Showing up

I have less than one week before my flight back to the US, which I'm still wrapping my mind around. This year has taught me much and pushed me in ways I could have never expected. Yesterday was my last Friday at Itipini, and I got to spend time with some of my greatest teachers. On Fridays after the clinic closes, high school students from the community come for Study Skills sessions. Over the past several months a "regular crew" has formed, and we gather to talk about what's going on in school, at home, and to work on homework together.

I'm grateful for our time together and look back happily over our mutual growth. Starting back in November with the help of Ben, who was a fellow volunteer at Itipini for three months, we began meeting on a regular basis. Megan Berry was also a huge help in tutoring, working with local schools, and reminding us all to have a good sense of humor. Awkwardness around language barriers and my inability to remember trigonometry surrounded many of our first gatherings. Since then, we've come to know more of each others' stories. Many of these kids have less than ideal home situations and attend schools lacking in resources. Siziwe (pictured below) and her sister Khayakhazi are attending 11th and 12th grades respectively. This year they have lost both of their parents to AIDS and tuberculosis. They now care for their younger brother along with their own children with the help of neighbors. The pain and loss they have experienced this year is great, and their responsibilities have jumped tremendously. However, they are working to not let this pain define them, and continue showing up.

Classroom at Itipini Junior Secondary School where most children from Itipini attend grades 1-9

Drop out rates in the Eastern Cape are staggeringly high, and this certainly rings true in Itipini. Home environments not conducive to studying (no electricity, no running water, lack of privacy, sometimes little or no parental support) and school environments that are also challenging (few textbooks, teacher-less classrooms, no school transport, socio-economic discrimination) make the path to passing the matriculation exam in twelfth grade a daunting task for many.

Figuring out how to best support and encourage our students has been a challenge, and I think in many ways it is about showing up. Showing up on Fridays to provide a space for them to work together on homework. Showing up at school to talk to their teachers when a parent has died. Showing up when they come to me with a problem at home or school, and listening. They have taught me this through their own living examples of continuing to show up--at school, on Fridays, and to responsibilities at home that are many. Consistency and presence are sometimes all we can offer, but that is a great gift. They return that gift to me by continuing to come on Fridays, and by sharing their joys and sorrows during the week. These young men and women have been some of my greatest teachers this year, and I am humbly thankful for our time together. They have taught me the importance of showing up and not giving up, and that has been a great, great lesson.

Luleka, Siziwe, Nonzaliseko, Nocwaka, Baliswa, and Zukile

looking and looking and looking

Elsa, Nonzuzo, Vuyelwa, Elsa, and Nomxolisi work together on filling in a job application.

Getting to know some of the young women of Itipini has been one of the highlights of my time here. I've seen our relationships grow overtime, and appreciate our conversations about music, family, politics, Mthatha, and about struggles in our lives. A major one for all the young people I've met during my time here is how to get into university and where to find work. The unemployment rate in South Africa is around 25%, with the latest figures showing rates of 26.9% for the Eastern Cape (as reported by Statistics South Africa at www.statssa.gov.za).

Much of the world is feeling an increase in job loss and financial constrain, and that is certainly felt in our community at Itipini where a majority of the residents are unemployed or semi-employed. Working with community members to find positive outlets to use their time and skills is a daily struggle experienced at the project. Many times factors such as level of education, children, transportation, and work experience make it difficult for Itipini residents to find work. Alcohol and drug usage impacts, either directly or peripherally, a majority of families living at Itipini who have members looking for work. Plus, numerous community members have shared with us the ways in which they face discrimination and judgment from potential employers who do not wish to hire them simply because they are living at Itipini and the reputation that connotes. Looking for work is rarely easy, however looking for work in Mthatha seems like a Sisyphean struggle to many.

This year is helping to teach me that there is so very much that I do not understand, and an area where more questions than answers have been found is the employment and education situation in South Africa, more specifically Mthatha. However, recently good news has been coming through on the employment and education front for some community members and friends. Recently Nonzuzo (second from left in picture above) was accepted as a student at the University of South Africa, and three other young women completed a security training course with flying colors. Maybe more good news is on the way...

Glimpses

Last week many of the kiddos were on a school holiday, and in an effort to keep them interested and occupied we had a couple of game days. Mostly it was slightly organized chaos, but in the end, I think everyone had a good time. The trusty egg-n-spoon race was a crowd favorite. Suspense, the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat/having egg splatter on your feet--this game really has it all. Limbo, water relay games, and a new twist on bobbing for apples that involved tangerines were also part of the festivities.

