For many months the children's classes were very, very simple. We met outside and sang a couple of songs, share a short and simple lesson, and have an activity. The older ones speak English, but it's limited to conversational English, so half the class couldn't understand anything i was saying, while the other half listened wholeheartedly and tried to capture the essence of whatever i was saying.
In addition to the language barrier, what was challenging about these early classes is that they were outside and my children did not want to attend them. The ground was sandy and rocky; we had no materials, no seats, no cover from the hot sun. The children who came were pure of heart and had no expectations. I would try to teach a class while my boys fussed and interrupted me with complaints. It was the opposite of my heart's desire for us to be serving as any kind of example.
These practical challenges, however, were nothing compared to the ongoing process of me maintaining an inner sense of determination and patience to withstand the lack of support by the community and my children. I knew it wouldn't be easy, and i knew it would take time, but it reached a point where it seemed like i was up against all odds. The rain and cold weather came. The classes had dwindled down to a handful. It was cancelled often due to a period of xenophobia, miscommunications with the host family, and bad weather. It was clear i was being tested, but it was the flame of love for those children which kept burning and kept me going.
After Siboleke offered his home to us that one day, it's been like a wildfire of support and activity. Now we have many parents aware of this being a Baha'i class; they are happy to see their children attend something that is positive and educating their hearts. We also have a place to meet, and such receptivity amongst the children and jr. youth that the momentum feels sustainable. There is a core group who attend, and then many who come and go.
When we drive up, there is much excitement amongst the children. I set up and they gather some of their friends. We are learning to greet with Allah'u'Abha (God is the Most Glorious) and they sing along to a handful of songs. We average learning a new song about every other week. They love when we sing loudly and drum, clap or do hand movements to the songs. They enjoy working in their booklets, copying down whatever it is we're working on. They also enjoy the activities, but it sure is quite a process to coordinate any activity!
What's not happening right now is the telling of stories. I realized a few months ago that when i would finish telling a story, even with a picture to illustrate the theme or action involved, no one understood what i had just read. No one could answer any of my questions. Everything we cover in the class has to be repeated over several classes, and even then, when i ask a review question, the reaction is almost as if we have never talked about it before. I am trying very carefully to give meanings for each new word, demonstrating the best i can with something practical, but i know the road is long and the goal is glorious. So i pray that through continual review and lots of creative examples, they will soon grasp the spiritual truths and plant them in their hearts.
What IS happening is MUSIC. Most of the songs are already planted firmly in their hearts. Sometimes when i arrive they are already singing some of them. Other times, we may be working on an art project and i will hear some of them singing a song. It's a beautiful reality.
If you check out the picasa web albums, you will see photos Dash was able to take 2 weeks ago. They capture an array of activity and involvement from 10am until 1pm that day. Thankfully, Dash could walk around while i am involved with the class. I feel strongly that these classes are the beginning of something significant, but i certainly leave it up to God as i continue to arise and serve Him.
foreign merchants in south africa..their stories
This morning i stopped and talked with 2 merchants who sell goods up the street from our flat. One is from the DRC; the other is from Senegal. We have had many conversations about life in South Africa because their experience here reflects most foreigners' experience from other African countries.
The one from the DRC arrived here a year ago as a refugee without a dime in his pocket. He spoke no English. He did have a friend here, but if he was to stay with him, he would need to pay rent. The next day he went with his friend to see how his friend was earning a living. He immediately began earning some money each day by pushing heavy cargo in the markets for merchants. He did this for months until he earned some capital. His back hurt each evening but he knew this was necessary before he could pursue new work for himself. After being in the markets, he learned how trade occurs at the wholesale level, and he began to purchase some goods that he could sell himself. Now, one year later, this man speaks English very, very well and has his own stand where he sells artwork. He knows this is just a means for an end, and has goals of earning enough capital to move on beyond this stage in his life. He looks forward to 2010 when the World Cup is here and many tourists will be here looking for goods to bring back to their countries. He gained his higher education in Europe for 6 years, and plans to utilize his knowledge someday when he is financially stable.
