Sometimes your faith starts to waiver. Whether it's just a tough day where nothing seems to go your way or you just start to miss home. You ask yourself what the heck you are doing here? Maybe it's just time to pack up and go home. No one cares about my silly projects anyway...and then someone says it. And it all seems okay again.
I was sitting on the step yesterday at one of our drop-in centers (a drop-in center is really just a youth center but usually only vulnerable or underprivileged kids come to the center) having come from the school. One of the learners at the school is sick and in the hospital so I wanted to see if it was alright to visit him. Anyway, it was hot and sunny outside so I was sitting outside with three little boys at the drop-in center writing words in Sepedi in the sand. They would try to see if they knew the word I had written in English. I would clap and do a little dance when they got one right (you have to keep things interesting). We then switched to practicing addition – 4+2 =? I would write this equation with my little stick in the sand and then they would count on their fingers and look perplexed a bit but usually the answers would come…it was fun. A good way to spend the afternoon.
One of the staff members sat beside me after my little “lesson” and said, “You are doing a good job.” That's all it took.
Next week, we leave for the 2011 Camp GLOW! Thirty young girls will embark upon their first week away at a camp...and they couldn't be more excited. Literally, the girls talk about camp EVERY DAY. I can't wait to share pictures and stories with you. Your generosity to help make this camp a reality is something that I can't thank you for enough! Stay tuned...
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Color.
Every day here I am reminded of the color of my skin. Whether it is the “Lekgowa!” comment that I literally can’t get through one day without hearing (Lekgowa means white person in Sepedi) or a child that cries when I approach or looks at his finger after touching my skin to see if my whiteness will rub off? Yet, it is also the special treatment that I get that reminds me I am different. The extra food my hosts want to provide, the chair I am offered when no one else has one, the offer of a ride when I am walking? I don’t want to seem ungrateful for anyone’s generosity but I struggle with being treated differently (good or bad) when I have done nothing to deserve or warrant it.
Being part of this journey has made me acutely aware of the opportunity we all have to try to see people for who they are – regardless of the color of their skin or what they are wearing or how they look on the outside. To look a little deeper, to ask questions, to get to know a person. I hope that you all will make an effort. For me.
Being part of this journey has made me acutely aware of the opportunity we all have to try to see people for who they are – regardless of the color of their skin or what they are wearing or how they look on the outside. To look a little deeper, to ask questions, to get to know a person. I hope that you all will make an effort. For me.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Strange.
It’s strange how you kind of start getting used to not so normal things. I’ll give you a few examples:
Yep. Today they killed the goat. All of the relatives came and there was a big celebration (honoring the ancestors) for one of my host father’s sisters because she got a job. Luckily, I did not witness the goat killing. But they did feel that it was necessary to show me the poor goat’s head in a bowl later in the day…not a pretty site. I almost lost my cookies.
Sadly for all of you I did not have my camera to take pictures of today’s celebration. Maybe if I’m lucky there will be another goat killing so I can take pictures. And next time it will probably seem normal?
- At the school there are buckets filled with water to wash hands. I realized the other day that they were putting Listerine in the water as some sort of sanitizer. Hey, that’s not that strange? Why not? It’s supposed to get your mouth clean.
- I’ve gotten used to now coming home to sand covering my floor (and most of my stuff) due to the excessive winds sweeping it under my door. I now just shrug my shoulders and crawl into bed. I’m too tired to clean it up again.
- When the power goes out (which it does now regularly due to the rolling blackouts), eating apples for supper and going to bed at like 6:30PM seems normal. Actually, I don't go to bed that much later when the power is on if I have to be honest? Not much night life here...
- Carrying toilet paper with me at all times is terribly normal. In fact, I will pass this advice on to all incoming Peace Corps Volunteers. Strangely, I now sometimes take it from public toilets in the “city” when I am traveling. What if I need it?