Such concentration...

I also wanted to elaborate a little more on Sabelani Home, which I referenced in an earlier post. Sabelani has become one of my favorite places to spend time here in Mthatha. It is home to eleven young men and Father Guy, a Catholic priest and all around wonderful man who started the project over a decade ago. Sabelani, a name which implies a response to being called or spoken to, provides resources for low income boys and young men who want to further their education. Some live in the house and others receive monetary support, but all must be committed to further learning. Getting to know the guys, laughing with them, hearing pieces of their individual stories, and seeing how they live together in community to support one another has been great.

Father Guy and Boyi-Boyi hang some laundry in the backyard, while Megan and I provide moral support.

Annnd finally, I have to share a story from this past weekend that involves an unexpected visitor. Megan and I were enjoying a quiet and laid back Saturday morning, when all of the sudden we discovered a cobra had found its way into our hallway. Megan heard the snake slither and then saw it do its eerie cobra-head-raised thing, and ran back into my side of the house. We isolated the snake to the hallway and then enlisted the help of our neighbors Georgio and Sabra (aka Cobra Dundee and Sabra the Snake Scooper). Having had their fair share of snake encounters, they grabbed a hoe, pitchfork, and giant bucket to ward off the unwelcome guest.

Sadly, the cobra had to meet its end, but really it could have at least knocked before coming inside. Ah, just another Saturday in Mthatha...

So, about those 35 days...

Is it really March 1^st? My calendar on the wall tells me it’s true, but I'm finding it hard to believe. February has been a very full month on this end, and every day is an adventure.

Example: Wednesday of last week Jenny told me in her wonderful British accent and with her kind demeanor that there was, “possibly a bit of an emergency,” and asked if I would mind going to pick up a woman who was in labor to drive to the local OB clinic at Ngangalizwe. I grabbed the keys, and Megan, my new neighbor and a very welcome addition to Team Itipini, grabbed a pair of gloves. Megan has worked in an Emergency Room for two years since graduating from college and said to me, “Well, I did deliver a baby in EMT class on a plastic mannequin a few years ago. So yeah…” Compared to my experience and in my mind this made Megan an expert. So, we nervously and excitedly jumped in the truck.

The young woman in labor is the daughter-in-law of one of the ladies who works at Itipini named Makiwa. Makiwa rode up front with us while Victoria, another mama from Itipini, rode in the back. Our ride to the house was pretty hilarious. Megan sat in the middle straddling the gearshift, while Makiwa sat next to her speaking solely in Xhosa and giving hand gesture directions. Many of the roads in Mthatha are a maze of potholes and test drivers’ abilities to dodge pedestrians, livestock, and other vehilcles, but ladies and gentlemen, we may have succeeded in finding the worst road in Mthatha. The dirt road through fields and into the neighborhood left us nearly vertical at a couple of points and bouncing along most of the way. However, we made it without a tire puncture or tipping over, and supplied Makiwa and Victoria with comedic relief for the next few weeks.

We walked into the house, and while I may not know much about being in labor and having babies, I could tell this young woman was not into the serious stages of labor. She was very pregnant and soon would be, so maybe they figured the car ride back would help get her water to break? It was a pretty exciting and funny adventure all the way around. Also, Megan and I have decided that expeditions such as this warrant us our own TV show, “Amazing Race: Mthatha.” Days such as this we consider as good training for our series premiere…

This month I’ve also been working more closely with Itipini Junior Secondary School, where we have over 100 kids from Itipini in grades 1-9. Afterschool tutoring with high schoolers has also started up again, and both of these endeavors are testing my math and science recall…let’s just say I’m very happy to have Megan’s help and the ability to Google things in between sessions. Education is a key component of the support we try to provide at Itipini Community Project. In this region it is a real struggle for many kids to have the resources to attend, and then when they are at school the supplies and personnel there are often lacking. Yesterday I was assisting Principal Madikizla at Itipini J.S.S., who also teaches Geography. The grade 8 classroom was packed with 70+ students and between them there were only six protractors in hand to complete the worksheet on bearing. Well, and in grade 9, there are 83 kids in the classroom! Throughout my education from kindergarten through Sewanee, I think 32 was my maximum class size, so this has put things in a whole new perspective.