The man from Senegal came to South Africa 9 years ago. He, too, did not speak English but he had enough money in his pocket to survive for 6 months, as well as a return ticket to Senegal should he not be able to make it here. He knew no one. Upon arriving, he stayed in a hotel in downtown Cape Town for a month. He went out each day searching for how goods are sold. He found where the wholesale market is and purchased a few items. He took these items with him on the train and, without knowing where he was going, traveled to the end of a line and landed in a town called Parow, where he walked door to door trying to sell these items. He only knew how to say "Good morning", and "This is nice" and a few other greetings to make contact with people. Some people bought his goods, so he decided to purchase more and stay downtown with his items on the side of the walkway where pedestrians might purchase them. He did this for 3-4 years, but he knew he wanted to earn enough capital to move to an area where he could get a permit and have a stand of his own. This is what he's doing now in Sea Point where we live. He, too, does not plan on doing this his entire life, just long enough to earn enough capital to perhaps then rent a storefront out and sell more goods there. He was the first merchant in Sea Point to acquire a permit in our area a few years ago, so he paved the way for others who have come.
I admire the determination, fortitude and hard work of these two merchants. They are surviving here in a land that doesn't always welcome or appreciate them as their brothers. It seems there is an invisible line which separates the black South African from the black foreigners. To me it's the line of apartheid. This country's most challenging issue is to overcome the remnants of an oppressive system which kept millions prosperous and privileged, many more millions uneducated and underprivileged, and all psychologically affected by the discrimination of race, color and class. I know very little about these things, but it sure is evident that discrimination on a systematic level like that for generations has left a psychological scar unlike that of any other colonized people in Africa.
I want to open-heartedly understand these issues in order to uphold the dignity of and defend the position of the people here who are sometimes viewed as lazy when in fact it's much more complicated and deeper than that.
The one from the DRC arrived here a year ago as a refugee without a dime in his pocket. He spoke no English. He did have a friend here, but if he was to stay with him, he would need to pay rent. The next day he went with his friend to see how his friend was earning a living. He immediately began earning some money each day by pushing heavy cargo in the markets for merchants. He did this for months until he earned some capital. His back hurt each evening but he knew this was necessary before he could pursue new work for himself. After being in the markets, he learned how trade occurs at the wholesale level, and he began to purchase some goods that he could sell himself. Now, one year later, this man speaks English very, very well and has his own stand where he sells artwork. He knows this is just a means for an end, and has goals of earning enough capital to move on beyond this stage in his life. He looks forward to 2010 when the World Cup is here and many tourists will be here looking for goods to bring back to their countries. He gained his higher education in Europe for 6 years, and plans to utilize his knowledge someday when he is financially stable.
The man from Senegal came to South Africa 9 years ago. He, too, did not speak English but he had enough money in his pocket to survive for 6 months, as well as a return ticket to Senegal should he not be able to make it here. He knew no one. Upon arriving, he stayed in a hotel in downtown Cape Town for a month. He went out each day searching for how goods are sold. He found where the wholesale market is and purchased a few items. He took these items with him on the train and, without knowing where he was going, traveled to the end of a line and landed in a town called Parow, where he walked door to door trying to sell these items. He only knew how to say "Good morning", and "This is nice" and a few other greetings to make contact with people. Some people bought his goods, so he decided to purchase more and stay downtown with his items on the side of the walkway where pedestrians might purchase them. He did this for 3-4 years, but he knew he wanted to earn enough capital to move to an area where he could get a permit and have a stand of his own. This is what he's doing now in Sea Point where we live. He, too, does not plan on doing this his entire life, just long enough to earn enough capital to perhaps then rent a storefront out and sell more goods there. He was the first merchant in Sea Point to acquire a permit in our area a few years ago, so he paved the way for others who have come.
I admire the determination, fortitude and hard work of these two merchants. They are surviving here in a land that doesn't always welcome or appreciate them as their brothers. It seems there is an invisible line which separates the black South African from the black foreigners. To me it's the line of apartheid. This country's most challenging issue is to overcome the remnants of an oppressive system which kept millions prosperous and privileged, many more millions uneducated and underprivileged, and all psychologically affected by the discrimination of race, color and class. I know very little about these things, but it sure is evident that discrimination on a systematic level like that for generations has left a psychological scar unlike that of any other colonized people in Africa.
