment that accommodates student learning. Visiting here and being exposed to the high spirited staff and students was definitely a highlight of the week. One notable part was when they gave us a taste of their talented choir. Their energy and happiness that resulted from their singing brought tears to my eyes for the second time. It was a place that I saw myself returning to and a place where I could see a career building. Visiting here reinforced that even amongst the struggles that the community endures daily, there are still positive and beneficial things happening in the community. We concluded our time with JL Zwane with a discussion with the pastor. He left us with a question that I continue to ponder: “How do you motivate people to do better?” 

Yes, I am a nurse: June 2nd

Today challenge: ask more questions and think critically about today endeavor and partner with again, someone you don’t know very well.

The day began with a guest speaker and consisted of a lecture that furthered our understanding of South African past and how it is dealt with currently. Kenneth Kivenkew is from the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation. It is an organization that interrogates the past to find the truth and find reconciliation. One of their main projects is the Community Healing Project. The mission is that all people who come from a violent past (apartheid) need healing not only on a personal level but also communal level. It is the opportunity to address gaps and overcome division. They have created a video to show past footage of their history as well as efforts to overcome it. It found ti much more effective than my experience with history lessons. Because I am a visual learner, the video worked very well at describing and showing the feeling of the past. The program also gives the youth or those participating to discuss the past with those who actually experienced it. It was difficult to react to the movie and history lesson as I was trying to be vulnerable but I was also at a lose of how to react because of all the conflicting emotions, much like how I have felt about most of the things we have been doing. I feel that everyone should view a video such as this especially the youth because it can help the younger generation as they were not exposed to that kind of hardship. Consequently, their leadership may form into some of the weaknesses that brought about apartheid. So having this video in school or making it more available can help prepare people for the future and continue working on the present transition and recognize trends within history to avoid mistakes in the future.

The second half of my day was probably the highlight of my trip thus far. We visited the hospice services in Guguletu. A crew of 19 caregivers and approximately 130 patients. We were able to split into two groups and follow the caregivers to their scheduled visits for the afternoon. We traveled deep into the shacks to visit a man who suffered from SEVERE pressure ulcers (bed sores). As I watched the caregivers prepare to care for the man, all that was running through my head was the furether actions and precautions I wanted them to take. The smell that filled the room was of soiled linens and deteriorating flesh. The man was HIV positive and had been bedridden since 2007. He was frail and immobile. Since the caregivers last visit, the man had progressed quicker than expected. On a better day, he loved visitors and is open to talking/sharing his story, his struggles, and his outlook. Today was a different story. He had progressed to a point where he couldn’t talk and couldn’t even smile when I empathetically gave hgim my hope and sent him my prayers. They cleansed his deep wounds with a commen disinjectant and dressed them. I learned that when the disinfectant is run out or not available, they resort to using salt water. The use of salt water on open flesh causes excruciating pain and I cannot imagine inflicting that much pain on a human being. I continued to ask questions about their practice and interventions. I large part of my education is educating the family on how to help the patient cope as well as how t ocare for the patient’s condition. This is not at all a apart of what they do here, which hurst me. It could easily be done while care is being done. Another thing that is not included is how the grieving process affects the patient and family as well as the caregivers. I cannot imagine how quickly all those involved burn out from all of the emotions (much like I am starting to burn out from all of our rollercoaster rides of emotions). Our group filtered through and watched and interacted, I recognized that this is an opportunity to help any group member to cope with the experience. It was a time for vulnerability to be put aside and composure and rationale to sink in in order to stay strong for the family, patient, and group members. It was a time to lead by example and put logical terms to the circumstance. While also feeling the pain that this family as well as the hundreds of people who are suffering from the same situation but no one knows and no one is there to assist.  

We left the man with conflicting emotions and continue on our way. Wishing for a more uplifting experience, we had the opportunity to see the Siyaya Musical Education Gorup. The spirit and enthusiasm that is sweat off these gifted people is beautiful. Their talent is nothing like anything I have seen. This group is able to express the wide range of emotions and struggles that the community is experiencing. They made us realize that there is no need to feel shame or sadness because the people that live here are happy and content with their lvies (for themost part). However, what they need is to be shown how to live better. It was an insight conversation and uplighting experience to bring to out last night in Gugs.

