December 1st marked the 22nd annual World AIDS Day. Across the world people remembered those who are infected/affected by this global pandemic, took time to educate themselves and others, and also made sure that the world knows AIDS is not something to keep silent about. The day was originally established with the goals of raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. It is important to mark this day and do all these things but the reality of our world is that every day is World AIDS Day. Every single day HIV/AIDS is affecting and infecting millions of people around the world. This is especially clear in South Africa and sadly rings true for the entire Southern Africa region. Sub-Saharan Africa is the epicenter for this world wide pandemic. The affects are devastating and not just in the traditional way a disease devastates a person’s life. In a speech to the Special Session of the United Nations Assembly on HIV/AIDS in June of 2001, Prime Minister of Mozambique, Pascoal Mocumbi, explained the impact of the pandemic to this region by stating, “Our families are increasingly impoverished, our work force drastically reduced and our children increasingly orphaned. The basic social and economic fabric of communities and political stability of nations are threatened.” The chain of effects that is caused by HIV/AIDS is never ending, leading to increased poverty, social devastation, and human suffering. Serving at DAM I have had the privilege of working directly with individuals who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The reality is that each and every one of us is included in that. How can we not all be affected by something that has infected millions of people worldwide?
In the last few weeks I have seen the realities of HIV/AIDS in a new light. It is true that you see HIV/AIDS everywhere in South Africa. Billboards, commercials, presentations, HIV is everywhere. Then I realize how many people I know here that are infected and are still courageously living their lives. In my first weeks at DAM I was trying to soak everything in, process everything I was seeing. Now reaching my fourth month the realities are hitting me hard. HIV/AIDS is no longer something I neither read about nor talk about without really understanding. I am slowly starting to understand, as well as a white North American woman in South Africa can understand. I came to South Africa for many reasons. The biggest is my developing passion for social justice especially in regards to HIV/AIDS; this seems like such an understatement now.
This past Saturday DAM held a Christmas party for orphaned and vulnerable children. We work with these kids throughout the Gauteng province year round but this is one of the few times that they all come to DAM for the day. The rest of the year we go out delivering food and clothing seeing the kids for a minute or two before packing up and going back to Soweto. This event was different because the kids come to us and stay for the whole day. The preparation started a month ago with a fundraising Gala Dinner, raising money specifically for an orphan Christmas party. The actual preparation for the party itself started the week before. On Friday we learned we would not have the 60 orphans we planned for but 150 kids would be attending. Keep in mind the party was scheduled for Saturday. Organized chaos followed and by Friday afternoon things were as ready as they were going to be. Saturday came and went with great success and everyone who came was given clothes, food parcels to take home, a snack, and a Christmas feast. The kids were all well behaved and had a chance to run around and just be kids. By the time everyone was leaving I was exhausted and grateful that I only had to travel a couple of yards to get to my house and take a nap.
But I couldn’t sleep. There were images from the day that were lingering in my mind and still are today. HIV/AIDS has virtually wiped out an entire generation. A generation who are traditionally the most “productive” members of society having children, parents still living and the bulk of the traditional work force. With that middle generation gone the other two generations must fill the gap. It’s easy to say that and read it. I’ve done both many times. But on Saturday I saw Gogos "Grandmother" in Isizulu carrying tiny children and both the children and the Gogos looking exhausted. I saw 13 year olds caring for their young siblings as a parent would. It hit me like a ton of bricks just how many social issues surround HIV/AIDS. What happens to the children when the gogo gets ill? What about those young teens who are now parents? Child headed families is something that is constantly talked about but to physically see a 13 year old caring for her 3 year old brother, the reality is something that I cannot begin to fathom. What are the long term affects? How does a family handle losing the middle generation that is commonly the part of the family who is bringing in an income? These are questions that go unanswered. South Africa is finding answers out of necessity. Part of DAMs work with the children is getting them to qualify for government grants to bring some money into the house. But the long range effects are still being determined. I know these questions will follow me for the rest of my life. The face of the little girl who clung to my leg when she had to leave is something I will never forget. The little boy laughing as he tried on my sunglasses will forever bring me joy. How can I ever feel down when this little boy who has gone through so much and can still laugh at the simple things of life?
The increased poverty, human suffering, and social devastation are not just isolated to those who are infected with the virus. Families must make do caring for a sick family member as well as still trying to stay afloat with shelter and food to eat. It becomes clear how things like school fees and nutritious (more expensive) foods get lost in the mix. The entire community suffers through loss and struggles to gain back what each individual contributed as their unique gift to society. The social impact will be felt for years to come. Education and outreach are making a difference. Only a few years ago HIV/AIDS was not talked about as much as it is now in South Africa. Education is the key to the future both in the universal understanding of the world but also in stopping the spread of this devastating disease.
It is with those thoughts that I firmly believe that World AIDS Day is every day. For those who are living with the virus it does not just go away. For those children who are now acting as parents it is their life. And for the countries like South Africa that has the highest infection rate it is not something that is an issue for one day. HIV/AIDS is dealt with everyday, 365 days a year. Every day I find myself thinking of the little girl whose smile was so bright and laugh was so genuine despite everything she has been through in her 8 years of being in this world. December 1st is a great reminder that we need to raise money, increase awareness, and fight prejudice but why are we as a global community doing that every day of the year? Everyday is World AIDS Day.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Thursday, December 23, 2010
A South African Christmas
Merry Christmas!