I want to open-heartedly understand these issues in order to uphold the dignity of and defend the position of the people here who are sometimes viewed as lazy when in fact it's much more complicated and deeper than that.
help2read
a non-profit organization called help2read has been in South Africa for 3 years. this is the first year it's no longer a pilot project and is really gaining ground at the grassroots level. a friend and i have just gone through the training and were asked to begin at a school that has just joined the list of schools being served. we will each help 2 children 2 times a week for a whole school year. the aim is to help, not teach, children with their reading. the program is set up exactly like a program in England that has been running successfully for over 35 years.
after the training, i felt renewed with insightful tools to guide and facilitate the learning process with the children. the child must choose something of his/her own interest from a wide variety of materials in the help2read box -- the box contains a full range of new books and all kinds of learning and fun materials and games. the educator must be flexible and only encouraging with praise. it must be fun and full of listening and sharing. this box of materials provides an enriching and beautiful supply of books, activities and games which most of the children do not even find at their school, their home, or their neighborhood. there are 100,000's of children here, from backgrounds where English is the second language, who have no libraries in their neighborhoods, and who have no means by which to purchase books (the price for a book in South Africa is very expensive!). most of them have no adult to read them a book, and so a program like this is already making a difference in the lives of the children it has served.
as more and more volunteers arise to serve the children of South Africa, a whole new generation of children will begin to read well and be ready to advance along the path of higher education. the masses of children in South Africa still don't have the opportunity of a good education, but programs like this one provide hope and a vision of eradicating illiteracy as it spreads. i'm hoping to be a part of the process of seeing a child's eyes light up with confidence and self-esteem as reading becomes a natural talent in his life.
after the training, i felt renewed with insightful tools to guide and facilitate the learning process with the children. the child must choose something of his/her own interest from a wide variety of materials in the help2read box -- the box contains a full range of new books and all kinds of learning and fun materials and games. the educator must be flexible and only encouraging with praise. it must be fun and full of listening and sharing. this box of materials provides an enriching and beautiful supply of books, activities and games which most of the children do not even find at their school, their home, or their neighborhood. there are 100,000's of children here, from backgrounds where English is the second language, who have no libraries in their neighborhoods, and who have no means by which to purchase books (the price for a book in South Africa is very expensive!). most of them have no adult to read them a book, and so a program like this is already making a difference in the lives of the children it has served.
as more and more volunteers arise to serve the children of South Africa, a whole new generation of children will begin to read well and be ready to advance along the path of higher education. the masses of children in South Africa still don't have the opportunity of a good education, but programs like this one provide hope and a vision of eradicating illiteracy as it spreads. i'm hoping to be a part of the process of seeing a child's eyes light up with confidence and self-esteem as reading becomes a natural talent in his life.
reflections from rain
it is the time of year when the rain can fall heavily at times, when life in general seems to slow down a little.
this is my favorite time of year in any land, when the rain or snow comes and the smell and taste of coffee seems even more delicious; when i feel energized by the cool air; when i can walk briskly without perspiring or be outside without the oppressive sunshine making me hide behind sunglasses all the time; and when i can snuggle under a warm and cozy blanket with the children and feel completely relaxed, without that sense that we should be anywhere else or doing anything else.
yet i cannot feel this way for more than a moment anymore -- now i am thinking about the 100,000's of our brothers and sisters in the region not enjoying this time of year at all. their lives are mostly in the townships. so many homes in these areas are inadequate for keeping a family warm and dry; the electricity is very expensive to keep a space heater on often enough, while the concrete, wood, and tin which are so abundantly used to put homes together are just not sustainable for one's well-being. none of us who can choose a home of our own choice would choose the kinds of homes that have been made available for people in this country -- but what's worse is how so many more people are now living in homemade shacks while struggling to survive (being paid little for the hard labor and work most of them do) because there is no work in the countryside. there are 100,000's of people living in shacks, side by side, wet and cold by the rain, many in flood zones now scrambling for survival make-shifting another shack nearby. there is no dignity to use a toilet in one's own home in these living conditions -- people walk to an area where portable toilets stand next to each other, often against the highway, with broken doors and surely an awful stench. in these same areas, tuberculosis and other illnesses run rampant. there's certainly no extra money to go purchase some medicine, let alone go to a doctor. the community hospital nearby has a waiting list that is all day long and at the end of the day you still are not likely to be seen.
in addition to the shantytowns there are 1000's of displaced refugees who are now living in even worse conditions (!), without their own home, without any sense of security or social welfare. they are displaced both within this foreign land and from their own homeland where they feared for their lives. when the xenophobic attacks began, they left their homes in the townships where the violence was exploding. many of them rented very small spaces from the local people, but they at least had a sense of stability. now almost all of them will not return to the townships because they fear for their lives, and the city does not have enough places of refuge for them to live...so they are basically homeless, living in appalling conditions while receiving some aid from individuals who bring food and blankets to them.