We concluded the evening with dinner and dancing with all the host families. It was a sad yet joyful night with a bittersweet goodbye. I never realized that I really valued Noxi and her willingness to open her home and her life to us. She shared her love and was not shy about expressing it. I can’t tell you how good it made me feel when she would tell us, her children, how much she loved us and how happy she was that we were there. We had one final, meaningful conversation with Noxi. She told us about the circumstances around her son’s murder. It was a situation revolving around a stolen cell phone. That’s right, you read that correctly, a person was murdered over a stolen cell phone, and the story gets even worse. Her son had a very similar name to another boy in the neighborhood and he was mistaken for him. That’s right, they beat the wrong 17 year old boy to death over a stolen cell phone. The story broke my heart. However, Noxi told the story with little emotion. She had been strong for many, many years, and wasn’t going to give up now. She spoke of her struggle to forgive those who participated in murder. She talked about how you cannot change the past, so one must trust in God and believe that He will help you through and give you what you need. Through her story and her words, she never gave up. 

It's Raining Children: June 1st

This morning we talked with two outreach personnel at JL Zwane. Because women in power is somewhat resisted, both of these women went through detailed circumstances to get to their positions within the center. They go out into the community to find out what the people really need, ask questions, listen to stories, support community members through life obstacles, visit sick members and give hope. They work to bring the church outside the center’s four walls, reinforce what the church preaches, expand relationships, follow up with community events and stories and simply be a part of their lives outside 10:00 Sunday service. I think what they do is extremely difficult but necessary. Maintenance of relationships is what keeps them strong and thriving. Without that outreach, many people may be lost in the chaos of daily living.

Today’s challenge: partner with someone in the group who you don’t know very well

Personal challenge: drink two water-bottles because there have been too many things going on to remember to stay hydrated

After the morning’s discussions, we were able to see what our host mom, Noxie, does on a daily basis. She is a school teach for the 1^st grade. We all got to visit her classroom and interact with her students. Interacting with the children was very rewarding. We sang songs, took pictures, and experienced a true South African School. I finally had some happy feelings fill my mind after seeing the children in school instead of in the street. The spirit that these classrooms have is unbelievable. I wish my school days growing up had as much energy has these did. This school was one of the better schools in the community. However, it was run down with trash flooding the grounds. The only thing that helped me look past the rough conditions was how happy the children were to be in school and because of the education they had a better chance of having a better life. Noxie and her principle were to so happy and so proud of their school and the students that it was hard to feel sad because great things are happening in the community.

We left the children to their studies and proceeded to our next destination: Priscilla Home care. This was a sort of foster home where 12 children lived due to be abandoned or abused. It took some time for the children to warm up to us as for some of them , we were the first white people they had ever seen. Because of my love for children, I absolutely admired her work and dedication to getting children off the streets and out of abusive situations and giving them the love and attention they need and deserve. Teen pregnancy and caring for the youth has become a huge issue and it is so refreshing to see places such as this in the community working to overcome this challenge.

We then moved to visit Lydia, a woman struggling with HIV and caring for a child with HIV along with many other health conditions. She story was sad and really expressed the effects that this disease has on a woman and her children. She was one of the strongest ladies I have interacted with and her outlook on life is positive. She has good hope for her child and herself. It was difficult to see her and her child in the conditions they were living in, especially because the likelihood of getting infections in that environment is high.

We proceeded to visit Mary, a woman with a hand full of stories all revolving around living during apartheid. She had strong opinions and it was refreshing to her how she and her colleagues transitioned from the apartheid way of life to living in freedom.

The day concluded with the Rainbow After School Program where similar situations were experienced. It was a day full of children and their energy. These experiences have reinforces my passion to work with children and work to develop a positive mindset and five them hope for the future, just like many of these programs and people are doing every day. 

Food Parcel Day: May 31st

Today was food parcel day and was filled with a plethora of emotions.  

