pain

Last week I met a lady named Elizabeth. She was about 50 and dying of AIDS. I've never seen anyone so skinny. Just bones. A neighbour lady would check in on her everyday- the neighbour was an old granny who was looking after 8 orphans (some her grandkids, some were neighbour's kids). 8 little kids and a dying neighbour. We got to wash this lady, and talk and sing with her. She wanted us to sing the South African national anthen- I'm afraid I wasn't much help there. We washed all her filthy clothes and blankets -African style-in a river. I was so happy to be there- to help this dear woman who was suffering so much. Elizabeth died a few days later, but we were able to get her into a hospice for her remaining days so she could die comfortably.

Driving home from Elizabeth's we passed three women who were returning from the clinic. One of the women was carrying her friend on her back. The woman being carried was about 30, dying of AIDS, had an 8 month old baby, and could barely walk. Her friend was carrying her down a huge hill . On her back. A woman carrying another woman. I am shocked by what the
people here have to go through. Sometimes people are even taken to the hospital in wheelbarrows. There is so much hurt here, but we can do small things. We were able to comfort a dying woman, and we were able to drive the ladies to thier home. We can always do something.

Ahh languages...

Communication is one of the big things that we’re learning about here- how to communicate effectively with people from other cultures. How to be culturally sensitive, how to learn, how to teach etc…

Right now Dara and I are busy trying to learn Portuguese before we go to Mozambique. This week we got to practice what we’ve learned with Carlos. Carlos is the project leader in Mozambique, and we will be working closely with him and his wife. I was trying to ask him about the challenges in the project, so I asked him how to say the word “challenge”- he replied “dez a few”. I thought he was saying that there were a few words in Portuguese that meant challenge, so I smiled and said “all I need it one of the words- that I would forget more than one word for challenge”. Again he said “dez a few”, and again I asked what the word was- then my friends yelled at me- “Laura! That’s the word for Challenges- “desafio”.

Another funny moment was when one of the men from Nigeria was leading a song in Church. The song repeated a few phrases such as “everyday God, give me love”, “everyday God, lift me higher”. Then he started repeating – “everyday God, give me sausage, everyday God, give me sausage”. He was actually singing give me “success”, but the resemblance to the work sausage was extremely close, making it very hard for me and many others not to giggle through the long and repetitious verse! I expect a lot more of these experiences!

here's a few pictures...

We went to the Kruger National game park for a whole day last Saturday. Got up nice and early at 4am. We saw tons of animals- hippos, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, water buffalo, birds, etc...

The group of five people are the ones I've been living with for the last month. Dara is the girl standing next to me on the rock. She and I are very similar- we have alot of fun together.

Now that I've figured out how, I'll post pictures more often. Thanks for all the comments on my blogs- I LOVE reading them!

Home Based Care

A huge part of Hands at Work that I will be helping with is Home Based Care. Home Based Care consists of community volunteers going into their own community to take care of sick patients, orphans and vulnerable children. On Monday and Tuesday we had the opportunity to go out with local volunteers into two communities. We saw elderly stroke patients, two women dying with AIDS, one with tuberculosis, some with wounds, and several orphans.

Many of these people have ZERO money. The poorest are refugees from Mozambique- many without any personal identification. Without ID or South African papers they are unable to receive any orphan grants, disability or pension. The Home Base Care volunteers do basic care- washing patients, cleaning houses, doing laundry or dishes, basic wound care, checking in on orphans, advocating for them in their schools if needed, assisting with government grants, and whatever else is needed. Right now I am learning a lot about the program, and preparing for my time in Mozambique where I will continue on with Home Based Care programs.

I was really upset by one visit in particular. We visited one little old man who lived in a room- about 7’x 10’, all by himself. He had no food, no water, and no one to look after him. Occasionally a neighbor would bring him a meal. He was very thin, and had painful swollen legs- possibly from malnutrition or heart disease. He was still able to walk, but barely. He was from Mozambique, so he had no papers, meaning no pension- no money. In his community water was a huge problem- both of the pumps for their wells are broken, so getting water is not easy! We fetched some water for the little grandpa- we took two large jugs down the road, down a smaller trail, and across a small dirty creek to a little well. The well was sunken into the ground and had about two feet of water in it. To fill up the water jugs I had to reach way down with a small bucket and slowly fill up the larger jugs. It was very hard work (that the grandpa physically couldn’t do) to get the water and then carry it all the way back to the house- maybe a kilometer journey.

One of the volunteers gave her lunch to the grandpa - a sandwich and some juice, which he clapped his hands with pleasure to receive. After sweeping his house, doing some yard work, singing and praying with him we left. My heart breaks for this man when I think of my own Grandpa, and how terrible it would have been if he had been alone, and forgotten with no one to help him. Although they are often forgotten and ignored, this Grandpa, the sick, the lonely, and the hopes and dreams of the orphans are not forgotten by Jesus. Psalm 9:18- But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.