in addition to the shantytowns there are 1000's of displaced refugees who are now living in even worse conditions (!), without their own home, without any sense of security or social welfare. they are displaced both within this foreign land and from their own homeland where they feared for their lives. when the xenophobic attacks began, they left their homes in the townships where the violence was exploding. many of them rented very small spaces from the local people, but they at least had a sense of stability. now almost all of them will not return to the townships because they fear for their lives, and the city does not have enough places of refuge for them to live...so they are basically homeless, living in appalling conditions while receiving some aid from individuals who bring food and blankets to them.
this is reality. it's not my own reality but it's in my heart and my mind all the time, and i cannot disconnect myself from it. i cannot sit under a warm and cozy blanket with my children and forget that my brothers and sisters a couple of miles away are in misery, are in danger, are hungry, are sick, and are without any sense of peace. i must arise each day and strive toward a sense of charity, generosity, consideration, respect, kindliness, and sacrifice in order to feel content that i am helping the world move toward its ultimate destiny of world peace. there cannot be peace until the forces of justice and unity are firmly established in all these lands where the extremes of wealth and poverty exist... and it is abundantly clear that it won't occur until the majority of people truly see each human being as a member of their family, with the eye of our oneness, through the eye of our Creator, Who loves us all as one people, no one better or worse, just beautifully one.
Madiba
Today the world is celebrating Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday. To be living in South Africa at this time is surreal, a moment my heart has anticipated eagerly for many years, and yet here i am, amongst his people, the Xhosa. Yesterday Dash visited Madiba's village where he was born, where his relatives still live. Dash expressed over the phone that it was an experience that one cannot fully relay. When he and Khonaye arrived, the people of the village greeted them and introduced them to the wife of the Chief. Then they gathered in one of the buildings to have a town meeting, discussing the purpose and trying to understand why Dash and Khonaye had come to visit. It must have been incredible, so far out in the countryside where traditional ways are still in tact, where milk comes directly from the cow and homes are built by tools held with one's hand rather than a machine....
Today South Africa faces many, many challenges, but certainly it will triumph in the future to be an example of unity in diversity. It is a land of many racial groups and cultures, with a national anthem in 4 languages speaking the universal language of freedom and peace. My heart feels happy to be a part of this struggle. Each moment here feels like it's alive with a spiritual force, the dynamic force of example, to live free of prejudice, to live upholding justice within the realm of one's decisions and actions, and to live in harmony with the beautiful array of its peoples. Madiba's 27 years of imprisonment for this country's freedom is such an awesome inspiration to all who live here -- and for all the people around the world who long for justice, equity and peace in their lands.
Today South Africa faces many, many challenges, but certainly it will triumph in the future to be an example of unity in diversity. It is a land of many racial groups and cultures, with a national anthem in 4 languages speaking the universal language of freedom and peace. My heart feels happy to be a part of this struggle. Each moment here feels like it's alive with a spiritual force, the dynamic force of example, to live free of prejudice, to live upholding justice within the realm of one's decisions and actions, and to live in harmony with the beautiful array of its peoples. Madiba's 27 years of imprisonment for this country's freedom is such an awesome inspiration to all who live here -- and for all the people around the world who long for justice, equity and peace in their lands.
oneness..taking care of the human race
there is plenty of food in the world. there are plenty of resources. but there are few who have a lot and many who have not enough. the extremes of wealth and poverty are beyond the simple results of injustice and greed - at the root, they are the result of a lack of true, universal brotherhood and love, where people and governments are not deeply connected to the reality that humanity is essentially and ultimately one family.
we would never allow one's cherished family members to live in a state of abject poverty, or without access to a good education, or without good land on which to grow one's food, etc....
the real crisis is that not enough people throughout the world and from wealthy governments truly love their neighbor. the crisis is that those individuals and governments with so much do not exert their will to redistribute and ensure that enough is provided to ensure a healthy way of life for every human being in this world. there isn't enough collective and political will yet to change the laws and establish systems whereby every individual is considered significant and important to the beauty of the human race.