Pre-food parcel distribution discussion: We started giving ourselves daily challenges. Today’s challenge is appreciating presence. The challenge was to get to know the community members who were receiving food parcels, to strike up conversation, inquire about their story and simply listen. Many of these people have lost more of their family members and don’t have anyone to talk to so the presence of a person to just listen to them rejoice, cry, vent or just enjoy the company.

The day began with unloading the trucks of the contents of the parcels. It was exciting and the first time that we were really active and getting to channel our emotions to exercising which was a nice relief. The group and set of workers worked very efficiently together and the group dynamic changed in a positive way. As the food parcels were assembled and the women and children filed in a stream of sadness, guilt and frustration came over me. We had to practice ambiguity and adaptive leadership throughout the day as challenges arose such as a delay with the trucks, assembling the parcels in the most appropriate manner, and as we interacted with the community members. It was difficult to see some of these people and the conditions they were in, some suffering from the effects of HIV/AIDS, other not having having eaten for a day to two and children helpless to their own needs. A question or concept that seemed to stay with me all day was the fact of sustainability. Is it more effective to teach a man to fish or provide fish for him? How will these food parcels effect the next month? Before we began administering the parcels, the pastor began by saying that the point was not to make us feel guilty or bad but to work as a support system as we help them survive. While we assisted them with the transport of their food, we were able to have deep conversation and get to know the personal stories and struggles these people endure.  One woman in particular told me her story: she was a widow whose two children had passed away. She was lonely and scared and was missing the presence and feeling of safety that a man brought to the house. She also told me about how she was sad that she was unable to have celebration for her grandson’s birthday. Another story was about a woman who did not elaborate on her life story but preached to me about people’s mindset on life. She explained that there is no use in feeling sad, hopeless, or sorry for oneself when it doesn’t solve any issues. One needs to be optimistic and positive about life, use God and the community members as support to get through the hard times and celebrate the good. A positive outlook can lead to solving challenges and finding new opportunities much more than thinking pessimistically. Thus, I left the food parcel day with uplifting and appreciative thoughts.

After most of the parcels were distributed, buses were sent into the community to give parcels to those who were physically unable to get to JL Zwane. I was not present for this particular experience but some of my classmates were… here is what they encountered:

A left over parcel was given to a high school boy who was an active member of the church. As he welcomed the distributers into him home. He started talking/showing is life to them, the couch in which is drunken brother spent his days versus his room where he reads college course guides for fun as he dreams to attend a university and provide for his two younger siblings and encourage them to seek a better life. As his brother wastes away he is keeping a positive outlook and always striving to do better. He was truly deserving of the food. The students also “happened to have: the business card for These Numbers Have Faces. They gave him the contact and explained the programs purpose. He expressed that he was grateful and that he would contact them. After hearing the story I am SO SO SO appreciative for the opportunities that have come available to me and that I have a supportive family who is with me each step of the way. I only hope that this boy excels in life and works hard to get where he wants to be.

Meanwhile, I was participating in the tutoring session at the Rainbow afterschool program. Through the week we have been able to participate, but today was different. I was in the 1^st grade room (following the chaos of the 4^th grade room yesterday). I was with a young girl who was very smart for her age, extremely polite and proper and beautiful. As we worked together we formed a strong bond. I showed her learning tricks which she caught onto quickly and she told me about her schooling and how much she loved to learn. She was the most mature 1^st grader I have ever encountered. The day came to and end and it was time for us to be going. I gave her a hug and wished her well and she whispered in my ear, “I am happy to be with you, I wish you didn’t have to go, I don’t want to go home again.” Her friend sitting next to her shared a little of our experience and refused to let go of my hand as we exited the classroom. It was by far the hardest thing for me to walk away from and the first thing that made me break down and cry. It made me realize how much I value family and a strong support system. Without these things, I would never have had the chance to experience things like this and I would never have the strength to get through experiences like this. The day ended and we returned to our host families where their faces didn’t leave my mind. 