I hope you are having a blessed Christmas season. South African Christmas is different than anything I have ever experienced, most notably the summer weather! I miss you all very much and know that I am thinking of you often. I'll be celebrating Christmas with my South African hosts with Christmas morning church and lunch. My Christmas present will be landing on a flight from the United States landing at 5 pm Christmas Day. My boyfriend, Josh, is coming for a 2 week visit! I am beyond excited. We'll be spending time in Soweto as well as traveling to Cape Town! I'll be back in Soweto on Jan 10! I'll be back on the blog then :)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I hope you are having a blessed Christmas season. South African Christmas is different than anything I have ever experienced, most notably the summer weather! I miss you all very much and know that I am thinking of you often. I'll be celebrating Christmas with my South African hosts with Christmas morning church and lunch. My Christmas present will be landing on a flight from the United States landing at 5 pm Christmas Day. My boyfriend, Josh, is coming for a 2 week visit! I am beyond excited. We'll be spending time in Soweto as well as traveling to Cape Town! I'll be back in Soweto on Jan 10! I'll be back on the blog then :)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Thanksgiving and Beyond
When I first arrived in South Africa I knew that the time I spent here would fly by. I knew that there would be events that would seem far away and then suddenly in a blink of eye would be here. Thanksgiving was the first of these events making the holiday and our first volunteer retreat. Leaving orientation with the other volunteers in the first week of September we knew that we would not all be together again until Thanksgiving; it was 12 weeks away. Looking at the calendar and first adjusting to the new surroundings it looked like the end of November was ages away. Now Thanksgiving and the retreat have come and gone.
Our first retreat was exactly that a retreat. It was a great time to spend together, have fun, and reflect on our first months in South Africa. As we came together that first night it was clear that the 11 young adults who left in September where 11 different people than who gathered together at the same hostel. We laughed, we shared stories, we just enjoyed being together. Through the retreat we were able to spend time in Pietermaritzburg were we celebrated a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with the Konkol family. It was amazing how being outside of the United States you can truly experience the spirit of Thanksgiving. Following Thanksgiving day we traveled into the Drakensberg mountains and did quite a bit of hiking. The mountains were beautiful.
Following the retreat I had the opportunity to travel with 3 other YAGMs. Our first stop was to Bloemfontein. We spent 3 days working on a farm, there are pictures to proof it :)! We also were able to accompany the 28 orphans who stay at the farm to a day at a waterpark. These kids did not know how to swim but had a great day gaining confidence in the water and by the end of the day they were all able to hold their breath and go under water! I was also able to travel to Kimberly to serve with another volunteer. After being on the road for almost 2 weeks it was great to come home to Soweto.
The chance to serve with other volunteers is such a gift. See what a day is like for them. Seeing a totally different part of South Africa. While we are all in South Africa the experiences each of us have are so different. I loved being on the farm and being able to sit outside and see the thousands and thousands of stars while fighting mosquitoes after a long day of hard work outside. I also loved being in Kimberly and seeing how this community was shaped by the mining of diamonds that continues today. Being away made me appreciate being in Soweto so much more. The old saying of absence makes the heart grow founder is so true. Soweto is busy and loud and something is always happening I love it all. I know that each volunteer is partial to their area and I know that each of us is exactly where we are suppose to be. Coming home I truly realized that Soweto has become home and that simple statement makes me so happy. I know that my time here is short and will go quickly but I know that come July when I do have to pack my bags and leave I will leave part of me here in Soweto.
Our first retreat was exactly that a retreat. It was a great time to spend together, have fun, and reflect on our first months in South Africa. As we came together that first night it was clear that the 11 young adults who left in September where 11 different people than who gathered together at the same hostel. We laughed, we shared stories, we just enjoyed being together. Through the retreat we were able to spend time in Pietermaritzburg were we celebrated a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with the Konkol family. It was amazing how being outside of the United States you can truly experience the spirit of Thanksgiving. Following Thanksgiving day we traveled into the Drakensberg mountains and did quite a bit of hiking. The mountains were beautiful.
Following the retreat I had the opportunity to travel with 3 other YAGMs. Our first stop was to Bloemfontein. We spent 3 days working on a farm, there are pictures to proof it :)! We also were able to accompany the 28 orphans who stay at the farm to a day at a waterpark. These kids did not know how to swim but had a great day gaining confidence in the water and by the end of the day they were all able to hold their breath and go under water! I was also able to travel to Kimberly to serve with another volunteer. After being on the road for almost 2 weeks it was great to come home to Soweto.