Driving in South Africa

I have now successfully driven in South Africa a number of times. This has been a bit intimidating for various reasons. The enormous size of the vehicle (a huge VW van that comfortably seats about 12 people), the fact that they drive on the left side of the road, shifting with my left hand, and being yelled at by road-raged drivers to name a few. I took my first “driving lesson” with five other people in the van after I set the ground rules that people couldn’t yell out driving instructions- particularly one of the male footprinters who is 18 y.o., doesn’t have his license, and loves to yell out random advice- the first (and last) bit of advice that he offered was “don’t forget the clutch”. Unfortunately I’ve already experienced the heart pounding fear of being pulled over by the police here for speeding-thankfully I got off with a friendly warning. Anyway, it’s been fun to have a vehicle here to get around the beautiful African countryside!

back from the community...

Well, the community stay was quite an experience! On Wednesday the five of us "footprinters" got assigned to five different families. I stayed with a 24 year old name Tabisile - her English name is "Happiness", and she suited the name. She lived with her 19 y.o. brother Stanwell, 9 y.o. brother, Treasure, and her daughter, Education. Yes, that is her English name- Education! The house we lived in had three bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room- quite big actually, but a very different living situation than I am used to! There was no running water- we used buckets to bathe, did the dishes outside, and used an outhouse. We did have electricity though, so that was nice.

The family was very close to each other, and to their neighbours. We spent alot of time outside, visiting with their friends and relatives, eating, and braiding eachother's hair. I was amazed at the huge deal everyone made out of having a white person stay in the community. Relatives, friend and neighbours would come from all over to meet me, and would often stay the night as well. One night I slept in the same room as Tabisile, her daughter, her neighbour, and her cousin (three of us in the same bed, and two on the floor!) I probably slept about 3 hours a night (not much considering we went to bed at about 8:30!)- between the heat (verrrrrrrrry hot in the community), mosquitos, frogs, being kicked by Education, and sleeping with the light on, I just couldn't sleep! I also got to take a field trip across town in a taxi with Tabisile to meet her aunt and uncle, who then invited their neighbours over to see the white person! I had learned some Saswati greetings before I went to the community, and the people were amazed to hear them coming out of a white person! It is verrrrry segragated here!

The people in the community were very poor. Most did have enough to eat, buy clothes, and go to school, but college, buying a car, or traveling are usually hopes that are out of reach.

On the weekdays the group would meet at an orphanage to help cook, clean, paint and play with the kids. We mostly ate rice, maizemeal (made into something like sticky mashed potatoes), cabbage, beets, and fish and beans, and chicken. The flavours are quite nice. I also got served chicken feet- I had to ask one of the boys how to eat them- first bite off the fingernails, then eat the fat (or whatever it is) that is around each "finger" and whatever else you can get off the foot... not my favorite meal!

It was a very good experience. I was very warmly welcomed by the family, and was treated very well. I felt quite safe in the community (although we didn't go out after dark). We got back to our house yesterday, and we were all very happy to have a shower, sleep in our own beds, and to come shopping and use the internet today! All for now...

I made it here!

Well, after a very long and eventful journey that included a stop in London to see Big Ben, the Queen's Palace, and Westminster Abby, I finally made it to South Africa! It is beautiful here- very lush, green and hilly- not at all what I expected. We live in a nice, clean house- four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a little dining room. Quite clean and comfortable. I'm sharing a room with Dara, and there is another girl named Lacey, and two guys in the house- Dustin and Callen. We live on the Africa School and Mission campus- quite safe- good locks, alarm system, and an electric fence that goes around the whole place. The fence separates us from a pond that supposedly houses a hippo. We haven't seen him yet, but we've been watching. There is a small mountain beside us, tons of beautiful flowers, HUGE hummingbirds, and some monkeys (I haven't seen them yet either, although I'm pretty sure we've heard them running on our tin roof!) We haven't needed to 'rough it' yet- there are a couple towns nearby with every western thing you could need. Today we started orientation- it went well. So far I am loving the environment, and am very impressed with the organization. Last night Jayme (Haskey) and Lynn Chotowetz had us over for a great pasta supper (candle light as the power was out). It's fun to have familiar faces here! On Thursday we will be going into a local community, and will be spending five nights there- we get split up, and paired with a local family. We will be eating what they eat, handwashing our clothes, and getting to see what life is really like out here- I'm expecting a big eyeopener! During the days we will be helping with some of the projects that are being run out here. Next time I write I should have some good stories from the community!