Friday, March 14, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Bruised
I am bruised.
My bed has a pretty sharp corner protruding out at the foot of the bed. I've gotten quite used to it and learned to walk out of the way to avoid it even when waking up in the middle of the night. It had been two weeks since I last slept in my bedroom and the first morning after I got back from the trip, you guessed it, I ran right into it after waking up. My thigh is badly bruised.
In our everyday lives, we've gotten so used to our surroundings that we take these elements and our responses to them for granted. It takes a trip like this to remind ourselves of their presence...the human response to his environment should be intentional and thoughtful at first, but repeated exposures to the same environment will sometimes lead to the generation of a systematic, automatic response without even thinking about it. I've taken my relationships with my friends, coworkers, and frankly even God for granted...communication with these people (and prayer with God) has become a routine thing that I just do without thinking much about it. Same can be said about the hurts of the world, turn on your TV at 5:30 and you always find reports of murders, diseases, poverty, natural disasters, and other injustices. Occasionally I get moved and compelled enough to do something about it, but by and large I've become desensitized by these reports.
But this trip woke me up and reminded me of their presence. Getting to know the workers, clients, kids, and patients of Living Hope and working with each RHCC team member has been a tremendous blessing. It's been two weeks of hard work, travel, new experiences, sleep deprivation, laughter, tears, sweat, and culinary indulgence (unfortunately my recipes for penguins weren't tested). But it's also been two weeks of growth and change. Witnessing the impact of poverty, HIV, and injustice juxtaposed upon the beautiful city of Cape Town bruised my heart. With time, the physical bruise on my thigh will heal but not my heart. The stories shared during this trip changed the lens through which I look at life, relationships, and the world. My life has been enriched greatly by the last two weeks.
Nashville, Tennessee and Cape Town, South Africa couldn't be more different but at the same time couldn't be more similar:
- We all need love, grace, forgiveness, hope, mercy, and compassion, regardless of
differences in age, race, locale, profession, or HIV status.
- We all thirst for a loving God and an eternal life in heaven.
- Children want to be held and given attention (unfortunately in Red Hill, many lost their parents to AIDS).
- HIV/AIDS is not just a health problem, until the underlying economic, racial, and gender inequalities are corrected, the cycle of rapid transmission will continue.
- HIV/AIDS remains a stigmatized disease.
- As followers of Christ, we are to serve and love the marginalized people.
- Laughter is the best medicine.
- The contents of a Chicken McNugget are equally mysterious.
The original lighthouse at the Cape of Good Hope was built in 1857, on a peak 780 feet above sea level. But because of its height, fog and clouds often obscured the lighthouse from passing ships an average of 900 hours a year. In 1919 a new one was constructed at a lower point and much closer to sea level. We are to be the light of the world, so don't let our ignorance or neglect of the poor and marginalized cloud our light. Just being an American, we are by default placed at the top of the global income scale even if you only make minimum wage...it's time for us to get closer to the poor and serve them, serve as a beacon of truth and love. Can't wait until the next trip? You can start by praying for them, pray for comfort and peace for the HIV+ patients, healthy growth and safety for the kids in Red Hill, strength and energy for the workers at Living Hope, food and shelter for the poorest of the poor, wisdom for the scientists looking for a cure.
Do you find your Christian life to be a little dull lately? I encourage you to start praying about a mission trip...it's time to get bruised.
What Happens in Africa...
I am fairly certain everyone has heard the phrase "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" or at least the same phrase but a different local. We joked on the trip that what happens in South Africa stays in South Africa. (For more detail on that see Steve Mok).
We are two or so days back and it is obvious to me that what happened in South Africa cannot, will not, and should not stay there. In some ways it would be much more convenient or less painful if things would stay put, but last time I checked God did not call us to a convenient, painfree life. He called us to care. He called us to go. He called us to serve. He called us to love. Nowhere in this calling did He say quit when you get back home.