The chance to serve with other volunteers is such a gift. See what a day is like for them. Seeing a totally different part of South Africa. While we are all in South Africa the experiences each of us have are so different. I loved being on the farm and being able to sit outside and see the thousands and thousands of stars while fighting mosquitoes after a long day of hard work outside. I also loved being in Kimberly and seeing how this community was shaped by the mining of diamonds that continues today. Being away made me appreciate being in Soweto so much more. The old saying of absence makes the heart grow founder is so true. Soweto is busy and loud and something is always happening I love it all. I know that each volunteer is partial to their area and I know that each of us is exactly where we are suppose to be. Coming home I truly realized that Soweto has become home and that simple statement makes me so happy. I know that my time here is short and will go quickly but I know that come July when I do have to pack my bags and leave I will leave part of me here in Soweto.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
The Power of the Game
In case you were completely isolated for the past year, or made it to November without looking at a calendar it is 2010. 2010, what South Africa has been waiting for since it was announced that South Africa would be hosting the 2010 World Cup in May of 2004. For 6 years there was a focus on 2010. Five new soccer stadiums were constructed while five other stadiums were improved. Airports were built and improved along with countless hotels and hostels. Infrastructure projects were begun and while the World Cup championship game and closing ceremonies were held months ago one trip down any highway in Johannesburg will prove that the building was not quite completed on time and we still find ourselves in construction related traffic standstills. It was clear that the World Cup was a success. Fans, teams, and all of South Africa were able to celebrate the World Cup. The initial costs for hosting the World Cup were greatly exceeded all estimates. It is still up for debate whether the costs will benefit South Africa into the future.
I enjoyed watching the World Cup in previous years. However, this past summer I was much more invested. I watched and celebrated with the rest of the world but; I caught the 2010 fever. Like many people in South African I can pinpoint the exact date of the start of my World Cup Fever. My fever began to rise in April of 2010 when I accepted my current YAGM opportunity. From that point on I began watching the World Cup in South Africa realizing that only a few weeks after the championship game I would be moving to the area I was watching on TV. I joined millions around the world cheering on teams, arguing calls and watching South Africa shine. I eagerly awaited the time when I would be experiencing it all in person and not through a television. My roommates deemed me the most annoying person to watch the games with because I would get so excited about the whole event.
As 2010 begins winding down I find myself wondering what will happen now. How does a country that has focused on this one year move on to the next year? I am constantly reminded that the World Cup was here. Nearly every person I meet in South Africa is shocked to learn that I came after the World Cup was over. Walking through the streets of Soweto I see images that were painted on the cement and while I can imagine what they looked like bright and freshly painted they are now not so bright and gradually fading into the cement again. What will it mean for South Africa when 2011 is rung in?
While in the United States soccer is struggling to be a more mainstream sport in South Africa it is THE GAME; it was here long before the 2010 fever and will continue to be the national pastime. Soccer has been played in township streets for years long before South Africa would even dream of hosting an event like the World Cup. It has only been 16 years since the democratic elections that mark the official end of apartheid. In 16 years South Africa has been able to transform itself and host the world, and as many signs in Joburg will tell you, “This is a world class African Host City”. It only seems quite fitting that it is soccer that brought South Africa back to the front pages of the world’s newspapers. Now it was not the cries of the oppressed, the tireless work of the new government that was the focus of these headlines, but it was on a people and a game that were worth celebrating. The world soon learned the joys of the vuvuzela and was celebrating along with South Africa. I cannot imagine any other place on earth that it would only take 16 years to go from their first democratic election to hosting the world. But in the few short months I have been here I have learned that there is something special in South Africa and it is not surprising that they made this remarkable turnaround.
There are still the scars of apartheid. Unfortunately the world of sports is still divided in South Africa. Soccer is a black sport that is played in the townships. Rugby and cricket are white and colored sports that have fields in the cities. Perhaps the biggest legacy of the World Cup will be the start of those lines blurring. For example due to the World Cup schedule the Blue Bulls Rugby team had two matches moved to Orlando Stadium. This stadium is in the heart of Soweto. It was the stadium that was the focal point of the 1976 Soweto uprising. Now the mostly white rugby fans were following their team right to this stadium. The New York Times documented the event on June 1st 2010 (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/world/africa/02soweto.html?_r=1). The article focuses on the white Afrikanners who never stepped foot in this remarkable area called Soweto, and where I now call home. They were not expecting to be welcomed with open arms, but that is exactly what happened. As the article states, perhaps this was the watershed in changing the racial lines of sports in South Africa.
While Soweto did host those rugby games there is no doubt that Soweto is a soccer city, and not just because of the stadium with the same name sitting right on the edge of Soweto. Soweto could arguably be the heart of South African soccer. The two most popular teams in South Africa claim Soweto as solely their own. Everywhere I look in Soweto I see soccer jerseys, kids playing in the street, games on TV, soccer is everywhere. Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday are soccer days and I hear the vuvuzelas on those days incase I have forgotten what day of the week it is. This past Saturday I had the privilege of joining in what can only be described as soccer mayhem. The Kaizer Chiefs were taking on the Orlando Pirates in the Soweto Derby, the biggest soccer game in South Africa that is, excluding the World Cup games. After all my watching of World Cup I was prepared, or so I thought. I knew what a vuvuzela was, I knew about dedicated fans, and I knew how the stadium looked. I had modestly decked myself out to show my loyalty to the Kaizer Chiefs. But Saturday afternoon everything was new. There are no words to describe the feeling of being at the game. There is a passion for the teams and the game which I have never experienced before. While you cannot buy friendship you can buy a soccer jersey and that jersey will sure make you a lot of friends. Everyone either would high five me and chant “Amakhosi for life” the rally cry for all Chiefs fans or shake their head and show me the crossbones of the Pirates. I cheered, I played my vuvuzela, and I celebrated as my team, the Chiefs, beat the Pirates 3-1. Leaving the stadium it was still a party atmosphere all fans were celebrating regardless of their loyalties. It is a memory of South Africa and the sense of community, friendship, and belonging with the other fans that I will always cherish. My hope is that the legacy of the World Cup is all of this. That the spirit and celebration will continue through the love of the game and after experiencing just one game on Saturday, I have no doubt that it will.