Outside of work, I’ve been spending time with the great new crew we having living at Bedford and exploring some of the options Mthatha weekends have to offer. Highlights include getting a tour of Walter Sisulu University courtesy of Adam Carpenter (a third year medical student), tasting the culinary delights of the new McDonald’s in town (yes, it tasks eerily the same), walking Jenny’s dogs/small horses, attempting to learn the rules of cricket by watching the ICC Cricket World Cup, and hanging out with some of the highschoolers from Itipini. I also had a nice weekend away with two volunteers Jai and Olof where we went on a game drive and visited Chintsa, which is on the coast and is absolutely beautiful.

It’s been a very full month, and really does feel like it has flown by. I’ve also bid farewell to three wonderful new friends this month Tom, Meredith, and Ben who I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know and work with since October. A big thank you to all three for some excellent times together, and good luck in new adventures.

Thanks for stopping by, and there will be more to follow soon.

Peace.

"Slow down. Quiet. It's Advent."

Advent greetings from Mthatha. This is a season of expectant waiting, preparation, and one of my very favorite times of year. In Sewanee we used to have, “Slow down. Quiet. It’s Advent,” signs up around All Saint’s. As it was then with the busy nature of the end of the semester, these past few weeks have been full of preparations for the end of the year at Itipini...

We had a World AIDS Day program at the beginning of the month. The older kids designed and painted posters for the day, the choir sang, and Yoliswa, who has been my language tutor, was our guest speaker. We also had an AMM staff lunch outing last week. It was great to have everyone together outside of work to share a meal. Probably the biggest event of the month though has been preschool graduation. Last Friday, twenty-two very eager five and six year olds proudly received graduation certificates from Itipini Preschool. It was a pretty exciting day to say the least.

I’ve also tried to decorate my rondavel with a bit of festive cheer, and we’ve had two very successful braais (Afrikaans for barbeque) here at the hospital to take advantage of the warm weather this time of year brings to South Africa. The picture from the coast was taken in Chinsta where I travelled with three AMM volunteers for a weekend to relax. Not a bad view from our room, huh? This past weekend, it was also great to have a visit from Travis, a fellow YASCer, who came up for a visit from Grahamstown.

While it has been hard to be away from home at a time when that seems most familiar, I’m enjoying spending this season in a new context. I’ve been trying to slow down, find moments of quiet, and get ready for the joy of Christmas. I’m also excited for an upcoming trip to Cape Town next week, where I’ll get to see three of my fellow YASCers and celebrate some new-to-me Christmas traditions. Enjoy the pictures, and thanks for stopping by. Peace be with you.

That is a what? Oooh... a turkey.

"Walkin' the line between faith and fear"

These past two weeks have been two of the most challenging. There has been a combination of things that lead me say this, which include short bout with a stomach bug, tough cases at the clinic, and missing family and friends. Thankfully, I’m feeling much better and have a little more perspective with which I can look back at those situations. At the clinic, three cases in particular have stood out. Ones that have caused me ask a lot of “Why is this happening?” questions. One involved a three-year-old boy who was for all intents and purposes abandoned by his mother. For two weeks he passed between relations who live at Itipini. When we heard about his situation at the clinic, a social worker was contacted, he received a much-needed bath, some new clothes, and treatment for his ringworm. He’s now gone to stay with a grandmother out of town, but seeing this little boy toted around and talked about like an object rather than a child was difficult. When he left, more of his personality had started to come out and he was playing with the other kids, but I know his future is still very uncertain. I also realize he is one of many children like this at Itipini, in Mthatha, and the world.

Another case involved a woman in her late thirties who has AIDS. She was carried in one day on a stretcher, severely dehydrated and unable to stand. Ben, another volunteer, and I took her to another clinic to receive IV fluids. We brought her home at the end of the day, but the following morning as we drove into Itipini, we were stopped by people telling us she had suffered seizures in the night. We took her to the emergency room, along with her sister. Seeing her and how poorly she looked was scary. I don’t think there’s another word for it. Walking out of the emergency room, I honestly thought she might die. We have since received word that she has gone with another sister to a hospital closer to her homeland in another part of the country.

Finally, this Thursday a young girl, an older woman, and a tiny newborn baby came up to the clinic just as we were packing up to leave. After talking with Jenny and Sister Dorothy, we learned that the young girl of just thirteen had been raped and had just delivered the baby a few days before in the hospital. They all came back Friday to open a new file for the baby, talk about breastfeeding, and how they were all doing. All three of these lives have changed dramatically.

I still have no answer for the “why” questions for what is happening in the lives of all these people. I have been able to see some hope in all three situations though, in that there appear to be family members who are there to help--a grandmother, sisters, and a mother. These individuals have also showed me how important our work at Itipini is whether it’s getting people to the hospital, counseling new mothers, offering a hug to a little boy, or being present with people during times of great pain. We’re doing what we can as best we can, and that is something.

