Church… Birthday… Homestay… the big 3-week update!!

Hey guys! SO sorry I haven’t updated in forever, I write all the time so I can remember my days, but posting has been a challenge. Nevertheless, here it is! The big update. Enjoy!

September 11, 2010

So… why did I wake up at 8 am today? Completely unnecessary. This whole going to bed early, waking up early thing is definitely going to take some getting used to. Despite rising so early, I still didn’t do much today, which was actually fine! Quite a relaxing Saturday. All we really did was laundry and a grocery run into town. But then the evening was amazing! My British roomie went ALL out and cooked a traditional British meal, with roast chicken, potatoes, 3 kinds of veggies, and Yorkshire pudding, which is like a dumpling type thing with gravy… all I know is that it was delicious and I ate way too many! Then two of the other ladies made apple crisp for dessert. It was so lovely! Such a great time of bonding as volunteers. Then we stayed up late (like 10-something, lol!) playing cards. A very relaxing day!

September 12, 2010

Wow… what a day! This morning I went to church at Eph’phata, the church which two of my dearest co-workers attend. I knew it was a “community” church, meaning they primarily speak SiSwati, but I was assured that the pastor preaches in English, so I figured I would be ok. So my coworker and I took a minibus taxi about twenty minutes down the road to the church. She leads children’s church, so I got to spend 9-10 am with the most adorable kids ever! We played an icebreaker game and then my coworker taught a memory verse, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” They danced and then rapped it – I even memorized it in the process! Anyway, then at 10 the service began. And while it was true that the pastor was fluent in English and preached about 50% English, 50% SiSwati, the rest of the congregation stuck to SiSwati. So for the announcements and testimonies, it was a bit difficult to understand, but the lady next to me was so helpful in explaining what was going on and translating what she could.

Praise and worship was amazing! It’s so interesting to me that a culture, language, and style of music which is so different on the surface can embody such a similar spirit as what I would experience back home in the states. The freedom in the Spirit and the pure joy and celebration of being in His presence was so beautiful, and very reminiscent of what I’d feel in a typical service at home. It’s so amazing to remember that God is GOD, that He is no respecter of person, that He speaks all languages, receives all worship, imparts His same Spirit to all of us, and thus it makes perfect sense that the manifestation of the Spirit at church this morning would give me the same feeling as it would at home, despite me hardly understanding a word of what we sang. The dancing and jubilation to be in the presence of the Lord is more than enough. I enjoyed it so much!

Now the funny thing about going to an African “community” church is that, without fail, when a white person comes, they invite you up and expect you to speak, even preach, for a minute or two. This has happened to me on multiple occasions visiting churches in Cape Town. So I was quite relieved when the pastor simply asked all the visitors to raise their hands so the congregation could clap for us and welcome us. But then, of course… “And we have a very, very, very special visitor, coming all the way from the USA. Please welcome Ellie as she comes to share a few words with us.” Of course, I couldn’t escape it!! Obviously I hadn’t prepared a sermon (maybe I should have!) so I just thanked them for having me (with a translator at my side) and told them how beautiful Mpumalanga is, and how blessed I am to be here.

The rest of the church service was lovely, and afterwards I found out that they have small group-style meetings after the Sunday service, split up by age group. So my coworker went to the young adult (30-somethings) meeting and left me in the care of one of the leaders of the youth (20-somethings) group, whose name happened to be Terrance! He ended up being one of the most open and friendly people you will ever meet, and after the youth meeting we chatted for a good long while. I really hope he becomes a pastor because every sentence he said could have been a sermon! He was even encouraging me about the heat in Mpumalanga, giving my scriptural references that God does not put more on us than what we can bear, and that God crafted me in the womb knowing that one day I would experience summer in Mpumalanga, and that I will even be supernaturally resistant to the heat, feeling cool while everyone else is sweating! He really spiritualized it and he was so sincere with it! It made me smile. He spoke to me about his desire to come to the USA for no other reason than to experience our churches. He was telling me how much our preachers inspire him – he wants to go to Texas and attend the churches of T.D. Jakes and Joel Osteen, for example. It was so interesting to get his perspective on the US, and just lovely getting to know him in general. He spoke about how God delights in seeing unity in His church, even across nations and continents, and how we learn how to love the way God loves when we develop relationships with people from other cultures. It was really a lovely chat!

The youth meeting was also really great because their main youth pastor was turning 23. (Yup, his birthday was the day before mine!) So everyone went around in a circle giving short speeches of appreciation, as is the tradition here. Then he got in the middle of the circle, and we all danced and people gave him money, a tradition I’d heard of but had never seen til now. It was so much fun! Then one of the guys who’d been leading worship during the service preached a brief word. It was a really lovely meeting, and everyone was so friendly and welcoming. They asked me to prepare a word to share the next time I come, so I’m excited for that! (And I’m happy I got some advance notice!) I really can see this becoming my church home, although the language barrier is real. Nearly all of the people my age speak fluent English, but many of the older people don’t, which makes things a bit difficult. But I promised myself I would learn a local language in my 9 months here, so it looks like I’ll have to kick the SiSwati lessons up a notch, because I really felt so comfortable at that church.