any and all of these necessary and vital changes must spring forth from the heart, to make daily efforts toward establishing justice in our lands, in our communities, in our neighborhoods - it is the heart that must be inspired daily by the reality of our Oneness, so that we no longer are content with only our own well-being, that we are no longer able to feel at peace until all our brothers and sisters are being assisted in their contribution to the transformation of the world toward its final victory: the oneness of the human race in one organic world system of justice and peace.
we would never allow one's cherished family members to live in a state of abject poverty, or without access to a good education, or without good land on which to grow one's food, etc....
the real crisis is that not enough people throughout the world and from wealthy governments truly love their neighbor. the crisis is that those individuals and governments with so much do not exert their will to redistribute and ensure that enough is provided to ensure a healthy way of life for every human being in this world. there isn't enough collective and political will yet to change the laws and establish systems whereby every individual is considered significant and important to the beauty of the human race.
any and all of these necessary and vital changes must spring forth from the heart, to make daily efforts toward establishing justice in our lands, in our communities, in our neighborhoods - it is the heart that must be inspired daily by the reality of our Oneness, so that we no longer are content with only our own well-being, that we are no longer able to feel at peace until all our brothers and sisters are being assisted in their contribution to the transformation of the world toward its final victory: the oneness of the human race in one organic world system of justice and peace.
vigil against xenophobia
friday, may 23rd, the kids and i attended a peace vigil against xenophobia. we parked near the art museum downtown and walked with 2 friends to the Parliament building. a crowd had formed upon our arrival, but there were many more to come. an eternal flame was held up high, along with the South African flag, and soon the chanting and singing of various songs and calls for universal brotherhood, peace, and love for our neighbors were raised up high. i kept looking around at the wide variety of people who came to show their support for immigrants and foreigners in this land: Christian pastors and Muslim leaders, Cape Malay, Xhosa, Congolese, Europeans, elders, children, students....at one point the whole crowd held hands and raised their arms up in the air for one of the freedom songs. at another time the crowd loudly sang the national anthem together:
Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo,
Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
Nkosi sikelela,
thina lusapho lyawo.
Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom,
In South Africa our land.
what i felt and witnessed that evening is that a lot of people care deeply about our humanity, our oneness, and were brought together as a result of tragedies that are heartbreaking. before leaving, the drummer created a space inside the circle of Xhosa women who were singing some spirituals, and then we were all swept into a rhythmic dance around them, singing some Xhosa song about Thixo (God). the photographers were trying to capture the moment, but what occurred next left its imprint in our hearts: the drummer raised his hands in praise and began to call out the names of African peoples living here in Cape Town; his acknowledgement of each of these populations felt powerful to me, as if no one was forgotten and all were recognized as important; then he asked all of us to pray for peace in our own language -- by this time the sun was setting and the candlelight illumined the gathering as the crowd prayed in unison in many different languages. the power of that moment has no measurement, but surely all of us left there feeling how powerful the light of unity is....
Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo,
Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
Nkosi sikelela,
thina lusapho lyawo.
Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom,
In South Africa our land.
what i felt and witnessed that evening is that a lot of people care deeply about our humanity, our oneness, and were brought together as a result of tragedies that are heartbreaking. before leaving, the drummer created a space inside the circle of Xhosa women who were singing some spirituals, and then we were all swept into a rhythmic dance around them, singing some Xhosa song about Thixo (God). the photographers were trying to capture the moment, but what occurred next left its imprint in our hearts: the drummer raised his hands in praise and began to call out the names of African peoples living here in Cape Town; his acknowledgement of each of these populations felt powerful to me, as if no one was forgotten and all were recognized as important; then he asked all of us to pray for peace in our own language -- by this time the sun was setting and the candlelight illumined the gathering as the crowd prayed in unison in many different languages. the power of that moment has no measurement, but surely all of us left there feeling how powerful the light of unity is....
glimpse into life: cape town, south africa
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| Litobile, Luthando & Lonwabo |
...for 9 years i have either been pregnant, nursing or raising a toddler. i now live in a new land and have 4 solid hours without the children during school days. i try to balance that time between service to the home/family, community, and to myself. by 12:15 i'm back at the school (unless volunteering there in domani's class already) to pick up domani. we usually hang out with his friends, eating some lunch that i've brought with me. i almost always take one of his friends home. sometimes we stay so long at school that dyami is finished (2nd and 4th graders end school at different times, and then each student has their own schedule depending on whether or not they have an extra-curricular activity afterward). between 1-3:30 i'm picking the children up from school, running errands, or visiting the family of the boy i take home. monday through thursday we aim to focus on homework and studying until dinnertime, but school closes at 1pm on fridays, so we always look forward to doing something fun that afternoon. below are some slices of life experiences here in cape town....
