Into the Village...

I am so excited to be writing a blog post! Mikey has done a good job updating regularly, but I have been itching to tell things from my own perspective. Finally, there are interesting things to report from White River, South Africa! Or at least, interesting to me.

Monday we started actual work in the communities. On Monday morning, our friend Carla—one of the full-timers here—sat with us and explained that they wanted our focus to be on the communities while we were here and we were more than happy to agree. The initial plan is to let us experiencing all this goes on during a week and then let us choose where we most feel led to serve in the capacity of our time and gifts. Monday we started in Kabokweni, where they have the biggest feeding program going on out of the home of a wonderful South African lady—Elizabeth. Her daughter Eunice also helps her, along with other volunteers from the community and from Ten Thousand Homes. As far as I can tell, we provide all the food and they cook, serve and clean up all from Elizabeth’s garage and back yard.

FIRST DAY IN A COMMUNITY, JUNE 15^th

I found it more difficulty to start playing with the kids than I thought it would be. I guess I imagined that they would come running to me, curious and open. But most seem guarded—rightly so—and somewhat shy. Without anything but ourselves to offer, sometimes it’s hard to enter in to spending time with a kid. Most of them do not speak any English, especially the young ones. Mostly, the entry point for me has been picking them up, putting them on my lap or holding their hand. It also helps to have their deflated soccer ball nearby to start being playful.

Our first day there, I got pulled into the kitchen by Elizabeth to help serve food and then helped a volunteer--(pronounced Katie-we, but I don’t know how to spell it), a single mom of two daughters and a very quiet, sweet girl--do the dishes. I felt bad that I didn’t spend a lot of time with the kids but I confess that i felt more comfortable with my hands busy and I really enjoyed my time talking to the volunteers.

YOUTH DAY, JUNE 16th

Today was an incredibly long, busy day in the same community. Today, June 16^th, is a national holiday here—Youth Day. It started, I believe, in 1974 when several kids were killed in a march against the Bantu Education act. One of our single volunteers here with Ten Thousand Homes—a recent college graduate named Mongaliso—organized our own youth rally and march from Elizabeth’s home to the local police station. We had banners and a police escort as we marched (a surprisingly long way in the hot sun!) down to the police station with chants and songs. The kids had so much energy and I’m not sure how, but I managed to march the whole way there and back with a small girl on my shoulders. I think I was on the edge of dehydration when we got back, but sitting in the shade with some water took care of that moments later. After the march, we had a program that consisted of several speakers—adult and children--, dances, songs and some drama. All of this was followed by a meal cooked by Elizabeth and the volunteers—our first truly African meal! It consisted of Pap (sp?), which is a cornmeal kind of food made into what looks like mashed potatoes, beets, cabbage, a potato-carrot mash and meatballs with mince meat and onion. It was pretty good—especially the cabbage!—and was really interesting to eat what the kids gather to eat three times a week from Elizabeth’s garage…anyway, all of that lasted from 9am to 2:30 and especially after our long, hot march, we were exhausted. We came home to nap.

THINGS TO PRAY FOR:

-COMMUNITY and relationships….people to know us personally while we’re here so we don’t feel alone; strength and courage to pursue relationships with the team instead of always waiting to be pursued

-courage and compassion to serve in the communities (I know that sounds really generic, but it’s harder than I thought to have true compassion—one that looks completely beyond self to empathize with and love others—and I am often so scared to enter into others’ lives for a multitude of reasons)

We love you all so much, and miss you. Your prayers are valuable during an overwhelming time when it’s hard to pray for ourselves; and your e-mails are encouraging when we are so far from our loving community.

Love,

Laura and Mikey