To help balance out these difficult experiences at work and with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I’m thankful to hear updates from family and friends. Conversations, meals shared together, and listening to some good music here at Bedford have also been very welcome. Plus, as you’ll see in some of the pictures there have been many happy times at Itipini too-- including the futbol team posing with their new jerseys, checking out new books in the library, and lots of playing. These have been challenging weeks. Ones that have shown be moments of great pain and love.

Thank you for reading, and peace be with you.

"Do what you can."

Outside of my rondavel there is a plaque. It was put up in memory of Dr. Chris McConnachie, who came to South Africa over thirty years ago with his wife Jenny, to begin the work that would become African Medical Mission. One of Dr. McConnachie's, or "Prof's," favorite phrases is inscribed on the plaque. It reads, "Do what you can." At the beginning of my third month here in Mthatha, I'm beginning to more fully understand this statement. At times the level of poverty, lack of resources, high rates of HIV and TB that we see daily at Itipini Community Project seem overwhelming. I try to remember Prof's words when I start to feel as if there is little I can do to make a difference. I also keep Micah 6:8 with me, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” These are two phrases that have been on my mind lately, and I hope stay with me through the coming year. They bring me comfort, but also push me to act and learn from others.

I have also been thankful for the community of volunteers that live here at Bedford and from others working in Mthatha to do what they can. The picture I’ve posted is from one of our Wednesday night dinners that occurs weekly at Jenny’s house. This is a time for good conversation, great food, and to talk about how things are going in our lives. These gatherings and others like them are highlights of my weeks here. They also remind me that, “You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea, in church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea, for the saints of God are folk just like me, and I mean to be one too” (Hymn 293, BCP).

Happy All Saints’ Sunday!

Hope this finds you all doing well, and thanks for reading.

On the universality of fascination with fire trucks, juice stains, and other thoughts.

Friday was one of my favorite days so far. It was field trip day for the preschool. All week the anticipation had been building in the community about the big day, and I was getting excited about being the “support car” for the day. I was to follow the big bus in our new AMM volunteer car, carrying the all important picnic supplies, helping chaperone, and available to run ahead to let each location know we were on the way.

The road leading to Itipini can be quite rough in some places, but the big passenger bus wound its way slowly into the project. Upon its arrival, the children’s departure soon became a community wide event. As we walked down the hill to the bus, the kids and their parents sang and danced in celebration. People peered out from their homes, and soon quite a crowd had gathered to send the children off for the day.

We made our way to the fire station first, where Chief Le Kaye met with the kids. We learned about “Stop, Drop, and Roll” and how to dial “112” in case of emergency. There I saw that fascination with fire trucks and firemen seem to stretch beyond borders, and reminded me of how much I looked forward to Fire Safety Week at Alpine Crest Elementary. It meant a visit from the fire station, drawing colorful evacuation plans for our houses, and fire drills that seemed to me kind of like a recess bonus round as we filed out into the sunshine of the playground. The Itipini preschoolers looked on in awe when the sirens and lights flashed on the truck, and we all laughed as one of the little boys was dressed in fire gear that enveloped him.

The next stop was the Nelson Mandela Museum. There the kids were led around, looking and listening to the story of a man who was once a young boy raised in the same part of the country where they are growing up. One highlight from the museum was seeing the kids react to the recreation of the cell where Mandela lived on Robben Island. All of the kids tried to squeeze inside the tiny cell at once, and imagine life in such a small space. In the last room of the museum there is a video playing with scenes from Mandela’s 90^th birthday celebration, and at one point a choir starts singing the South African National Anthem. Without any prompting, the preschoolers all started singing along.

The National Anthem of South Africa is unique in that it contains five different languages and combines lyrics from the old national anthem, the Methodist hymn/song of defiance under apartheid “Nkosi Siskelel’ iAfrika,” and some original lyrics. This hybrid song asks God to bless Africa, bless her children, end conflicts, and concludes with a call to, “Let us live and strive for freedom in South Africa our land.” Hearing and seeing the children from Itipini spontaneously sing these words in the Nelson Mandela Museum was really quite something. In that moment I saw hope for their future, and for further reconciliation in this nation. The children from Itipini are living examples of the economic disparity that still exists, but in their singing, they were also it seems to me, showing that they are not bound to this identity only. They are children who are learning what words like “freedom,” “reconciliation,” “unity,” “hate,” and “love” mean for their country and in their own lives. And for me, they were strong reminders of the power of the human voice…especially in song. It brought to mind this quote from Eduardo Galeano’s The Book of Embraces: “When it is genuine, when it is born of the need to speak, no one can stop the human voice. When denied a mouth, it speaks with the hands or the eyes, or the pores, or anything at all. Because every single one of us has something to say to the others, something that deserves to be celebrated or forgiven by others. "