This trip has been various things to different people, we all view things through different filters. I look back on everything and see how God hand-picked each of us to be there. It is scary when I realize that each one of us had a specific role that God was grooming us for since we began our separate lives on this earth. Each person had a role in Africa, on the team, corporately, and individually. The lives we touched and the lives that touched us are forever woven into a beautiful tapestry that will only be fully appreciated with the passing of time.
It is hard coming home. I am blessed with a beautiful wife who understands this. I wish everyone understood this but it is something only understood by those who have experienced it.
I left a part of myself in Cape Town and I brought a part of Cape Town home with me. (Unfortunately part of what I left there is my voice due to some mystery illness) It would be a sin to compartmentalize the experience and ignore the changes, feelings, and dreams that come along with the travel.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
What happens in South Africa stays in my heart.
Ethan
Friday, March 7, 2008
Hardships in a Township
On the last day of our trip, Jon, Susan, and I had the opportunity to visit patients with the community-based carers in Masi Township. A township is a settlement community designated by the government for the poorest of the poor to build their shacks as their homes. These townships are designed to be self-containing with shops, schools, churches, and clinics. Xhosa-speaking blacks made up the majority of the Masi township population.
We traveled with two carers from Living Hope and paid visits to patients in their homes to make sure their daily needs and health are taken care of. The tasks include changing wound dressing, bathing, exercising, clipping nails, checking on blood pressures or blood sugars, and following up on medications. The carers lived in the township themselves and shared their life stories and their difficulties with us between the visits.
I was struck by a few things during the visits. I haven't quite find the right words to describe the poverty and despair in the township, but I will give it a try with this post. Steve Davis visited the carers on Monday and called it hell, and he's not far off. The suffering and pain of the patients are all too visible...the first diabetic patient we visited was so sick she couldn't muster the energy to even engage in conversations. She was laying on her bed (if you can call it that) in her tiny shack, about the size of a small walk-in closet, shared with countless number of people in her family. A patient with such illness would have been rushed to the hospital in the U.S., but not so in the South Africa health system...she's literally rotting away in her own home.
Speaking of diabetes, every diabetic patient we visited during rounds had at least one of their legs amputated. If you have diabetes or know someone with diabetes, you know how important it is to monitor your blood sugars and monitor your carbohydrate intakes to prevent complications from diabetes. A common complication is diabetic foot infection. If not caught early, amputation is generally required--further limiting the patient's ability to participate in physical activity and worsening their cardiovascular conditions.
And one important tool to monitor your blood glucose is a simple device called a glucometer. I found out there is only one glucometer among the many carers and they had to share it during their patient care rounds. By the way, the carers travel by foot and it becomes extremely difficult for them to coordinate their timing in sharing the glucometer. Therefore, many patients did not have their blood glucose checked as closely as they should. In the first-world, checking your blood glucose 3-4 times a day is the standard of care and everyone has his own glucometer; in this township, checking them 3 times a week is a luxury...making the management of diabetes even more difficult is their diet. These patients often lack the knowledge and the funds to acquire food items appropriate for their diabetes. Their meals, if they can afford any, generally consist of processed foods that are unhealthy. And these probably explain the many amputees we've seen.
We visited a 4-year old patient with fetal alcoholic syndrome (FAS) in a special-needs school; her physical size, attributes, and mental/intellectual development are more consistent with a 2-year old. FAS is caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy. There are also many kids with Downs syndrome and other growth retardation in the school. Health illiteracy is clearly a problem in this township and its consequences are sadly displayed in this special-needs school.
Finally, I was most deeply touched by an HIV+ patient...let's called her T to protect her confidentiality. T is 34-year old woman who suffered a recent stroke that paralyzed the left side of her body. She speaks and understands English. HIV remains a taboo and carries significant stigma in South Africa, and voice carries over in these shacks as they were built so close to each other; so we had to be careful with our conversations. We asked her how we can pray for her and she kept saying her health, I felt there was something more but I was not sure how to proceed under the circumstances.
