I have been in South Africa for 8 days. I can already tell that I am a different person than the person who stepped off the plane wide eyed on Friday morning. Some of that probably has to do with getting caught up on sleep after 2 full days in transit. They aren’t kidding about the long flights to get here. At one point on the flight from Frankfurt to Johannesburg and seeing the screen say we had 5000 miles to our destination. A little extra sleep combined with amazing speakers and an orientation that’s entire purpose is to disorientate leads to looking at the world through different lenses.
This country is beautiful. We experienced the traditional first day of spring, September 1st and even some spring showers! Everything is still dry from winter but we are told that in a matter of a few more spring showers everything will pop green. With spring tempturues creepy close to 100 I am not sure I am ready for summer! We spent two half days hiking. It felt a little like Colorado on the hike with foothills but then the zebra, giraffes, and wildebeest reminded me that I am most definitely not in Colorado anymore.
Orientation has been eye opening. We have had speakers from Lutheran Church of Southern Africa, ELCA (American Lutheran Church) and our own group discussions. Friday morning we talked about tensions. I kept telling people I was preparing myself for being uncomfortable all year. In my mind I was thinking physical; not having air conditioning in the summer or heat in the winter. But each day I am realizing how uncomfortable everything will be and how there is tension everywhere. We spoke of the tension between: rich and poor, patient and pro-active, doing and being, settling in and getting going, and knowing what our gifts are and seeing what our gifts could be; I know I will struggle with all of these things. Each of these tensions brings discomfort. But instead of tension in a negative I think it can be looked at as growing. And with growing comes growing pains.
So bring on the growing pains. Monday morning I board a bus to Johannesburg. Where I will be picked up and taken home to Soweto. I’ll have my own apartment in a compound with families I cannot wait to meet and get to know. It is going to be hard, I know things that I don't expect will challenge me. But bring on the growing pains I am exited to grow.
The poet Robinson Jeffers wrote a line (which I am about to mangle horribly) about the fangs of the wolf being the reason the legs of the antelope had been whittled so fast and fine. So you are right to ambrace tension and resistance. It is like lifting weights--the more resistance and tension you can handle, the stronger and better you become. I have heard SA is a gorgeous country. Hope you continue to get out and see some of it. Love your blog, so please keep it up. It's a very cool Saturday night here in Minnesota, but still, with the night full of insect sounds and the stars shining brightly. It is weird to think of our fall being your spring. Hot weather for Christmas may take some adjustment on your part! Warmest regards and constant prayers, Joy. --- Hans Carlson
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