Khayelitsha: May 30th

On May 30^th we began out day with a discussion with the Treatment Action campaign (TAC). It is located in a township called Khayelitsha which in one of the newest townships in Cape Town. Its population is roughly 700,000 people (7x larger than Rochester and in probably a quarter of the space). Lumkile Sizile facilitated our discussion and initiated the conversation with statistics such as that 36% of the people there have HIV/AIDS. It is one of the major issues that needs to be addressed and their mission is to establish support groups and develop current support groups as well as educate and advise/counsel as preventative measures. As Lumkile told his story he concluded by explaining that his acceptance of his HIV positive status came with the question, “What is my mission in life?” He Wants to help others help themselves, and educate them so that they know how to react to the disease and effects it has on the individual, the family, and the community. It took him years to come to grops with the harsh realities of his positive status so now it is his goal to help others do the same as well as help others recognize the issue and work to improve those poor statistics. To me, working to change people’s mindsets to a more positive thought process can help work as a preventative measure. It can also help as a way to help those who are infected cope and live a longer, more enjoyable life. However, one must come to peace with themselves prior to developing other to think optimistically and with hope.

After this powerful story, we had the opportunity to talk with Mandla from the Social Justice Coalition. The main topic that was discussed was the connection between the tap water system, the sanitation system and violence. Their main focus is on human rights and building a stronger community through discussing key issues that need to be addressed. In these townships, there are about one toilet for ten houses and one tap for about 20 houses. The public access to these spaces becomes extremely dangerous where an immense amount of violence and rape occurs and where gender-based violence is exploding. However, these victims are not seeing justice because of the gap between police and township members due to their harsh apartheid part. There is distrust and thus a lack of quality justice. This separation, distrust, and tight quarters is frustrating. Why isn’t the government more concerned about these issues? What are they doing to improve those issues? Why can’t they create job just surrounding cleaning up the environment in these townships and supervising and patrolling those public spaces? How can the government and SJC collaborate to solve these issues? How can people work to restore the trust and loyalty of the police and safety systems?

These meetings were followed by a tour through Gugs. Our first stop was the Guguletu Seven monument where police killed a group of black protesters. It was interesting because the monument had outlines of bodies with holes so that when the sun casts a shadow it shows bodies on the pavement. We then moved to Amy Biel’s cross. She was an American student who was murdered by a group of black men. Her parents began a foundation in which a few of those convicted of her murder are now a part of. These monuments helped show some of the past struggles that Gugs has endured and are still working on coping with. It aided in putting the community into perspective. We ended the tour at a local market where various items are sold, one in particular are smileys, which is a sheep’s head. For me, the visit to the market was extremely uncomfortable. We were stared at and many were unfriendly (probably because we were not buying anything). I left there sad and hopeless that I could ever be accepted into the community.

On a more positive note, we had awesome guests at dinner. Our friends, Edwin and Justin, from a program called “These Numbers Have Faces.” It is a program whose mission surrounds the fact that education is power. They fund for students to attend tertiary schooling in return for their dedication to the program through service learning, mentoring and goal-making. The other student that is staying with Noxi during our stay is Akhona, is a part of this program. She explained, “It is the opportunity for me to give youth in which I am mentoring hope, because I have so much to give.” The program is described as a developmental one instead of simply aiding students to get tertiary training because it requires personal growth from the students.

These guests reinforced many leadership concepts that we have learned about.

One – it is essential to utilize assets within the community before seeking out assistance from the outside. They talked about an example of an American student who came down with a bad rash while staying in Gugs but tried to solve the problem by calling the US. However, the problem was not in the US, it was in Gugs, and Gugs resources and assets could work to solve the issue. Why do people always resort to going to the comfort place before exploring options in their own community that could possibly work much better and quicker? By searching for a solution to an issue, it could also give rise to relationships and open doors to the community.

Two – it is so important to follow your passion. Justin began this program while attending grad school and completely changed his direction to explore an interest that turning into his passion and entire life. It made me feel fortunate that I found my passions for health care and children early in life.