Yep. Today they killed the goat. All of the relatives came and there was a big celebration (honoring the ancestors) for one of my host father’s sisters because she got a job. Luckily, I did not witness the goat killing. But they did feel that it was necessary to show me the poor goat’s head in a bowl later in the day…not a pretty site. I almost lost my cookies.
Sadly for all of you I did not have my camera to take pictures of today’s celebration. Maybe if I’m lucky there will be another goat killing so I can take pictures. And next time it will probably seem normal?
Saturday, June 4, 2011
A New Comrade.
It’s been an insane week. One that I probably won’t forget.
Last Sunday, May 29, 2011, I completed the Comrades Marathon (www.comrades.com). This is a huge race here in South Africa that brings almost 20,000 runners from almost 60 countries together to complete an insane course – 56 miles from Durban to Pietermaritzburg. Yes, that’s two back-to-back marathons in one day. I don’t really know why I thought I needed to train and participate in this year’s race – it seemed a bit like I was telling myself if I could get through this run, I could get through anything? Well, I am happy to report that I made it! And not only did I make it but I actually finished with a reasonably decent time – 9 ½ hours. This is about 3 hours slower than the fastest female (those ladies are crazy fast!) and three hours faster than the slowest finishers (and several thousand don’t even finish the race)? And, I ran the entire race (of course not my fastest pace but I just kept putting one foot in front of the other). Kind of like my Peace Corps service? :)
Unfortunately, about 30 minutes after I finished the race I learned that all of my things had been stolen at the start of the race. My backpack and all of its contents – my passport, money, credit cards, clothes, camera...and the list goes on. So, after learning this sad, sad news, in my barely coherent state (my body was at its limit), my fellow Peace Corps friends helped me (literally) walk to the car where they let me borrow clothes (remember all I had was the running clothes I had just finished running many miles in), bought me a meal and a bus ticket to Pretoria for the next day where I proceeded to try to get all of my life back in order. As I said, it's been an insane week.
Now, week later I keep telling myself it could have been worse – I am fine. It’s just stuff. But my faith has taken a bit of a beating. But it will slowly come back. And what helps is my wonderful friends and family. Thank you everyone for helping me out and reminding me what is important. I love you all.
Oh and to see a picture of your newest Comrade (me)! you can check out my facebook page where my friend posted some pictures.
Last Sunday, May 29, 2011, I completed the Comrades Marathon (www.comrades.com). This is a huge race here in South Africa that brings almost 20,000 runners from almost 60 countries together to complete an insane course – 56 miles from Durban to Pietermaritzburg. Yes, that’s two back-to-back marathons in one day. I don’t really know why I thought I needed to train and participate in this year’s race – it seemed a bit like I was telling myself if I could get through this run, I could get through anything? Well, I am happy to report that I made it! And not only did I make it but I actually finished with a reasonably decent time – 9 ½ hours. This is about 3 hours slower than the fastest female (those ladies are crazy fast!) and three hours faster than the slowest finishers (and several thousand don’t even finish the race)? And, I ran the entire race (of course not my fastest pace but I just kept putting one foot in front of the other). Kind of like my Peace Corps service? :)
Unfortunately, about 30 minutes after I finished the race I learned that all of my things had been stolen at the start of the race. My backpack and all of its contents – my passport, money, credit cards, clothes, camera...and the list goes on. So, after learning this sad, sad news, in my barely coherent state (my body was at its limit), my fellow Peace Corps friends helped me (literally) walk to the car where they let me borrow clothes (remember all I had was the running clothes I had just finished running many miles in), bought me a meal and a bus ticket to Pretoria for the next day where I proceeded to try to get all of my life back in order. As I said, it's been an insane week.
Now, week later I keep telling myself it could have been worse – I am fine. It’s just stuff. But my faith has taken a bit of a beating. But it will slowly come back. And what helps is my wonderful friends and family. Thank you everyone for helping me out and reminding me what is important. I love you all.
Oh and to see a picture of your newest Comrade (me)! you can check out my facebook page where my friend posted some pictures.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