When we got back, it was about time for a late afternoon potluck. I made macaroni and cheese, of course, to bring some American culture to the mix. It was a really great time, hanging out with the Hands family over a meal. Then I went with my South African roomie to a braai at her friend’s place, and it ended up being so much fun! I’ve never spent so much time with a group of Afrikaans young people – even though my circle of friends in Cape Town is pretty diverse, this is new for me. But it made me realize that what unites us is so much deeper – that we are all Christians who care about social issues, and who are just genuinely lovely people! So it was a really great experience. God never fails to surprise me with the people He brings into my life.

September 13, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! The big 2-2!! I honestly thought my birthday was going to be pretty nondescript, but it ended up being such a lovely day, thanks to all the amazing beautiful people in my life! When I woke up first thing in the morning, I came back from the shower and found a Happy Birthday teddy bear on my bed, from my roomie! Then we had a quick breakfast and began Monday morning prayer. They called me and two of my co-workers who had birthdays Thursday and Friday into the middle of the circle, and they all prayed for us and then came and gave us birthday hugs! Imagine a whole room full of people, at least 50 or 60, all coming to hug the three of us. It was so funny and sweet! It truly made my morning.

Then, for our morning session, we went to “the farm,” which is a part of Hands’ land on which they have childrens’ camps and where some of the volunteers live. On the short drive there, we drove right past a ton of zebras, wildebeests, and bok! I felt like I was on a safari, but it was just on the side of the road! A very exciting birthday treat. : ) At the farm, we had a talk on HIV/AIDS, with some personal stories from one of the staff here, so it was very profound. I definitely left with a deeper understanding of the personal effects of the virus on children and families, and it was very helpful for my development as a future social worker.

Then… somehow, we got the afternoon off! Another birthday treat!! So I sat in the sun and had some quiet time, read and just enjoyed the beautiful view. Then I went on our weekly grocery run and, while I was there, picked up the perfect birthday meal – Nando’s! I went all out and got the chocolate pudding with it. ; ) As I was returning, I got a call from my son all the way at Georgetown – Adam! We chatted for a good long while which was such a blessing, and then when I got off the phone my roomie informed me that we had a meeting outside. I walked out, and awaiting me were my co-volunteers with 22 cupcakes with 22 candles and a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIE sign! It was the sweetest thing ever! They even got me a birthday card and a picture frame as a gift (they must have known I love pictures, since I had just gone to print a ton while out on the grocery run.) It was the sweetest thing in the whole world! So I devoured a couple cupcakes, ate my Nando’s, and then one of my co-workers suggested we have a movie night on this big projector screen. So we watched Free Willy! It was so much fun!

It was such a lovely day, as I got calls from Adam, Yassi, my mom, and my sister in the States, as well as TONS of my friends in Cape Town! I was really and truly feeling the love. You know, ever since 2008, birthdays have really taken on a different meaning for me. I mean, I still love making a big fuss and having a fun-filled day, but recently it has been more and more about simply celebrating the fact that I am alive, and that God has blessed me with such ABUNDANT life. So it was nice to have time to sit and reflect, soaking in His creation, as well as time with my new family here. All in all, it was a beautiful day!

September 14, 2010

Today was such an inspirational day. In the morning, we went to a home-based care center in Hlau-Hlau, a community which Hands works in. It was such a fun experience! There were three of us Hands volunteers, and four community volunteers, and we walked to visit two patients. The volunteers were such fun and interesting ladies, so it was nice getting to know them as we walked to the patients’ homes. The first one was an old granny, and we got to chat to her, along with an old man who was either a friend or a relative, and his mother, who was 93! They were so spunky and lively, and luckily one of the community volunteers was able to translate for us. The home itself was heart-breaking, though: a few wooden logs as the basic pillars, and then just random bags and other odds and ends for the walls.

The second home was that of a middle-aged man living on his own. He pulled out some bricks for us to sit on as we chatted in front of his home. We found out that he gets his water from what looked like hardly more than a puddle in his backyard. Water is a huge problem in these communities, as the climate is quite dry and there are no boreholes.

After lunch, we visited ACTS clinic, which is an HIV/AIDS clinic right next to the Hands village, which was founded on Christian principles around the same time as Hands, about ten years ago. It was so inspiring to hear how so many were able to benefit from the free testing and ARVs at the clinic, and how many babies had been born healthy from HIV-positive mothers – a 99% chance when proper prenatal care is provided. It was such a hopeful place, and even hearing the testimonies from the founder of how the money had been provided was so encouraging. She told each of us that if we have a vision, God can and will help us achieve it. Her clinic, she told us, is just how she imagined it when God gave her the vision 15 years ago. What a testimony!

September 15, 2010

This morning started out with my small group meeting, during which we discussed the first chapter of James. It was so wonderful to just sit around a table for an hour and discuss a part of scripture. It’s something that we definitely don’t do enough, and it was so reminiscent of my cell group back in Cape Town, people just coming together and sharing their perspectives. It was really wonderful.