After everyone left we were able to finally talk with our host mom, Noxi and her other student, Akhona. She told us about how she got there and about her deceased parents and her son, who was murdered when he was just 17. My first impressions for my host stay family were indescribable. They were perfect. It amazed me how quickly we all became comfortable with one another and shared very personal stories. The conversation flowed and information was exchanged. I couldn’t have asked for a better home stay situation. Noxi accepted us as her children and for the next of the week, we intended to be just that. 

Let the immersion in Guguletu begin: May 29th

First impressions of Gugs:

No street signs

Trash EVERYWHERE

Sewage smell

People in bare feet and congregating in small groups

Children around on a regular school day

No white people

Almost another “tale of two cities” within Gugs as there are structured homes to collapsing shacks

Our immersion adventure began with a typical African church service on Sunday morning at 10:00 am. Before I elaborate, let me just say that if church services in the US were at all like this one, you could count on me to be there each and every Sunday. As we filed into our rows, the choir serenaded us with a taste of gospel music. We were intertwined among the church members of all ages. Almost immediately I was handed a baby to hold. If you know me at all, you can guess just how happy that made me. Interacting with these people was unlike any of my past experiences. The ability that these people have to immediately greet us with a warm, loving welcome and place complete trust in us was indescribable. There is no circumstance that US can think of in the US where someone would hand over their infant to a complete stranger. Or on the other hand, an instance where the child would not have been frightened and making it clear that they wished to return to the familiar faces of its family. Or again, for the set of people sitting next to you in church to strike up a conversation and genuinely be interested in what you had to say. But this was different, the family struck up conversation, handed me their baby and the baby sat contently in my arms making happy noises. I couldn’t help to get a little choked up at not only how happy I was to be giving my affection to the child but also at the trust the family put in me immediately. I feel that Americans are so paranoid that something bad will happen (even in church) and that there are too many “bad” people in the world to trust anyone. Instead these people looked at the good in me and handed over their pride and joy and made an effort to get to know me before judging me.

Another thing that I noticed as the church staff and members interacting was how easily and honestly they searched for partnerships and relationships among one another, our group, as well as other organizations in the community and in South Africa. They clearly recognize the usefulness of creating and nurturing relationships. The resources that become available, the insights that are realized and visions that are shared work as benefits to the further development of each individual center as well as work to solidify and strengthen the relationship. As I continued to interact with the church members, they displayed these values of community and partnerships through their willingness to open their homes to others, share their stories, explain their struggles and discuss their plan of action to help other break the chain of poverty, poor health and isolation.

The church service consisted of an immense amount of singing and dancing (we even did the electric slide!). The enthusiasm that vibrates off the members here is overwhelming in a good way. The members come and celebrate their beliefs, nurture their community, and become support systems not out of obligation but out of the good of their heart and because they actually want to be there. The energy continued cas we mingled with the members of the youth group. As we discussed the comparison of religious practice of America and South Africa, a few things came up. First, many Americans are brought up believing what possibly generations of family members believed. However, with this particular church, it was said that “people just find their way here through different means, especially the youth.” It is a church that focuses on listening and NOT solely telling. One sentence that was stated during the service that stuck with me was “It is amazing what one can learn when one is prepared to listen” They have found that the church and its members require a reciprocal relationship instead of the one way street of telling and members following. The youth continued to show us their openness of creating relationships as each one of us felt comfortable asking each other very personal questions and not being afraid to speak up, express thoughts through song and inquire about particular responses.

This welcoming carried on as we left the church to meet our home stay mothers and their families. As we shared a meal together we were able to truly be ourselves and accept one another for our strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately, my roommates and I were not able to meet our host mother, Noxi, until late in the evening. She attended a wedding celebration all day. We are planning on chatting with her more tomorrow.

First impression continued:

I was quite surprised how different the township and homes were than I anticipated. The outside of the homes do not do the inside justice. They are much nicer and cozier than I had imagined. When walking down the street one would imagine that the inside are as dirty and trash-filled as the outside, however, the longer that a family has been in the home/part of the township, the more unique and better the home becomes. Many homes that participate in the home stays do not having running water, heated water, and showers for that matter, bathroom facilities and many other accommodations. My roommates and I were fortunate enough to have running water. It will be quite an interesting week and I am ready to face it head on.