As I started praying for her health, comfort, and peace, she started weeping and related to us that her ex-boyfriend has found a new girlfriend. And he threatened to stop by later to take down her shack and take all her possessions away from her. In Africa, many women do not have marketable job skills and even those who have them, unemployment remains a major problem. As a result, many women have to find a boyfriend or man as a mean to support themselves. When these relationships do not work out, the women lose their means of support and there is little help these women could turn to. (For those interested in this topic, check out Helen Epstein's excellent book The Invisible Cure)
With T's stroke, she cannot easily get a job and the prospect of finding a new man to support her is poor. There is no women's shelter we know of, and the carers recommended T to contact the police, but I am not sure how much the police could do to protect T. Unfortunately, the rules regulating these visits required us to not get entangled in these disputes and we did not find out what eventually happened in this situation...so brothers and sisters, please keep T in your prayers.
I read these types of difficulties in books, websites, and dissertations, and these readings often ignite a fire in my heart concerning the many inequalities and injustices in this world...but this flame is often extinguished by other distractions. Being here in Masi in person is a totally different matter; I am still processing my feelings and reactions but I doubt that these hardships can be forgotten...T's face has been forever seared into my mind.
We traveled with two carers from Living Hope and paid visits to patients in their homes to make sure their daily needs and health are taken care of. The tasks include changing wound dressing, bathing, exercising, clipping nails, checking on blood pressures or blood sugars, and following up on medications. The carers lived in the township themselves and shared their life stories and their difficulties with us between the visits.
I was struck by a few things during the visits. I haven't quite find the right words to describe the poverty and despair in the township, but I will give it a try with this post. Steve Davis visited the carers on Monday and called it hell, and he's not far off. The suffering and pain of the patients are all too visible...the first diabetic patient we visited was so sick she couldn't muster the energy to even engage in conversations. She was laying on her bed (if you can call it that) in her tiny shack, about the size of a small walk-in closet, shared with countless number of people in her family. A patient with such illness would have been rushed to the hospital in the U.S., but not so in the South Africa health system...she's literally rotting away in her own home.
Speaking of diabetes, every diabetic patient we visited during rounds had at least one of their legs amputated. If you have diabetes or know someone with diabetes, you know how important it is to monitor your blood sugars and monitor your carbohydrate intakes to prevent complications from diabetes. A common complication is diabetic foot infection. If not caught early, amputation is generally required--further limiting the patient's ability to participate in physical activity and worsening their cardiovascular conditions.
And one important tool to monitor your blood glucose is a simple device called a glucometer. I found out there is only one glucometer among the many carers and they had to share it during their patient care rounds. By the way, the carers travel by foot and it becomes extremely difficult for them to coordinate their timing in sharing the glucometer. Therefore, many patients did not have their blood glucose checked as closely as they should. In the first-world, checking your blood glucose 3-4 times a day is the standard of care and everyone has his own glucometer; in this township, checking them 3 times a week is a luxury...making the management of diabetes even more difficult is their diet. These patients often lack the knowledge and the funds to acquire food items appropriate for their diabetes. Their meals, if they can afford any, generally consist of processed foods that are unhealthy. And these probably explain the many amputees we've seen.
We visited a 4-year old patient with fetal alcoholic syndrome (FAS) in a special-needs school; her physical size, attributes, and mental/intellectual development are more consistent with a 2-year old. FAS is caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy. There are also many kids with Downs syndrome and other growth retardation in the school. Health illiteracy is clearly a problem in this township and its consequences are sadly displayed in this special-needs school.
Finally, I was most deeply touched by an HIV+ patient...let's called her T to protect her confidentiality. T is 34-year old woman who suffered a recent stroke that paralyzed the left side of her body. She speaks and understands English. HIV remains a taboo and carries significant stigma in South Africa, and voice carries over in these shacks as they were built so close to each other; so we had to be careful with our conversations. We asked her how we can pray for her and she kept saying her health, I felt there was something more but I was not sure how to proceed under the circumstances.