After that, we went to visit a Service Center, which is a Hands office strategically placed in a community where Hands is working. We learned that essentially, a Service Center exists so that the community-based organizations which Hands is supporting can come with any questions or concerns, and where meetings can take place between Hands staff, community organizations, churches, etc. I also got to learn more about the trainings which Hands does for primary caregivers of orphan children, oftentimes grannies. It was so interesting for me to hear and read more about the training, as it deals with a lot of the caregivers’ own baggages first so that they may serve the children more effectively. It was very interesting, especially coming from a social work perspective.

Then, in the afternoon, one of the staff led us in a workshop on capacity-building. It led to a lot of interesting conversations about immediate relief versus long-term community development, and why both are needed. We also talked about a lot of the buzzwords (like “development”) which are passed around but oftentimes people have very different definitions of what they actually mean. We discussed why it is so important to allow communities to make their own decisions and develop ideas on their own, and for us to be more of a support system. This is the only way change can be sustainable. The talk really got all of us thinking, especially about our own roles within the organization, because all of these concepts are essential for us to understand as we begin our work. So it was a very interesting afternoon!

In the evening, I met up with my small group leader because I was sifting through so many different ideas in my head, and I really felt conflicted. All the talk about development and the importance of community members spearheading the work themselves gave me such a strong desire to go home and do the direct work in my own community, instead of being doing the indirect, “capacity-building” with Hands. But after some time clearing my head, I realized that God has called me here for a purpose, even if it’s to train and equip me for what He’s called me to back in Detroit. So I’m excited for what He has in store!

September 16, 2010

Today was very relaxed. We got to sleep late (work started at 9 instead of 8!) and all we did in the morning was to go to the grocery store to shop for our community stays. This weekend, we will be staying in child-headed households to see what life is like for AIDS orphans who are forced to find a way to make ends meet. I think the four days, three nights will be very eye-opening in terms of what day-to-day life is like for children who have to be kids and parents simultaneously. I am very much looking forward to the experience. We shopped this morning for enough food for the weekend, so that we can bless the families with food and also not deplete their own resources as we stay with them, obviously. Then we had a break, and in the afternoon we had a session in which we prepared for the community stay, in terms of what we will most likely be doing, what to expect, and any concerns we might have. I am definitely going in with an open mind, just excited to meet my family and to spend quality time with them.

September 17-20, 2010

This morning, we left bright and early for our community stay! The day started out with a prayer meeting at Belfast Home Based Care, the community organization which Hands partners with to serve the orphans in that particular village. One of my fellow volunteers preached a short word, and then we prayed for one another. Most of the care workers’ prayer requests were for sons that drank too much, or husbands that wouldn’t come to church with them. After the prayer (and before… and during…) we sang some traditional songs, and danced, danced, danced! (There is nothing like praising the Lord in Africa!) Afterwards, we helped the care workers garden. Hands has a program called Income-Generating Activities, which serve as an incentive to care workers since they do not get paid for various reasons. The care workers at Belfast used these funds to create a huge community garden, which is so beautiful especially when you consider how dry and barren the soil seems! They use many of the vegetables for the orphans’ meals, sell some to generate income to maintain the garden, and take some home with them.

After that, the youngest kids began to file in as lunchtime was approaching, so my roommate and I played with them as we waited for the other kids to arrive. They were shy at first, because we are Mlungus (white people) and don’t speak much Shangaan, but once one trusted me enough for a piggy-back ride, they ALL started jumping on! They definitely gave me my work-out for the week. Then the older kids started coming, and one of the care workers taught me how to do basic greetings with them, so we chatted a bit.

When the food was nearly ready, all the kids sang some gospel songs for us, as well as the national anthem (it was ADORABLE hearing the Afrikaans part from these little Shangaan-speaking kids!) Then they recited Psalm 23 as their grace, and it was time to eat! They all lined up to wash their hands, grab a plate, get a scoop of pap (the starch which is eaten with every meal) and a soup with chicken feet.

After lunch was served, one of the care workers pointed out my host sister for the weekend, helped me grab my bags, and sent me on my way! We walked through tons of dry land, sand, and huts, and reality started sinking in through my spoiled little mind that I was going to be out here all weekend, with no electricity or running water. Finally, we approached the house – we were home! It was a one-room brick building with a corrugated metal roof and two tiny holes for windows. One straw mat and blanket were laid out along the far wall, a small suitcase with clothes sat in the corner alongside a small stack of folded blankets. In another corner was a small table with a few basic groceries stacked on it. Aside from that, the room was completely empty and gray. It would take all of two minutes to clear it out completely, and it would look like no one had ever lived there.