I enjoyed watching the World Cup in previous years. However, this past summer I was much more invested. I watched and celebrated with the rest of the world but; I caught the 2010 fever. Like many people in South African I can pinpoint the exact date of the start of my World Cup Fever. My fever began to rise in April of 2010 when I accepted my current YAGM opportunity. From that point on I began watching the World Cup in South Africa realizing that only a few weeks after the championship game I would be moving to the area I was watching on TV. I joined millions around the world cheering on teams, arguing calls and watching South Africa shine. I eagerly awaited the time when I would be experiencing it all in person and not through a television. My roommates deemed me the most annoying person to watch the games with because I would get so excited about the whole event.
As 2010 begins winding down I find myself wondering what will happen now. How does a country that has focused on this one year move on to the next year? I am constantly reminded that the World Cup was here. Nearly every person I meet in South Africa is shocked to learn that I came after the World Cup was over. Walking through the streets of Soweto I see images that were painted on the cement and while I can imagine what they looked like bright and freshly painted they are now not so bright and gradually fading into the cement again. What will it mean for South Africa when 2011 is rung in?
While in the United States soccer is struggling to be a more mainstream sport in South Africa it is THE GAME; it was here long before the 2010 fever and will continue to be the national pastime. Soccer has been played in township streets for years long before South Africa would even dream of hosting an event like the World Cup. It has only been 16 years since the democratic elections that mark the official end of apartheid. In 16 years South Africa has been able to transform itself and host the world, and as many signs in Joburg will tell you, “This is a world class African Host City”. It only seems quite fitting that it is soccer that brought South Africa back to the front pages of the world’s newspapers. Now it was not the cries of the oppressed, the tireless work of the new government that was the focus of these headlines, but it was on a people and a game that were worth celebrating. The world soon learned the joys of the vuvuzela and was celebrating along with South Africa. I cannot imagine any other place on earth that it would only take 16 years to go from their first democratic election to hosting the world. But in the few short months I have been here I have learned that there is something special in South Africa and it is not surprising that they made this remarkable turnaround.
There are still the scars of apartheid. Unfortunately the world of sports is still divided in South Africa. Soccer is a black sport that is played in the townships. Rugby and cricket are white and colored sports that have fields in the cities. Perhaps the biggest legacy of the World Cup will be the start of those lines blurring. For example due to the World Cup schedule the Blue Bulls Rugby team had two matches moved to Orlando Stadium. This stadium is in the heart of Soweto. It was the stadium that was the focal point of the 1976 Soweto uprising. Now the mostly white rugby fans were following their team right to this stadium. The New York Times documented the event on June 1st 2010 (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/world/africa/02soweto.html?_r=1). The article focuses on the white Afrikanners who never stepped foot in this remarkable area called Soweto, and where I now call home. They were not expecting to be welcomed with open arms, but that is exactly what happened. As the article states, perhaps this was the watershed in changing the racial lines of sports in South Africa.
While Soweto did host those rugby games there is no doubt that Soweto is a soccer city, and not just because of the stadium with the same name sitting right on the edge of Soweto. Soweto could arguably be the heart of South African soccer. The two most popular teams in South Africa claim Soweto as solely their own. Everywhere I look in Soweto I see soccer jerseys, kids playing in the street, games on TV, soccer is everywhere. Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday are soccer days and I hear the vuvuzelas on those days incase I have forgotten what day of the week it is. This past Saturday I had the privilege of joining in what can only be described as soccer mayhem. The Kaizer Chiefs were taking on the Orlando Pirates in the Soweto Derby, the biggest soccer game in South Africa that is, excluding the World Cup games. After all my watching of World Cup I was prepared, or so I thought. I knew what a vuvuzela was, I knew about dedicated fans, and I knew how the stadium looked. I had modestly decked myself out to show my loyalty to the Kaizer Chiefs. But Saturday afternoon everything was new. There are no words to describe the feeling of being at the game. There is a passion for the teams and the game which I have never experienced before. While you cannot buy friendship you can buy a soccer jersey and that jersey will sure make you a lot of friends. Everyone either would high five me and chant “Amakhosi for life” the rally cry for all Chiefs fans or shake their head and show me the crossbones of the Pirates. I cheered, I played my vuvuzela, and I celebrated as my team, the Chiefs, beat the Pirates 3-1. Leaving the stadium it was still a party atmosphere all fans were celebrating regardless of their loyalties. It is a memory of South Africa and the sense of community, friendship, and belonging with the other fans that I will always cherish. My hope is that the legacy of the World Cup is all of this. That the spirit and celebration will continue through the love of the game and after experiencing just one game on Saturday, I have no doubt that it will.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Universal Truths
I have been at my placement site in Soweto for a full 2 months now. I have been in South Africa for almost 10 weeks. I don’t know if I will ever be completely “settled in” this whole year but I am finding a routine and my place slowly. Through this all I have found some things are similar no matter where in the world I go:
1. Technology and I will never get along. Since high school I have known that computers and I have less than a stellar track record. Through high school every computer I would attempt to work on would inevitably crash. The librarian and the technology department and I all knew each other by name and they would take turns attempting to help me. In my last job the internet would be fine for everyone else and I would try and everything would suddenly crash. I had hoped that this problem was only USA specific. As it turns out this is a world wide occurrence. At DAM we have a limited internet usage each month. We are only pay for so many gigabites and once they are out we are without internet until the first of the month. Once we ran out in October we thought nothing of it. However, it is almost the first full week of November and we are still without internet. Apparently one of the cords that actually connects us to the DSL line is malfunctioning and our internet providor will have to send someone out to fix it. While it could be a coincidence that this has just happened now that I have arrived, past events have made believe otherwise. Worldwide technology and I have our differences.