From the museum it was on to Nduli Nature Reserve. Nduli is right outside of downtown Mthatha. We made the winding loop around Nduli, seeing some antelopes and wildebeest. Gathering in the picnic area, hot dogs were cooked, apples were eaten, chips were crunched, and juice was spilled. There I observed that just as little kids’ fascination with fire trucks appears to be universal, so too it seems is the ability for the juice from juice boxes to some how end up all over white t-shirts.

After lunch and playing at Nduli it was time to head back to Itipini. Much like our send-off, the community was waiting for our arrival. Mothers greeted their children as if they had been gone for a year, and songs were sung in celebration of our return from a day full of adventures. As the kids disembarked, it began to sprinkle, and then as if right on cue, a rainbow appeared. It accompanied the preschool teachers and me on the way home. All around, it was a very good day.

Monday Happenings at Itipini

It's the start of my third week here, and I thought I'd share some scenes from a Monday at Itipini. Today a truck came to pick up the cardboard that members of the recycling crew here have been collecting for the past few months, and will help generate income for one of the new sustainability projects in the community. Some of the kids worked in the garden this afternoon to get it ready for new Spring plants, and the preschoolers enjoyed an afternoon snack. Work in the clinic has been going well so far, and it's nice to start recognizing patients, staff, and other community members. My basic Xhosa is starting to improve too, and my first official language lesson later this week will be very welcome.

This past weekend I was able to take a trip to Grahamstown to see a new place and to meet up with Travis, one of my fellow YASCers. It was a really nice weekend, complete with great company, elephants, Thai food, running into a former Sewanee student (such a small world), and a beautiful drive. In my next post I hope to include more about the trip, including some pictures and video from the weekend, but for now here are some scenes from life at Itipini...

(Apologies for funky formatting today. The internet is not being very friendly here tonight.)

Thanks for stopping by, and peace.

Greetings from Mthatha!

Here was the view from my window as I arrived in Johannesburg last Sunday. It's hard to believe I've been here almost a week, and there's already so much to tell. After a nearly 16 hour plane ride from Atlanta to Johannesburg, I was greatful for a restful night's stay at the Afton Guest House. Then it was up for an early morning flight to Mthatha. Jenny McConnachie, who is the nurse I will be working with this year at Itipini, met me at the airport and since then has been my guide for the week.

Monday through Friday I spent my days in Itipini, where I have been able to meet some of the community. Most of my time thus far has been helping out in the clinic by finding patients' medical cards, packing pills, logging treatments for the day, and helping give TB patients their daily regimens. Tuesday is baby day at the clinic, and there were nearly 70 babies and mothers treated by Jenny and Sister Dorothy who are the two nurses on staff at the clinic. One of the highlights of my morning is going to prayers at the preschool...this usually entails a hundle of little ones standing in a circle outside singing, clapping, and dancing as the teachers lead them in song. It can't help but make me smile, and hope that one day soon I'll know the Xhosa words so that I can join in with them.

Other highlights of this week have included dinner at Jenny's house on Thursday with an American volunteer who works at Beford Orthopedic Hospital as a physical therapist and a South African medical student here in Mthatha. Jenny hosts these weekly at her home for volunteers. It was a great time to relax, enjoy some tasty lasagna, and have some good conversations (somehow we managed to cover topics from the ongoing strikes at local schools here in Mthatha to Dolly Parton). Grocery shopping was another fun adventure at the local SuperSpar, and today I had my second try at driving a stick shift...although I have to admit driving on a new side of the road and with taxi drivers who generally pay little attention to others on the road, made it a little trickier. I've got a year to get it down though, and I hope to at least semi-master the roads of Mthatha by then.

All in all it's been a really good first week here. I'm learning a lot about the African Medical Mission, and I'm seeing how my role here will take shape for the coming year. The rondavel where I'm living at Bedford Hospital is really nice, and I'm getting the hang of knowing when the water is on and off...and when it's hot. Jenny has been such a help in getting me oriented, and I look forward to being able to explore more of Mthatha and South Africa on my weekends off.

There's much more to come, and I hope to have pictures from Itipini, Mthatha, and Bedford Hospital up soon to give you more of a glimpse into my live in Mthatha so far.

Peace.