...one morning i had planned to visit 2 different homes, in 2 different townships, the first time i'm venturing out on my own for the whole morning. the first home was near the airport so i thought i'd be able to remember where they lived, but as i was completely distracted by the dilapidated shacks, and horses pulling people on carts in the middle of a busy automobile intersection, i ended up calling my friend 2 times before i arrived at her house. this is the beginning of the day and i was already inundated with emotion and thoughts racing through my mind -- yet i arrived and was welcomed with such an appreciation and joy that tears came to our eyes as the mother of the home expressed her gratitude for the visit. i felt pain for the 1000's of homes, with 100's of 1000's of people in them who wished someone would come visit them (and not just because of the cookies i had with me)
...i meet many people who are outside working. most of them are Xhosa people who are trying to make a living. one of the workers for the hotel next door is named Lothando. i had met him back in January when we first moved here. he is a hard-working young man who sweeps the street and sidewalk. yesterday i was walking back to the flat with Ayana and we came over to say hello to him. his name tag now read, 'David'. i asked him why it was changed. he said something about management and i could feel my heart begin to race with anger about this kind of injustice perpetuated by white owners and managers who continue to keep psychologically demoralizing the people upon which this entire nation's material development has been built! Lothando is his name, not David! all i could think about was how hard the black and colored populations have worked; how much they have suffered and how so many continue to bear the burden of apartheid's oppressive system of injustice. i expressed to him my feelings in a calm manner and offered what i could to express a sense of respect and honor for his name which means 'love'. he expressed his gratitude and we went home. later in the morning i was walking home from errands and couldn't stop thinking about this issue, so i went into the hotel and asked if i could submit a complaint. the person behind the counter said the manager wasn't in, so i shared the complaint with him -- he is Xhosa himself and though a worker of the hotel, his soft smile about the complaint made me think he's ready for a social revolution. this changing of names happens too much in the business world! he said he'd pass on the complaint and i said i'll follow up on it. today i went and explained to management that Lothando does not know i am making this complaint, nor did he express any complaint himself [it would be the worst result if he lost his job because of me trying to stand up for justice]. south africa is a country that is in a healing process of racism, and i feel compelled to arise however possible to address each and every situation that presents itself throughout the day. the manager was sympathetic and said it was important for me to report this, then explained to me that the hotel hires a company which employs workers like Lothando...i can only hope that he'll look into the matter as he said he would, but i feel peaceful knowing that at least Lothando felt a sense of respect from a stranger who cared...
...sometimes Domani and i return early back to school before picking up Dyami. we walk to the lower gate hoping to find Litobile and Yothando who are usually still around waiting for their transport to come and pick them up. Litobile (pronounced Leetobeelay) is 6 and Yothando is 8. they are always enjoying some kind of creative play (digging for marbles; playing hide and seek; throwing objects to get stuck up in the trees). one afternoon we were all hanging out together and Yothando says, "Will you please play 'On' with us, please?" 'On' is tag here, and when you touch the person you say, 'You're on!' what else could i say but 'OK!' :-) there were a couple other children playing as well, but these 2 boys always tried to get me. i felt like such a kid! we had so much fun running around until my side ached so badly i had to take a time out. i took out the camera for which they love to pose. it was one of those moments here that are eternal, where time stands still and the experience is true joy. i seem to cross paths with these boys so much that it feels like we're family. they lighten up and show affection as so many of the children here do. being at this school is experiencing real community....