2. I love peanut butter. I have found at the grocery store that the generic brand, “Pick and Pay No Name Peanut Butter” tastes and is the exact consistency of peanut butter found in the states. This is only sold in 1 kg tubs. Living on my own for the first time I have found just how much peanut butter I eat. I knew it was a lot but I am currently averaging 1 kg per month, I know none of my roommates from Denver are not the least bit surprised by that figure.
3. It is really easy to make me laugh. My coworkers at DAM have found how easy it is for me to laugh. We are all constantly joking around. Sometimes the jokes are not in English but I find myself laughing along with everyone else. Also, the three chickens living on the compound have been a source of great laughter. I am terrified that I will have to someday eat them. Whenever we have chicken at DAM I try to locate the chickens to ensure that I am not eating them. People have combined that fear with my love for the restaurant Nandos, which serves primarily chicken. All 3 chickens are now referred to by many people around here as Nandos.
4. I have an amazing network of friends and family. I love getting notes from each and every one of you. Knowing you are there for me supporting me in so many ways leaves me speechless. You are all an incredible gift. Thank you so much for sharing in this journey and adventure with me.
1. Technology and I will never get along. Since high school I have known that computers and I have less than a stellar track record. Through high school every computer I would attempt to work on would inevitably crash. The librarian and the technology department and I all knew each other by name and they would take turns attempting to help me. In my last job the internet would be fine for everyone else and I would try and everything would suddenly crash. I had hoped that this problem was only USA specific. As it turns out this is a world wide occurrence. At DAM we have a limited internet usage each month. We are only pay for so many gigabites and once they are out we are without internet until the first of the month. Once we ran out in October we thought nothing of it. However, it is almost the first full week of November and we are still without internet. Apparently one of the cords that actually connects us to the DSL line is malfunctioning and our internet providor will have to send someone out to fix it. While it could be a coincidence that this has just happened now that I have arrived, past events have made believe otherwise. Worldwide technology and I have our differences.
2. I love peanut butter. I have found at the grocery store that the generic brand, “Pick and Pay No Name Peanut Butter” tastes and is the exact consistency of peanut butter found in the states. This is only sold in 1 kg tubs. Living on my own for the first time I have found just how much peanut butter I eat. I knew it was a lot but I am currently averaging 1 kg per month, I know none of my roommates from Denver are not the least bit surprised by that figure.
3. It is really easy to make me laugh. My coworkers at DAM have found how easy it is for me to laugh. We are all constantly joking around. Sometimes the jokes are not in English but I find myself laughing along with everyone else. Also, the three chickens living on the compound have been a source of great laughter. I am terrified that I will have to someday eat them. Whenever we have chicken at DAM I try to locate the chickens to ensure that I am not eating them. People have combined that fear with my love for the restaurant Nandos, which serves primarily chicken. All 3 chickens are now referred to by many people around here as Nandos.
4. I have an amazing network of friends and family. I love getting notes from each and every one of you. Knowing you are there for me supporting me in so many ways leaves me speechless. You are all an incredible gift. Thank you so much for sharing in this journey and adventure with me.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Ubuntu
I have been reading Desmond Tutu’s phenomenal book No Future Without Forgiveness. It is incredible to be reading this book and living in Soweto. Having always loved history I have never been so close to so much history in both location and time period. There are times when I must sit back and remind myself that people my own age were not only born under Apartheid but have memories of life under the system. I walk around the neighborhoods where so much of the anti-apartheid movement was born. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that Tutu chaired does not have documents that need to be translated or put into historical context. The goal of the TRC as described by Tutu was to find the truth of horrors that occurred under Apartheid, grant amnesty to those willing to come forward and confess, a place for victims to tell their story and as a nation forgive. I received this book as a gift from ELCA Global Mission in June, it sat on my desk to read all summer , I had the best of intentions to read it before I left, but like many good intentions I ran out of time. Now that I a here, “in-country,” I have a much deeper appreciation for the work of the TRC and Tutu’s insight end eloquent writing of his experience chairing this revolutionary commission.