As I started praying for her health, comfort, and peace, she started weeping and related to us that her ex-boyfriend has found a new girlfriend. And he threatened to stop by later to take down her shack and take all her possessions away from her. In Africa, many women do not have marketable job skills and even those who have them, unemployment remains a major problem. As a result, many women have to find a boyfriend or man as a mean to support themselves. When these relationships do not work out, the women lose their means of support and there is little help these women could turn to. (For those interested in this topic, check out Helen Epstein's excellent book The Invisible Cure)
With T's stroke, she cannot easily get a job and the prospect of finding a new man to support her is poor. There is no women's shelter we know of, and the carers recommended T to contact the police, but I am not sure how much the police could do to protect T. Unfortunately, the rules regulating these visits required us to not get entangled in these disputes and we did not find out what eventually happened in this situation...so brothers and sisters, please keep T in your prayers.
I read these types of difficulties in books, websites, and dissertations, and these readings often ignite a fire in my heart concerning the many inequalities and injustices in this world...but this flame is often extinguished by other distractions. Being here in Masi in person is a totally different matter; I am still processing my feelings and reactions but I doubt that these hardships can be forgotten...T's face has been forever seared into my mind.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Second Week in Cape Town
Our last week in Cape Town went by too quickly and we've been terribly behind in keeping up with the blog...mainly because our evening team meetings have been so rich with stories, insights, testimonies, laughters, and tears. We just couldn't peel ourselves away from each other to sit in front of the computer and write! Here's a reader's digest version of our second week:
Monday - construction team 1 (Ethan, Amanda) started building a new house for a lady whose house was burned in the Red Hill fire while team 2 (Jon and I) continued building cabinets in Living Hope's Oceanview office. Tammy and Steve D visited patients at home with community based care workers and Susan went out and bought bikes for the kids in Red Hill (unfortunately we didn't have time to put them together).
Tuesday - weather did not cooperate and our trip with the home carers up to Table Mountain was cancelled due to high winds and the "Tablecloth" surrounding the mountaintop! Contingency plan took us to the aquarium instead.
Wednesday - construction teams 1 and 2 continued while team 3 (Steve D and Pam and Mike from Brentwood Baptist) started a cabinet and counter project in the Masi clinic. Tammy and Susan visited with community based carers. Afternoon was our last kids club in Red Hill. Farewell dinner with our new friends from South Africa.
Thursday - construction teams completed their projects (well, the house in Red Hill is 90% done, to be completed by the good folks at All Nations). Jon, Susan and I visited with community based carers. We spent the afternoon packing and hanging out with our new friends as they all stopped by to see us off.
I hope to get some time to put up a couple more reflective posts later; so even though we might be back, stay tuned for more posts later this weekend.
Monday - construction team 1 (Ethan, Amanda) started building a new house for a lady whose house was burned in the Red Hill fire while team 2 (Jon and I) continued building cabinets in Living Hope's Oceanview office. Tammy and Steve D visited patients at home with community based care workers and Susan went out and bought bikes for the kids in Red Hill (unfortunately we didn't have time to put them together).
Tuesday - weather did not cooperate and our trip with the home carers up to Table Mountain was cancelled due to high winds and the "Tablecloth" surrounding the mountaintop! Contingency plan took us to the aquarium instead.
Wednesday - construction teams 1 and 2 continued while team 3 (Steve D and Pam and Mike from Brentwood Baptist) started a cabinet and counter project in the Masi clinic. Tammy and Susan visited with community based carers. Afternoon was our last kids club in Red Hill. Farewell dinner with our new friends from South Africa.
Thursday - construction teams completed their projects (well, the house in Red Hill is 90% done, to be completed by the good folks at All Nations). Jon, Susan and I visited with community based carers. We spent the afternoon packing and hanging out with our new friends as they all stopped by to see us off.
I hope to get some time to put up a couple more reflective posts later; so even though we might be back, stay tuned for more posts later this weekend.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Praise and Thanksgivings, Always
One of the songs that we've heard many times in South Africa is called Jarole (I am probably spelling it wrong). It is sung by adults in churches and kids in schools. The English translation goes something like this: Always, Always, Always
Always we pray
Always we give
Always we praise the Lord
Always, Always, Always
The lyrics are simple and it's a pretty fun song, especially when it is sung with kids along with a dance.
