A week of posts...

Monday, March 19, 2007…Gloria’s Birthday!

Today we celebrated Gloria’s 39th birthday…nothing like celebrating it at the local Spur (great South African restaurant). On Sunday during the church service Vincent said that it was her 50th birthday and the 3 of us being so gullible spread the news around the church and community that it was her 50th. Then when we went out for her birthday dinner we were like gosh you don’t look 50 she was like well cause I am 39. Whoops so sorry Powerhouse for giving you the wrong age. Oh Vincent you funny guy. Haha

Tuesday, March 20, 2007…Paper

Well the date is coming closer and closer to graduation! I have all of my papers now complete just 3 presentations to do when I return to the States. It feels so great to know that I am complete with my masters!

Wednesday, March 21.2007…School Uniforms means so Much

Today was our day to head to Soshanguve to work with Constance. We had heard a few weeks back about these two young women, 14 and 16, being shoed away from school for not having the right school uniforms. Gabe and Rach had some extra money and decided that they would purchase the uniforms and take them to the girls. It was Human Rights Day (a public holiday), so the entire family was home. The girls came out of the house and the Dagani’s showed them the uniforms, these beautiful white teeth glowed, as they could not help but smile. They ran into the house giggling to try them on. A few minutes later after looking at themselves in the mirror they came out and strutted right past us in model like fashion. When we saw them for the first time a wave of emotions came over us all and we started crying for joy. For them these uniforms meant that they no longer would be the source of ridicule, they could continue their studies, and they could do it with pride. Who thought one article of clothing could change a person’s life so dramatically.

Thursday, March 22, 2007…Driver

Today I got the honor of taking Rach and Gabe to the airport as they were heading to Durbin for a little holiday. We had been praying for them because Durbin just got swept by a natural phenomenon with 5-12 meter high waves. That’s great if you are a surfer not so much if you are just an average Joe who wants to lay out on the beach. I also got to pick up my new passport. Thank God it was there and had the right photo inside. The rest of the day I colored Easter bags that we will be handing out to some orphan children in Soshanguve.

Friday, March 23. 2007…Body Changes

I got the honor to talk to the group of girls about body changes as we mature. Oh geesh never thought it would be such an intriguing topic for them. Now I know that I am ready for one day when God blesses me with little girls of my own. For the next week I will be house sitting in Capital Park, which is closer to my work and has a swimming pool! Brenda stayed with me for the first two nights as I was getting adjusted to a new neighborhood. We had a great time staying up late talking, about girl things.

Saturday, March 24, 2007…Abigail Arrives and Dagani’s Return!

Brenda and I drove to the airport to pick up the crew. For Brenda (age 25) this was her first time to the airport she was shocked at how much they jack up the prices for cool drinks and snacks. Welcome to low supply and high demand. We got there about an hour early to make sure that we were front and centre at the terminal so Abigail could see us clearly. Brenda and I got so swept up in the return of loved ones, family members, and friends that we didn’t even realize we were waiting at the wrong terminal. We realized it when a man came out and was looking around for his family/friends to pick him up, but no one was there to fetch him. We felt so sorry for him than I thought, gosh it has taken Abby along time to go through customs…OH MY GOSH we are at the wrong terminal. We ran to the other side to get her by this time she was in the back waiting patiently for someone to get her. Oh I felt so bad, but I was soooooooo uber excited to have her next to me.

Sunday, March 25, 2007…Capital Park, mini riot

To celebrate Abigail’s arrival I invited the worship team over to the house we are sitting for a good ol’ braii. There really is no other way than to welcome someone to South Africa with out doing a braii. We had a pool, meat and pap, and people, really what else do you need? About two hours into the celebration filled with dancing (to worship music of course), viewing of The Passion of the Christ (to prepare for Easter), and some swimming I see about 10 white men at the gate screaming. I am like what the Hell is going on. I go to the gate to ask them what they are so angry about and they are like in this neighborhood we don’t have parties on Sundays. I was like sir I can assure you that this is a braii and not a party in fact this is a worship team from a church. He was like I don’t know what you do in the States but the Old South Africa and the New South Africa don’t have parties. What he was really saying was that black people are not allowed in white neighborhoods to hang out, black people are only allowed to work as house servants or to do construction on their homes. But to have 10 black adults and 2 black children laughing, dancing, and enjoying themselves in their neighborhood was unacceptable. The families house that we are at called us because three of the neighbors called them while they were away on holiday to tell them that black people had taken over their house and that they were playing loud music and drinking. Oh the family was furious with me, but when they found out it was a worship team and there was only 12 people they calmed down…but they suggested everyone to leave because the neighbors had threatened to start shooting. Oh my GOD I am living in the civil rights movement where blacks and whites can’t even hang out. Toto I am in not in the States anymore.

Monday, March 26, 2007…Physically Ill

Today I woke up physically ill because of the situation yesterday. I don’t even know how to live in a culture that is racist to the point of forcing harm onto others. It is sooo against the person God has created me to be and I am dang proud that I can’t stand it cause it is not right. The verse that continues to run through my head is, “Thy Kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven.” I just want to go to each of these neighbors houses that claim they are also Christians and be like hey you know you may not live next to blacks right now, but I assure you when you get to Heaven God willing He is expecting you to not only live with blacks, but break bread with one another. So maybe we might want to consider having a little piece of Heaven on Earth now. Gosh I don’t know maybe that is a crazy idea but forcing your brothers and sisters in Christ out of your neighborhood with guns on my scale is much crazier!!!

I freakin’ hate Apartheid…Afrikaners get ready for a rude awakening cause the blacks that you have held down for decades are becoming educated and are gaining finances, so believe it or not they are starting to climb the economic ladder. They will soon be able to live anywhere they want, work wherever they want, and not have to take your shit anymore. There are way more of them than you, so get ready to start submitting to their leadership. Ok I am getting off my soapbox now I just can’t help but be enraged. Abigail and I have invited one of the Afrikaners over for dinner Tuesday night to have a nice meal with us. We are praying that God reveals to them that we are not crazy Americans, but that we are His children. Also, show hey look blacks can come into your neighborhood and leave it without stealing anything. More than anything we are praying God starts to open their eyes to a new way of living, a way to live without fear, a way to live with love.

Tuesday, March 27.2007…Ulcer???

Today I went to the doctors (I know it is crazy I don’t even go to the doctors in the States, so you must know it is bad if I am willing to go in a foreign country) because I had severe pains across my abs and am not keeping down any food. Who knows what it is I think it is ulcers, but I also don’t have an MD after my name. Well the whole experience was rather delightful. First of all with no insurance it was only R140=$20! Then I went into the docs office and there was a desk, two chairs, and a typical doctor check up table. I sat down for about 20 min talking about my medical history and my current symptoms. I was shocked! I had never talked to a doctor for so long. The average doctor in the States talks with their client for 30 secs and then starts to diagnose. All in all I was there for 30 min and she concluded that it was stress related, but not necessarily ulcers. So she gave me some amazing stress relieving medicines. Thank God for great doctors in South Africa.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007…Discipline Meeting

Something that has been alarming to me at Mohau is how the caregivers discipline the children. I have talked to the social workers about my concerns and they feel the same way, so today we had a 4 hour meeting as to what is appropriate and not appropriate when disciplining children that come from traumatic pasts. It was really good to get their feedback as to why they do what they do, but also teach them new ways of disciplining children. It was the most feedback we have gotten from the caregivers so something went right with our meeting.