Tutu introduces Ubuntu as a concept numerous times throughout his writing. He explains Ubuntu as the essence of being human. If you have Ubuntu then, “you are generous, you are hospitable, you are friendly and caring and compassionate. You share what you have.” For a Western audience Tutu breaks it down as it is not the “I think therefore I am” mindset, it is “I am human because I belong. I participate, I share.” (From page 31 of No Future Without Forgiveness.) In terms of the TRC Ubuntu takes the center stage of Tutu’s theology and philosophy. We are bound together as humans, according to Ubuntu, and therefore must acknowledge wrong doings and forgive in order to have the opportunity to move forward together. The horrific crimes and human right violations that occurred under Apartheid needed to be acknowledged, there is no doubt about that. But simply punishing those who committed this horrendous acts punishes everyone since, through Ubuntu, we are all connected. In acknowledging and forgiving we are able to grieve, learn, and grow together. The TRC is a unique in both it’s approach and philosophy. It is through Ubuntu that it was able to be such a success in uncovering the truth and building a new South Africa out of the horrors of Apartheid through years of hard work, hearings, testimonies, and a final report handed to then President Nelson Mandela on October 29th, 1998.
While adjusting to life in South Africa I have found myself seeing Ubuntu everywhere I lay my eyes. Ubuntu is clearly evident in both the small daily interactions I am apart of and the larger society I have been welcomed into. I have been raised to be extremely independent. I have a hard time asking for help as I have been taught that I should be able to do anything if I work hard. I am the Westerner Tutu speaks of having no context in which to be able to even explain or understand Ubuntu. My language focuses on self; self-control, self-esteem, self-improvement, self-discipline. One of the biggest adjustments I am making is changing from the mindset of self to Ubuntu. My role in accompanying my South African hosts is not about me; it is about how we are all connected. It is learning from each other. The days that I feel like I am doing very little I look around and see how everyone’s work fits together. I can easily see how this work fits together by living in a compound that forms a community built and sustained by those who those who live here, those who work here and come here for support. All these of these things are tied together and I see the tangible examples of Ubuntu by looking out my window. There is a garden at the compound, a part of the DAM support group, but everyone here takes responsibility. Together we reap the benefits, share the work, and are all able to experience Ubuntu
With this changing mindset I have been able to see Ubuntu in the larger society. I have always used the language of social justice to describe how my faith is most fulfilled. Once again focused on myself, this time being self-fulfilled through action. My mindset and philosophy are not changing but my understanding of the world and how I articulate this understanding is slowly moving from my independent Western ideals to an understanding of all people being connected as humans. Social justice exists because of Ubuntu. For example, at morning devotion every morning we pray for those “infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.” At Diakonia AIDS Ministry (DAM), my primary placement we not only work with those who are HIV positive but also those who are directly and indirectly affected by this virus. The reality of South Africa and the entire world is that we are all affected by this pandemic. What happens to one person will affect each one of us. Perhaps not directly but since we are all connected it changes that chain of connection.
The other aspect of my placement working in the Soweto Circuit has also opened my eyes to another aspect of understanding Ubuntu. This past Sunday I was able to accompany my Dean to a ecumenical service in Soweto with the Catholic, Baptists, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and other Christian denominations coming together to worship. Through college I was interested in ecumenical work and even spent a j-term looking at the work that had been done in the United States and Europe for ecumenical services. While the concept seemed simple enough, we all believe the same major aspects of our Christian religion it seemed that the details kept people from seeing eye-to-eye. Papers on ecumenical relationships took years between each denomination. Sunday I witnessed a service that everyone was participating in, simply worshipping together. There were no large document discussions or debates. It was a chance to come together as Christians. We came together no longer defined by our different denominations but joined as one Christian community. On the way home the Dean and I spoke about how this group came together 6 years ago. The ministers worked together and realized the importance of joining together both as ministers and as parishes. The group is continually changing as the pastors have been moved around to different parishes but the service still takes place once a month. The location changes between all of the churches and a different minister preaches each month. As I continued to reflect on this coming together of faiths, I could not help but return to the concept of Ubuntu. Since we are all connected it only makes sense that we can easily come together. When we look at the larger picture of being connected and not the details of self it becomes much easier to see our connections rather than our differences.
Ubuntu has been, perhaps, the most tangible way I can express my understanding of South Africa and my experience thus far here. Ubuntu as given me the language to express what I see all around me, in my living space, work space, and spiritual life. How will this understanding change as I spend more time and grow more connected to life in South Africa? I am eager to see how I retain the concept of Ubuntu in my own life when I return to the United States, the land of self and independence. It is my hope that I not only continue to see Ubuntu but am able to show others this beauty and understanding of the world in which we are all connected.
This blog entry was written for the ELCA MUD3 (The YAGM program of South Africa) blog, which can be viewed at: http://elcamud.blogspot.com/
Tutu introduces Ubuntu as a concept numerous times throughout his writing. He explains Ubuntu as the essence of being human. If you have Ubuntu then, “you are generous, you are hospitable, you are friendly and caring and compassionate. You share what you have.” For a Western audience Tutu breaks it down as it is not the “I think therefore I am” mindset, it is “I am human because I belong. I participate, I share.” (From page 31 of No Future Without Forgiveness.) In terms of the TRC Ubuntu takes the center stage of Tutu’s theology and philosophy. We are bound together as humans, according to Ubuntu, and therefore must acknowledge wrong doings and forgive in order to have the opportunity to move forward together. The horrific crimes and human right violations that occurred under Apartheid needed to be acknowledged, there is no doubt about that. But simply punishing those who committed this horrendous acts punishes everyone since, through Ubuntu, we are all connected. In acknowledging and forgiving we are able to grieve, learn, and grow together. The TRC is a unique in both it’s approach and philosophy. It is through Ubuntu that it was able to be such a success in uncovering the truth and building a new South Africa out of the horrors of Apartheid through years of hard work, hearings, testimonies, and a final report handed to then President Nelson Mandela on October 29th, 1998.