My host sister is 15 years old, in grade 7, the middle child of 5. Her two older brothers work in Pretoria or Johannesburg (I forget which), and I couldn’t gather where her two younger sisters were. (The language barrier made it very difficult to discuss anything other than basic information.) She lives with her friend, a 17-year-old girl with a baby, the father of whom, if I’m not mistaken, is my host sister’s brother. Sometimes staying with them is another girl with a baby, so nights were interesting! We slept in a row, with just a blanket or two separating us from the floor: my host sister and I on one blanket, and the two young mother to our left and right. As soon as it got dark, which was between 6 and 7 pm, everyone went into their houses for the night. (Well, except for a few boys who came knocking because they heard there was a Mlungu living here! They wouldn’t leave til I came out to greet them, lol!) They would light their candle, have their “bucket baths,” which consist of mixing boiled water with cold water to make a warm bath in a small basin, and washing one part of the body at a time. Then they would eat supper, and then get into bed. My host sister always insisted that we pray before we fall asleep, and even sometimes if we would wake up in the middle of the night we would pray again. She told me that she got this habit from her mother, who would wake her children up at midnight and gather them together to pray. She also recited Psalm 23 before every meal, a habit that my host sister kept up, even though it was in English so she probably understood only a few phrases.

Eating was an experience in itself. Generally, my host sister or her friend would prepare the food (I helped a few times too, though!) Food was cooked over a fire in a shack made of mud and sticks next to the house. Then we would wash our hands (in a bucket of water, no soap), pray, and eat. The first day I was quite embarrassed and humbled, because my host sister dished a plate for me and handed it to me, and then went to wash her hands. I told her I would wait to start eating until she dished for herself. Luckily, she probably didn’t understand my English, because I soon realized that this one plate of food was made for the both of us to share! It was actually a nice bonding experience, though – sitting next to each other on a wooden bench outside her house, picking up some pap with our fingers and scooping up the beans and pilchards (sardines) which we ate for nearly every meal. (We did have chicken one night – a luxury provided by Hands funding.) For breakfast, we would butter bread and then put the SLIGHTEST, thinnest layer of peanut butter you have ever seen. I’m sure they do it so it will last longer, but it’s funny because you literally can hardly taste it! This is what they have every morning for breakfast.

Because they go to bed so early, they wake up at 5 am!! Even on the weekends!! This was not a welcomed change for me, as it was difficult enough to sleep with crying babies on my left, not to mention the chickens/roosters squawking and cockadoodle-dooing all night, and the fact that I was sleeping on the hard ground. But after a few minutes of self-pity, the reality immediately hit me that my host sister sleeps in these conditions every night, and I stopped feeling sorry for myself very quickly. In just a couple days, I would go back home to curl up in my nice, comfortable bed, use a flushing toilet instead of an outhouse, and turn the light on and off whenever I pleased.

My days were mostly spent playing with the neighborhood kids, which my host sister seemed to love to do, and visiting friends and family. On the first night, we went to visit my host sister’s pastor, who was also her aunt by marriage. She was an absolutely lovely woman, and spoke fluent English, so needless to say we got along well! The following night, when we visited again, she recruited me to be the guest preacher at her church Sunday! That was quite an adventure. I actually ended up enjoying it lots, though! And at least she gave me fair warning to prepare a message. Usually, when a Mlungu goes to a traditional African church, the pastor invites you up to share a word simply because you’ve come from so far away, and all I usually manage to say is thank you for having me! The church service was lovely – a very small congregation, though, so I got lots of attention! First I was invited up to give a testimony. Then I was invited up to sing a song during praise and worship. Then I was invited up to deliver my sermon, which the pastor translated for me (and added her own flavor, from what I could gather). Then I was invited up to pray a prayer of thanksgiving to God for two ladies who had been healed from sickness. But it was a really lovely experience. The church was a small simple brick building with a few benches, with 1 Corinthians 13:13 painted on the back wall in Shangaan. It was an absolute blessing to share my Sunday with them.

On Sunday afternoon, we went to a big community soccer match that seemed to be the place to be! “Belfast United” was playing another team, and everyone came out to support. We met a couple guys who were very intrigued by this white girl walking around the village, and immediately began asking me for donations of uniforms and soccer balls. When I explained that I didn’t have anything to give them, they started with the marriage proposals. (This is generally the pattern for us Mlungus, lol!) But something they said to me really bothered me. The one guy said I mustn’t leave on Monday, I must stay in Belfast. But then, his friend said, “No, she doesn’t deserve to live in a place like this.” I was so hurt by that statement, because it summed up the low value of self that so many people from these villages have. They think that because they are poor, this must be what they deserve, and they take on a “less-than” mentality, which is heartbreaking. I quickly told him that I think this village is beautiful, that the people are so friendly and welcoming, that they have blessings of family and community that other, wealthier places lack to such a great extent. And I truly believe that. I think it is so important to remind people of the value of their own community, and even more than that, the value of their own selves.

Overall, the homestay taught me gratitude and humility in a way that I have never before experienced. I learned a lifetime’s worth of lessons in that one weekend. To see my host sister’s resilience, in the face of all obstacles, to continue to go to school, pray, and have a positive attitude, inspired me immeasurably. I can’t wait to go back and visit her, and to learn more about this community and what Hands is doing to ensure that these orphan children have the hope and future that God has promised them.

September 21, 2010

Today was pretty relaxed – we had women’s prayer in the morning and then a big debriefing session about the homestays. It was so interesting to hear about everyone else’s experiences! We were split into two different communities, so I really enjoyed hearing the insight of those in the other community. One of my fellow volunteers’ insights was especially profound, about all the skill, talent, and charisma that his host brother had, but the “glass ceiling” that seems to have cut him off from the future that God had intended for him. That’s why the work of Hands is so important – removing those barriers and bringing God’s kingdom right down here to earth.