...Delft is the name of the township out by the airport where we go each sunday morning for children's spiritual education classes. going into this township is one of my favorite things to do. i love how the children see the car and run up to greet us. i love how they come and sit down with full attention and participation to whatever they are learning and experiencing; i love how they use the drum and start doing some Xhosa dances to the beats... one afternoon the kids and i were there visiting our friends. I helped Phamela (coincidentally we have the same name; the 'h' in Xhosa is silent) do some of the work in the home and then went outside to play soccer (football). the streets are very narrow and the homes close to the road. it's almost inevitable that kicking the ball will lead you into someone's yard. well, thankfully, the ball led us around the block and we met some youth who were just hanging out - the ball rolled their way and they kicked it back at us -- it enabled the boys and i to meet them. at first they didn't want to play, but i was like, 'c'mon, there's nothin' else goin' on...you can teach these small boys how to play some soccer.' so one of them got up and had a blast playin' ball with dyami and domani. the significance for me was how we don't know anyone but we were able to hang out with the neighbors. it was the best! the boys gave the youth a pound, fist to fist, and then they put their fist to their heart, where the love is felt...the afternoon ended by hanging out with the Zimbabwean fellows across the street: the children sat with them, picking up 100's of beads on the ground that the men couldn't use anymore for their artwork, putting the beads in plastic bags to reuse at home for their own artwork...
there are hundreds of experiences like these where my heart leaps with loving gratitude for being able to connect soul to soul with so many of our brothers and sisters here in the cape town region of the world...
the baboon experience
we were just entering the Cape Point National Park, driving along talking about what animals we hope to enjoy seeing. then up ahead dash and i notice a whole family of baboons, walking along both sides of the road! we inform the children with great excitement and take out the camera. in a moment, we are able to witness and marvel at several mama baboons with babies grasping on for dear life -- and right after i snap a photo of this wonder, i hear dash yelling, 'Dyami, close your window!' dash noticed a papa baboon approaching our car in a way that one knows is full of danger! but dyami couldn't coordinate himself quickly enough and in a split second that baboon was on our car, with its long claws clinging on the inside of dyami's window and its body pushing its way through the open space! a moment later he was inside the car, sitting on dyami and ayana's lap, searching for food! while i frantically put away the camera, dash helped dyami open his car door. as soon as he opened his car door, i opened mine and climbed out - 2 more baboons, one of which was a baby, climbed in, and the first one climbed through the front to grab the small bag with a muffin in it -- he stopped by my feet, just outside the car, with the bag in his hands and grunted with his vicious-looking teeth at me as if to say, 'Don't even think about it!' the children sat traumatized while dash helped the other 2 baboons find their way back out through the back door.
we sat there in shock. with the windows now rolled up and tears in the children's eyes, dash and i watched in amazement how the baboon craftfully tore apart the bag and ensured that he ate every morsel of that muffin. he sat there on the side of the road with great contentment and satisfaction. dyami was so upset; the second baboon walked away with his bag of colored pencils. if you know dyami, you know he loves his art materials, and this seemed more painful to his heart than the actual scare of the baboons' claws and teeth in his face. the driver behind us walked over to collect the ripped-apart bag of pencils, and as he handed them to dyami, he cautioned us about having any food in the car with open windows (we smiled because it was obvious now how to protect ourselves around the baboons' territory).
this experience was like an initiation into the world of baboons. we drove on like soldiers that survived an attack. dash and i kept laughing -- it was such a crazy experience! we felt grateful that none of us panicked and that God protected us from any attack by the baboons. the children wanted to go home and implored us not to take them to a game reserve in the future!
onward we drove, determined to reach cape point where the atlantic and indian oceans meet. the hike up the mountain was refreshing and full of beauty, with a quick glimpse of a few harmless lizards, but when we came back to rest at the welcome center, a baboon's quest for food was in full effect. he went right for a lady's unopened snack bags - he surprised her as she walked around a bend and quickly grabbed 2 out of 4 bags. he sat eating them for a while; when he finished he walked around until found a woman's pocketbook sitting on a ledge by itself. this is where the show began to attract many people. he sat on the ledge and dumped out all of the contents while he searched for what he sensed was in there: a pear, a box of chocolates and a container of butter. for a moment he walked a short distance away from it -- the owner of the bag quickly ran to grab her pocketbook but instantly the baboon went after her and knocked her down, scratching her back as she stumbled, and took the pocketbook back from her. that's when the crowd began to disperse. it was all fun and games until she interrupted his groove and disturbed what was now his possession until he decided when he was done with it. that lady was shaking!
the lesson to the children was clear: leave the animals alone and they will leave us alone. the baboon didn't want to hurt anyone or bother anybody; he just wanted to eat his food.
domani now tells his brother and sister how he's gonna do some karate moves on the baboon next time, as he skillfully demonstrates his power of punching and kicking -- but ayana and dyami are quick to tease by saying to him, "Domani, you are all strong and courageous now, but when the baboon was on our laps you were like 'aaaah!!'" :-)
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