We worshipped with the Xhosa's in church for the second time yesterday in the Masi township. For those not familiar with the terminology, a township is a settlement designated by the government for the poor to build their shacks. The closest description I have is a shanty town but even this description does not accurately describe the extreme poverty.
I was sitting in the back of the church trying to take it all in. A mother was sitting in the front of the church with her daughter, probably about 2 years old. A quick glance into this girl's eyes and belly suggested to me that she has some sort of liver disease, probably quite advance with the yellowing of her eye whites (jaundice for those in the medical field). This girl roamed around the church during service, dancing along with the songs. And she is such a cute girl, everyone couldn't help but pick her up or pat her head. When the song Jarole was sung yesterday, I was struck by how her mother praised with all her heart and soul.
I got to thinking, how would I respond in her shoes...she's got a sick daughter, living in a shack with no electricity, running water, or sewage, surrounded by poverty, unemployment, crime, drugs, and HIV. If I were asked to pick a place to represent hopelessness and despair, Masi is it. Yet these things did not stop that mother from praising and giving thanks.
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33
Jesus said that we are guaranteed trials and moments of crisis. Anyone can trust and persevere when things are going well, but an untried faith is weak. I think a tried faith strengthens the bond between God and us. We should take comfort in the fact that God is in control and at work in our lives in times of crisis.
But I often wonder, when that moment comes, would my faith would be strong enough to overcome the doubts and anxieties and still giving thanks and praise to the Lord? It took me a trip like this half way around the world to realize that this mother has it; my life has definitely been blessed and enriched to see that kind of faith lived out and demonstrated.
Always we pray
Always we give
Always we praise the Lord
Always, Always, Always
The lyrics are simple and it's a pretty fun song, especially when it is sung with kids along with a dance.
We worshipped with the Xhosa's in church for the second time yesterday in the Masi township. For those not familiar with the terminology, a township is a settlement designated by the government for the poor to build their shacks. The closest description I have is a shanty town but even this description does not accurately describe the extreme poverty.
I was sitting in the back of the church trying to take it all in. A mother was sitting in the front of the church with her daughter, probably about 2 years old. A quick glance into this girl's eyes and belly suggested to me that she has some sort of liver disease, probably quite advance with the yellowing of her eye whites (jaundice for those in the medical field). This girl roamed around the church during service, dancing along with the songs. And she is such a cute girl, everyone couldn't help but pick her up or pat her head. When the song Jarole was sung yesterday, I was struck by how her mother praised with all her heart and soul.
I got to thinking, how would I respond in her shoes...she's got a sick daughter, living in a shack with no electricity, running water, or sewage, surrounded by poverty, unemployment, crime, drugs, and HIV. If I were asked to pick a place to represent hopelessness and despair, Masi is it. Yet these things did not stop that mother from praising and giving thanks.
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33
Jesus said that we are guaranteed trials and moments of crisis. Anyone can trust and persevere when things are going well, but an untried faith is weak. I think a tried faith strengthens the bond between God and us. We should take comfort in the fact that God is in control and at work in our lives in times of crisis.
But I often wonder, when that moment comes, would my faith would be strong enough to overcome the doubts and anxieties and still giving thanks and praise to the Lord? It took me a trip like this half way around the world to realize that this mother has it; my life has definitely been blessed and enriched to see that kind of faith lived out and demonstrated.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
For those of you that are interested last year's blog may be viewed at www.livinghope07.blogspot.com.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
A Haiku for Steve Davis
Pastor hard at work
Love, compassion, injustice
Dreams, dreams, wildest dreams!
A Slow Boat Ride to Freedom
So this is my first time to blog on our trip. I wish I had something profound to say to make up for my lack of input, but I don't. I've basically been allowing this moment in my life to just soak inside... God has revealed so much to me throughout this trip. Though I may have more questions than answers now, I do believe something powerful is at work in my heart.I love Africa. It's a wonderful place full of hope, though many are suffering and in need right now.