September 22-24, 2010

Well, orientation has ended and I am officially becoming a working person! I have been assigned to the Service Center in the community of Bushbuck Ridge, which is made up of several spread-out villages, where Hands has partnered with several community-based organizations. On Wednesday, we mostly just drove around the various communities to see what they’re like, and then I spent the evening with the bookkeeper, a young woman my age from that community who Hands hired to work in the Service Center. She has a beautiful little baby girl, and lovely younger sisters, and it was so much fun staying at her house! The next morning, I joined her at work, and I helped her and the other lady who works in the Service Center with basic computer tasks and whatever else they needed to get done. That’s basically what I will be doing for now, until I learn more about the community and the Service center, and figure out where I fit in, in terms of an actual “job description” (which no one at Hands actually has!) I’m really excited though. Real life is happening! I am working! As a missionary, so a bit non-traditional, but I still feel like adulthood has officially begun. Exciting times!! : )

September 25, 2010

Today was so interesting! I got to volunteer at the Kids’ Camp, which Hands puts on about once or twice a month. Youth from the villages we serve come for a weekend, and this time the ages were about 15-17. They spoke much less English than what I would have guessed, which made it a bit difficult to bond with them, so I mostly just listened and observed what was being taught. I went in not knowing what to expect at all, and then we got to talking about puberty – whoa, that threw me for a loop! But let me backtrack. The morning started with devotionals, and my co-worker who was leading the weekend asked the children, what do you think of when you think of God? They mostly answered things like healer, provider, creator, Savior, etc. Then she spoke to them about God as our creator, His holiness, original sin, and salvation through Jesus Christ. We then transitioned into a couple of games for the kids, and then came back to talk about our thoughts and feelings, and how we have to control them, especially during adolescents. We then went into a deep talk about relationships, and that’s when the puberty discussion happened. I thought after elementary/middle school health class I’d never have to sit through one of those again! Anyway, so that was fun and entertaining in its own little way. The relationship discussion was deep, as we touched on a lot of topics dealing with pressures to have sex, and risks like STI’s and teenaged pregnancy from an African perspective. One thing this grade 10 student said was profound: “Boys promise love to get sex, and girls give sex trying to find love.”

After that was lunch, and then there were a couple sessions about self-respect and safety. All in all, it seems like a wonderful camp, from what I’ve seen so far – Christian teachings interwoven into very practical topics of discussion. I’m looking forward to attending more of them!

End of week 1… Life changes already!

September 8, 2010

Today was life-changing. And I mean that without any kind of exaggeration whatsoever. Today, God showed me a large part of what He wants me to do on this earth, what message He wants me to bring back to the U.S. from my time in South Africa.

This morning, we had a meeting with George as he delivered a message called “Righteousness and Justice.” His purpose was, in essence, to show us the heart of God through various scriptures which illustrated God’s heart for the poor and vulnerable. An illustration that rang so true for me was that 1 John states that if we say that we love God, but we do not love our neighbor, we’re liars. The vertical relationship we have with God through Christ and the horizontal relationship we have with our neighbors are interdependent. We as Protestants understand that vertical relationship, and Catholics understand that horizontal relationship, but very few can seem to get them working in unison. While most of the volunteers spoke of their frustrations that privileged Christians can so easily turn a blind eye to the less fortunate, my frustration came from a different perspective. At home, it seems as though our churches don’t do enough to serve the poor and vulnerable because we feel as though we are the poor ones, and therefore it’s up to someone else to help others. We are too caught up in our own concerns, in trying to make our own ends meet, that we ignore the teachings of Christ, which command that we love our neighbors self-sacrificially. The verse at the end of the parable of the talents describes it best: “For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” The staff member who was speaking to us explained that when you look at this verse in terms of our mentalities, it makes perfect sense. When we look at what we have and see our blessings, God gives us even more blessings. But when we look at what He’s given us, even if it seems little in our eyes, and say He’s given us nothing, why would He continue to bless us? We are so ungrateful! In the same way, when we give out of the “little” that we have, He will bless us beyond our comprehension. Our mentalities, therefore, must shift. We can no longer leave it to someone else to serve our communities. We must give out of what we have, and it will be added unto us. You will be hearing a lot more from me on this concept, because it is something that God has placed on my heart for the long run. But this is just to share briefly with you what God has been speaking to me about.

After that meeting, we had lunch and then a bit of a culture/language lesson from a couple staff members. It was really interesting and informative, because even though I knew some basic cultural do’s and don’ts from living in the country for a year, there were some things I had never thought of before, and others which were particular to working in a Christian organization. We also learned some basic greetings in SeSwati and Shangaan, the two local languages most prevalent in the work Hands does here in South Africa. That was fun, especially because my friend Sabatha has already prophesied over my life that I’m going to find me a Swati man here in Mpumalanga! LOL =P

This evening, we decided to go out for dinner in White River (WOOOO night out on the town!) I really think I know how people in the country feel now, where the big event of the week is going out to McDonald’s or something… LOL! Just kidding… it wasn’t McDonald’s… it was actually a really cute restaurant and we got to meet my roomie’s friends from the church we attended on Sunday. One of the girls had lived in Maryland for a year so we were exchanging stories about cultural misunderstandings and her times hanging out in Georgetown. It was a lovely evening! Since then, we’ve just been chatting about Hands at Work and what an amazing family it is. It’s truly a blessing to be here, to have this kind of support system around us. Definitely one-of-a-kind.