While adjusting to life in South Africa I have found myself seeing Ubuntu everywhere I lay my eyes. Ubuntu is clearly evident in both the small daily interactions I am apart of and the larger society I have been welcomed into. I have been raised to be extremely independent. I have a hard time asking for help as I have been taught that I should be able to do anything if I work hard. I am the Westerner Tutu speaks of having no context in which to be able to even explain or understand Ubuntu. My language focuses on self; self-control, self-esteem, self-improvement, self-discipline. One of the biggest adjustments I am making is changing from the mindset of self to Ubuntu. My role in accompanying my South African hosts is not about me; it is about how we are all connected. It is learning from each other. The days that I feel like I am doing very little I look around and see how everyone’s work fits together. I can easily see how this work fits together by living in a compound that forms a community built and sustained by those who those who live here, those who work here and come here for support. All these of these things are tied together and I see the tangible examples of Ubuntu by looking out my window. There is a garden at the compound, a part of the DAM support group, but everyone here takes responsibility. Together we reap the benefits, share the work, and are all able to experience Ubuntu
With this changing mindset I have been able to see Ubuntu in the larger society. I have always used the language of social justice to describe how my faith is most fulfilled. Once again focused on myself, this time being self-fulfilled through action. My mindset and philosophy are not changing but my understanding of the world and how I articulate this understanding is slowly moving from my independent Western ideals to an understanding of all people being connected as humans. Social justice exists because of Ubuntu. For example, at morning devotion every morning we pray for those “infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.” At Diakonia AIDS Ministry (DAM), my primary placement we not only work with those who are HIV positive but also those who are directly and indirectly affected by this virus. The reality of South Africa and the entire world is that we are all affected by this pandemic. What happens to one person will affect each one of us. Perhaps not directly but since we are all connected it changes that chain of connection.
The other aspect of my placement working in the Soweto Circuit has also opened my eyes to another aspect of understanding Ubuntu. This past Sunday I was able to accompany my Dean to a ecumenical service in Soweto with the Catholic, Baptists, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and other Christian denominations coming together to worship. Through college I was interested in ecumenical work and even spent a j-term looking at the work that had been done in the United States and Europe for ecumenical services. While the concept seemed simple enough, we all believe the same major aspects of our Christian religion it seemed that the details kept people from seeing eye-to-eye. Papers on ecumenical relationships took years between each denomination. Sunday I witnessed a service that everyone was participating in, simply worshipping together. There were no large document discussions or debates. It was a chance to come together as Christians. We came together no longer defined by our different denominations but joined as one Christian community. On the way home the Dean and I spoke about how this group came together 6 years ago. The ministers worked together and realized the importance of joining together both as ministers and as parishes. The group is continually changing as the pastors have been moved around to different parishes but the service still takes place once a month. The location changes between all of the churches and a different minister preaches each month. As I continued to reflect on this coming together of faiths, I could not help but return to the concept of Ubuntu. Since we are all connected it only makes sense that we can easily come together. When we look at the larger picture of being connected and not the details of self it becomes much easier to see our connections rather than our differences.
Ubuntu has been, perhaps, the most tangible way I can express my understanding of South Africa and my experience thus far here. Ubuntu as given me the language to express what I see all around me, in my living space, work space, and spiritual life. How will this understanding change as I spend more time and grow more connected to life in South Africa? I am eager to see how I retain the concept of Ubuntu in my own life when I return to the United States, the land of self and independence. It is my hope that I not only continue to see Ubuntu but am able to show others this beauty and understanding of the world in which we are all connected.
This blog entry was written for the ELCA MUD3 (The YAGM program of South Africa) blog, which can be viewed at: http://elcamud.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Diakonia AIDS Ministry and an Address!
Diakonia AIDS Ministry (DAM) is one of my primary placements for this year. It also happens to be where I live. To say that I spend a lot of time here is an understatement. But it is a great place to be. I love the fact that I live here, I am meeting the people who come here often, and feel like I am starting to become part of the DAM community. It is a community in every sense of the word.
DAM was started in 2002 by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) and the brain child of Bishop Phaswana who felt the church needed to respond to those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Thus DAM was created. It is on the same compound grounds as the ELCSA Central Diocese office and is an official part of the diocese, directly linking it with ELCSA both in doctrine and in physical location. Through its eight years the programs have morphed and changed into the DAM that has welcomed me with open arms.
DAM is organized by departments; each of these departments focuses on a different part of the community affect/infected by HIV/AIDS:
Orphans and Vulnerable Children(OVC) which works to support children who are orphaned, both in child headed households and living with extended family members. These children receive packages of food and household items when they are available. They are also assisted with obtaining IDs and government grants. The children come to the compound about once a month.