September 9, 2010

Today… was… deep! I feel like the days keep getting deeper and deeper. This morning, one of the staff members who is also in our small group led us in a discussion about what our expectations were/are in coming here, and what Hands actually does. It was really informative, number one, because we all came with only a partial picture of what the organization does. It was also really interesting because many of us hands-on, do-er types really have to come to grips with the fact that in order to empower communities to provide their own services which will be sustainable, we cannot “do” for them. So for example, we have a group member who’s a teacher and one who’s a nurse, and yet their roles will not be to teach or nurse but to help local community members provide those services for the widows, sick, and orphans in those communities.

To explain it more concretely, so you will know what I’m actually working towards here at Hands, I’ll explain a bit more. The vision of Hands at Work is to see the local church caring for widows, orphans, and the dying. Their model is to target the poorest of the poor, so they find communities in which no services are currently being provided; essentially, where capacity is lowest. They then identify the poorest groups of people within that community and target them for the initial services. Central to the Hands model is RELATIONSHIPS. Even the Hands staff, who do not directly provide any services, MUST know the names and faces of the people in the community, the careworkers, the pastors, etc. Personal connection is of the utmost importance because it was of the utmost importance to Jesus Christ. In discussing why relationships are so important, one of my fellow volunteers noted, “It’s the only way God works.” That statement blew me away because it is so simple and so true. It’s the only way God works. WOW.

Local community ownership is the other central part of the Hands model. Hands believes that God has placed people within each of these communities to rise up as leaders (“diamonds in the dust,” they call them.) While it would be much easier to control and dictate all that goes on, the services must be home-grown in order to insure that they truly fit the needs of the community, and that they will be sustainable.

The conversation then shifted to what our role is as volunteers, and to tell you the truth, my “job description” did not get any less ambiguous than it was before. (Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who doesn’t know exactly what I’m doing – I don’t, either!) The attitude of Hands is that we shouldn’t be able to describe exactly what we do, because we do whatever needs to be done to support the local community based organizations, in a variety of ways. Some people mostly work behind a desk, others spend more time in the communities, but ALL value strongly the need for relationships with those we are serving. Even those behind a desk 9-5, Monday-Friday, find time to spend in the community, getting to know people. Knowing those we serve is what makes us relevant. He encouraged us that our role may not be glorious, and we won’t be on the front lines, but if we pour ourselves into each relationship we will make an impact.

After that talk, we had lunch and then did our first community visit. We drove an hour north to the village of Belfast, where Hands at Work supports a community organization which does home-based care as well as a feeding program for orphans. We went on home visits with volunteers from the local church to visit sick gogos (grandmothers). There was a language barrier, as the church volunteers only spoke Shangaan, but a boy in grade 8 tagged along with us and translated into very basic English what they were saying. (He mostly just explained to us exactly what type of sickness the gogo was dealing with.) After the gogo chatted with the volunteers for a while, they asked us to pray for the gogo. It was a really powerful experience, praying for these ladies who so desperately need that feeling of being valued and cared for. In fact, that is the point of the home visits – to check on their health, definitely, but mostly to be a source of support and love. The community organizations which Hands supports does similar visits to child-headed households, where children who have been left orphaned are left in charge of their younger siblings. These visits have a major impact on the gogos and orphans benefitting from them, and it was an honor to go alongside the volunteers and be a part of what was happening.

After that, we came back and went to a baby shower for two staff members who are both due in mid-December! How exciting! Then we had supper and planned our “performance” for tomorrow, which apparently all new volunteers must do. So we planned a cute remix to “This Little Light of Mine” to perform for the rest of the staff tomorrow. Then I sat around with some of my favorite ladies on the staff, just joking around, and I realized that the four of us are from USA, Nigeria, Kenya, and Lesotho, and here we are all sitting there sharing stories and laughs. What a beautiful thing! I got to chatting to one of them in the bathroom, and it was so sweet. She was asking me about my acne, because it’s gotten quite bad in the past month or two, and I was telling her that it made me quite self-conscious. “But you’re still so beautiful,” she said. “Some people are just naturally beautiful!” And then I was singing as I was getting ready for bed, and she told me, “Even the angels are not singing better than you. I even stopped brushing my teeth to hear you!” It was so sweet and I was just thinking wow, I live with such beautiful people.

So in conclusion… God is GOOD! More updates soon. Love you guys!

The valley of the unknown… :)

September 6, 2010
The first day of orientation!

The quote in my prayer journal for today’s date says:
“As you walk through the valley of the unknown, you will find the footprints of Jesus both in front of you and beside you.”

What a perfect quote for this day. Coming to volunteer with Hands at Work is such an interesting step, because they purposely don’t tell you exactly what you’ll be doing until they get to know you and see where you might fit. So this is definitely the valley of the unknown! That being said, every step of the way I can feel that God has prepared the way for me, and that He is walking beside me constantly. There is no better feeling.

The day started with a worship and prayer session that happens every Monday. It was so beautiful and Spirit-filled! After one of the staff shared a word, we began to praise and worship, and different people came in and led their own songs… it was so beautiful and moving. Definitely the perfect way to start off my time at Hands at Work!

After that session, orientation began. We (the seven new volunteers) went to the volunteer coordiators’ house to learn a bit more about one other by playing a really cool icebreaker. We basically had to “sell” our hometown to the rest of the group. Then, we voted to see who would want to visit which place. Surprisingly, Southfield/Detroit got 2 votes from the crowd… which is even more surprising since my roommate is from Cape Town, and you can’t get much better than that! Anyway, after that we went through a lot of the “rules” and things like that, and went on a bit of a tour of the grounds.

In the afternoon, we heard from two staff members about the eight “core values” of Hands at Work. They talked a bit about each one:

Priorities: 1. God, 2. Family, 3. Ministry
Living Servant-hood
Reaching the poorest of the poor
Giving Freely
Loving God and your neighbor
Valuing Relationships
Supporting local community ownership
Being accountable

It was a really interesting talk, and I think it gave each of us volunteers more insight into the soul of the organization, and the foundation of that which they (we) believe.

After that, we did a grocery run into town. (The “Hands Village,” which is what they call the grounds we live on, is about a 20 minute drive from the nearest city, White River.) When I got back, I was going to just cook and then relax, but of the ladies invited me to the women’s book club/Bible study that takes place at one of their houses on Monday nights. They are already halfway through their book, so I wasn’t going to go, but she convinced me, and I’m so glad I did! I had the opportunity to bond with some of the ladies who work at Hands, and get to know them on a deeper level. We had some interesting debates and discussions about points the author made, and I grew in my understanding in the process. Everyone was just so friendly and welcoming… one even said she wanted me to just keep talking because she loved my voice/accent so much! How sweet!

All in all, it was amazing first day, and through it all I kept remembering how great and faithful God is… I mean, I could never even see this day coming to pass… it was SO far off into the impossible. But somehow, some way, God made me able to come work with this organization, and now I am here! In real life! I really do have to pinch myself. But I’m actually glad it was a struggle to sort everything out, because it makes me that much more grateful to be here. I can only imagine what an incredible 9 months it will be.

September 7, 2010
Wow… what a powerful day it was.

Today we had women’s prayer in the morning, which was a really nice time to present our prayer requests and pray for one another. One of the ladies also shared a short word with us. It was a lovely way to start the morning! Then, we met with George for the rest of the morning. George is the founder of Hands at Work, and he is an incredible man of God. We first spent time telling our stories of the journeys which led us each to Hands, and after each person spoke we prayed for that person. It ended up being a really deep time of sharing, because most were testimonies of God’s faithfulness, His ever-present involvement in our lives, and the beauty of our very diverse stories all leading us to the same place. It was truly awe-inspiring.

Next, George spoke about the heart of Hands at Work, and so many things he said truly brought tears to my eyes. He told us the history of the organization and the principles on which it was founded, and something he said really hit me. He said that the purpose of Hands is to disarm us, because we must realize that it was not our skills which brought us here, but rather, it was God’s fingerprints on our hearts. We are nothing without God, and no qualifications or talents can ever replace what it means to serve God, to channel His love through us, and to follow His direction in being His hands and feet on this earth.

And then the next thing he said hit me to the core: “The most powerful thing in the world is the human touch.” Anyone can provide services for the needy, he said, but what is most important is the WAY in which we serve. To touch people, to ask how they’re doing and mean it, to develop personal relationships, to lay hands at pray, this is what sets Hands at Work apart. And it’s amazing, because I have always known that God has given me a very loving personality, in both an emotional and physical sense. I love to love on people! And it’s incredible to know that this organization places THAT as paramount. And it’s even more incredible to remember all the prophetic words that have been spoken over my life in the past few weeks about my hands, and God using my hands to touch and show compassion and pray for people… and this is at the center of what the organization does. In fact, it is called “Hands” for short! God is really incredible… a God of such detail and wisdom beyond what we can ever comprehend. I stand in awe!

*Exhale*

So after that was lunch… me and one of my roomies went on a short walk and took a few pictures (which I put on facebook so you can see my new surroundings!) and then we watched a documentary which focused on Hands’ work in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. To see footage of their work and of people who had been impacted by it was heartbreaking and encouraging at the same time. It also made me so proud to work for this organization.