Support Group/Income Generating Projects this is for people who come to DAM and reveal their HIV status. They join the support group and also join projects that generate a monthly income. The current projects include a garden, daily meals prepared and sold to staff of both DAM and the Diocese Office, chickens for sale (hence the chickens who also live here and will never ever let me sleep past 7 am), and bead work.
Home Based Care (HBC)is on the ground around Soweto caring for HIV patients. They go out every day and literally care for people in every sense of the word care. They travel door to door checking on patients. They ensure that people have all IDs and grants they could obtain as well as nutritional food and all medications needed and that those medicines are administered as prescribed. When needed they schedule and accompany people to appointments.
Education and Training goes out and makes sure people have up-to-date and correct information on HIV/AIDS. They go to churches, malls, parking lots, and sometimes create their own events with simply a truck and loudspeaker!
Communication is the final department. This department sends out a quarterly newsletter. The newsletter includes testimonials from members of the DAM community, what is new, what is continuing, and what is starting.
I am helping in whatever manor I can be of service. I have filed papers in the office. I have sat in a meeting with HBC learning about the challenges they face day-to-day. I have even spent an afternoon weeding in the garden! For more information about DAM check out the power point at this website: http://www.mcselca.org/who/companion_synod/ Hopefully that gives some idea of what DAM consists of, it is so much more than the small paragraph I received in June. There is no way words can do DAM justice, how can you describe a community using words? It must be experienced but hopefully I can share the experience with you through this year.
Unrelated but very exciting....I have an address! The mail is not delivered to individual houses here but to the post office. People have post office boxes and it took some asking to figure out where exactly my mail was being sent and who I needed to speak to about picking up mail. As it turns out my mail is sent with the Central Diocese mail. It works really well as the bookkeeper of the Diocese goes about every other day to pick up mail. If you decide to send anything please let me know and I can give him the heads up that something is coming for me! Rumor is that it takes between 2-3 weeks for anything to reach here from the states. So if you want to find me:
Joy Waughtal
C/O Diakonia AIDS Ministry
PO Box 1210
Roodeport
1725
South Africa
As always thank you for thoughts, prayers, and support. I cannot say thank you enough or tell you how much it means to me. I am so thankful to be able to share these experiences.
DAM was started in 2002 by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) and the brain child of Bishop Phaswana who felt the church needed to respond to those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Thus DAM was created. It is on the same compound grounds as the ELCSA Central Diocese office and is an official part of the diocese, directly linking it with ELCSA both in doctrine and in physical location. Through its eight years the programs have morphed and changed into the DAM that has welcomed me with open arms.
DAM is organized by departments; each of these departments focuses on a different part of the community affect/infected by HIV/AIDS:
Orphans and Vulnerable Children(OVC) which works to support children who are orphaned, both in child headed households and living with extended family members. These children receive packages of food and household items when they are available. They are also assisted with obtaining IDs and government grants. The children come to the compound about once a month.
Support Group/Income Generating Projects this is for people who come to DAM and reveal their HIV status. They join the support group and also join projects that generate a monthly income. The current projects include a garden, daily meals prepared and sold to staff of both DAM and the Diocese Office, chickens for sale (hence the chickens who also live here and will never ever let me sleep past 7 am), and bead work.
Home Based Care (HBC)is on the ground around Soweto caring for HIV patients. They go out every day and literally care for people in every sense of the word care. They travel door to door checking on patients. They ensure that people have all IDs and grants they could obtain as well as nutritional food and all medications needed and that those medicines are administered as prescribed. When needed they schedule and accompany people to appointments.
Education and Training goes out and makes sure people have up-to-date and correct information on HIV/AIDS. They go to churches, malls, parking lots, and sometimes create their own events with simply a truck and loudspeaker!
Communication is the final department. This department sends out a quarterly newsletter. The newsletter includes testimonials from members of the DAM community, what is new, what is continuing, and what is starting.
I am helping in whatever manor I can be of service. I have filed papers in the office. I have sat in a meeting with HBC learning about the challenges they face day-to-day. I have even spent an afternoon weeding in the garden! For more information about DAM check out the power point at this website: http://www.mcselca.org/who/companion_synod/ Hopefully that gives some idea of what DAM consists of, it is so much more than the small paragraph I received in June. There is no way words can do DAM justice, how can you describe a community using words? It must be experienced but hopefully I can share the experience with you through this year.
Unrelated but very exciting....I have an address! The mail is not delivered to individual houses here but to the post office. People have post office boxes and it took some asking to figure out where exactly my mail was being sent and who I needed to speak to about picking up mail. As it turns out my mail is sent with the Central Diocese mail. It works really well as the bookkeeper of the Diocese goes about every other day to pick up mail. If you decide to send anything please let me know and I can give him the heads up that something is coming for me! Rumor is that it takes between 2-3 weeks for anything to reach here from the states. So if you want to find me:
Joy Waughtal
C/O Diakonia AIDS Ministry
PO Box 1210
Roodeport
1725
South Africa
As always thank you for thoughts, prayers, and support. I cannot say thank you enough or tell you how much it means to me. I am so thankful to be able to share these experiences.
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