After that, we had a Welcome Tea where all the staff came down to mix and mingle with us new volunteers. It was so much fun! We played one of those getting-to-know-you games and it really helped me to meet the few staff members that I hadn’t yet been properly introduced to. Everyone is so friendly and fun and laid-back, and I already feel at home!! The young woman who picked me up on Saturday, my first day, commented on how comfortable and relaxed I seem around everyone. And I guess I am! It’s so different, though, a much different environment than I’ve ever experienced. The Hands staff is literally from EVERYWHERE: the founder is a white Afrikaans-speaking South African, there are tons of South Africans both black and white, lots and lots of Canadians, a few Americans and British, and then many from various African countries: Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Nigeria… I can never underestimate the gift that God gave me in raising me in an environment where I was surrounded by people who did not look like me, because the versatility and comfort I feel in all kinds of settings really is such an asset. The group of incoming volunteers I’m with, however, is all white, which is an interesting situation for me. There’s me, a British girl, a South African girl, and then two guys and two girls all from Canada. Obviously we come from a wide range of experiences, so God is really teaching me about looking at people for who they are, and loving and appreciating them for being first and foremost brothers and sisters in Christ. And we are all bonding quite closely while at the same time meeting all of the amazing Hands staff. Of course, I get a lot of questions about the way I speak and where I’m from, but it’s actually fine because everyone is from somewhere different, so we are all learning from one another. I can really tell that God is beginning to grow me, to break down even more barriers and shape me into the woman He wants me to be.

Mpumalanga: Day 1 & 2!

Sept 4, 2010

This morning, I boarded a plane to Joburg, then hopped on a minibus to White River, Mpumalanga, South Africa! The journey went pretty much without a hitch… oh yeah, except for I flushed my bus ticket down the toilet!! (Don’t ask… LOL!) They still let me on though, praise the Lord!! They were playing Afrikaans music the whole time and everyone on the minibus was speaking Afrikaans and so that was my first hint that I was kind of traveling outside of my comfort zone. The ride went quickly, and a lovely Hands employee picked me up and took me to Pick n Pay to get a few groceries for the weekend. The Hands Village, which is what they call the grounds on which we live, is a 15 minute drive outside of White River. The drive was absolutely gorgeous! Rolling hills and beautiful trees and rock structures and just… nature! It really looks like the Lion King or something out here. So then we turned down a dirt road, passed the African School of Missions, and entered the Hands Village. In a nutshell guys, I feel like I am about to be on a 9-month camping trip. Sitting in my room right now, I hear a million chirpy thingies outside, and I think there is a bat or something trapped somewhere cuz I keep hearing all this flopping around. And get this – on the list of emergency contact numbers, there is a resident snake catcher!! That’s deep. So yeah, all those things God was speaking to me about being challenged this year and moving out of my comfort zone… He was right!

So, the grounds looks like a campsite, as you may have gathered from earlier… there’s one main building which has a living room and a big kitchen which everyone shares. Then there’s a separate building with communal toilets and showers. Next you come to our rooms. There are three of us in a room, with three beds and three wardrobes. I live with a Cape Townian girl, believe it or not, and a British girl. I can already tell there is such a mix of cultures going on in this organization. I love it! It’s going to be very interesting, though… I’m used to being around diverse groups of people but I feel like this is a whole new level. But everyone is so friendly and open, so I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone better.

Tonight I just had a movie night with one of my roommates because most of the staff went to a Bafana game at the stadium in Nelspruit. I must be honest, when I first started unpacking I had such a sense of homesickness for Cape Town… I think reality set in that I won’t be seeing all my lovely amazing friends for quite some time, and some loneliness set in. But I can remember feeling that way at various other junctures in my life, like my first night at Georgetown, for example, and clearly God comes through each time and provides. So I am trusting Him and fighting off that feeling. Plus it feels good to feel the love from CT in all the calls and SMS’s. : ) Now I’m heading to bed to catch up on the sleep I missed during my last night in Cape Town!

September 5, 2010
Today was a gorgeous day, and I had one of these moments that my friend Brittanie has all the time where I stop and say, “Wow, this is my life!” This morning I woke up just past 7 am (that’s what happens when you go to bed early I guess?) and then we went to church in White River, which is about a 20 minute drive away. The church was fairly small, mostly white, and the sermon was pretty short… but it was a good message, about being servants of Christ. And God is great because during praise and worship I didn’t know any of the songs because it was a different style than anywhere else I’d visited before, and so I just prayed, ok at least they can do some Hillsong or SOMETHING, and tell me why the next song was Mighty to Save! We serve a God who really does love us : )

When we got back, we all cooked lunch and I realized that I am living among lots of healthy people – they were ALL fixing salad, for Sunday lunch! But you know what, I told myself I would get in shape and start being healthy while in Mpumalanga, so maybe they will help me on my path! Once I get familiar with the grounds I’m going to start running every day, and I can see myself eating healthier too, especially since fast food is inaccessible. (Oh, but I made a very important discovery on the way to church this morning – White River has a Nando’s AND a Spur!!! Seeing that as we arrived at church just put a praise in my spirit!! LOL!!)

After lunch, I decided to grab a blanket and sit out on the grass and read. That’s when I had my “this is my life!” moment. I’m sitting out on this blanket, with the hot sun beaming down on me, a slight breeze blowing, in full view of these gorgeous mountains and trees and hills and just… nature! And I just began thanking God for bringing me here, for surrounding me with all this beauty, and for allowing me to do His work and be His servant. What an honor and privilege!! I’m so excited to start training tomorrow, and to see where my work will take me.