Today the group and myself took a trip out to the famous Robben Island, a place where many political prisoners were held during the height of Apartheid. The most famous prisoner to be held was Nelson Mandela. This man truly inspires me. His passion is something I long to have. I've never known segregation and I've never experienced persecution. My life has always been pretty safe. I don't know what it is like to have to sacrifice and fight for what I believe is right. My heart breaks for those who do. Those that struggle for peace and freedom are my heroes. I pray I can obtain that kind of passion...
Maybe that is why I'm here in Africa... Maybe I'm here to reclaim my passion...On a lighter note... Our group was stranded on Robben Island after the ferry broke down and was unable to pick us up. We spent several hours stuck on the island. I now feel like I've gained a certain bond with Mr. Mandela, because I can proudly say that I too was a prisoner on Robben Island. haha! I believe I'll make t-shirts!
To the left you see Nelson Mandela's prison cell. I'll leave you with a quote by him that happens to be on many of the souvenirs at Robben Island...
To the left you see Nelson Mandela's prison cell. I'll leave you with a quote by him that happens to be on many of the souvenirs at Robben Island...
"I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve but if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." - Nelson Mandela
Friday, February 29, 2008
Rocks, Ropes, and Religion
"This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."
Most anyone who knows me is aware of three things thay I love to do; travel, missions, and climb(anything in sight).
Friday I found my personal Holy Grail. At the retreat we set up a rock climb on a small boulder on the beach. With a few penguins looking on I witnessed a bit of a miracle. People that come from groups that traditionally hate each other to the point of inflicting great harm were coming together to cheer and encourage each other to achieve sucess.
Now most of us in the U.S.A. are accustomed to seeing climbing walls here and there for recreation or team building exercises, but I was afraid this activity would not translate to this culture. I am pleased to say I was very wrong. People of all abilities and physiques were roping in and giving it a try to the enthusiatic prodding of their peers.
Although it was a rather small boulder they climbed as though it was Mt. Everest. Amanda Tiege had a hard time keeping up with getting them in the harness as one by one they came for the challenge.
"What does this have to do with religion?" you may ask. Those that attended the retreat continually spoke of how refreshing it was to get together, worship, and have fun in spite of their differences. These are the people on the front lines of everyday care and this retreat helps them know each other on a more personal level, a level where there are fewer differences getting in the way of service.
Today I saw people rise twelve feet closer to heaven.
Ethan
The Living Hope Retreat
We facilitated a retreat for the life skills educators and counselors of Living Hope yesterday and today...we have quite a few activities as well as songs planned for Thursday evening. Of couse, being in Africa, not going according to plan appears to be par for the course, but it was a great time of worship and praise! And everyone had a great time. I have to say it's pretty funny to watch Steve improvising amid the spontaneous praises and speeches.
On Friday, we managed to get volleyball, rock-climbing, and painting running as planned and reconvened as one group with more praise. And the food...it was a feast, everyone was well-fed and enjoyed the company.
Words cannot even begin to describe their singing and dancing. I will not leave a long post today, I will just leave you a video.
On Friday, we managed to get volleyball, rock-climbing, and painting running as planned and reconvened as one group with more praise. And the food...it was a feast, everyone was well-fed and enjoyed the company.
Words cannot even begin to describe their singing and dancing. I will not leave a long post today, I will just leave you a video.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Steve Davis in Africa
Little did I know 48 years or so ago that all those Tarzan movies and comic books I ravenously consumed as a child would someday lead to an actual trip to Africa! I'm somewhat disappointed that my Tarzan yell and mastery of ape language has proven as useless to me now as it promised as a 7 year old (but good news for Vicki....I've not been seduced by any animal-skin clad "Janes" either!).
Instead of jungles and encounters with deadly beasts every 15 minutes, we've been witnesses to the most devastating predator of all - hopelessness. Rows and rows of makeshift shacks in a concrete and cardboard jungle. Drug addicted children and adults. Emaciated AIDS victims sitting on hospital beds with no one in their families who care enough to visit them.
Yet, despite the oppressive tragedy, there are glimmers of hope in the eyes and spirits of children and caring adults. As expected, we are blessed more each and every day than the seemingly meager blessings we bring with us. It is no wonder that Jesus uses children as the model citizens of his kingdom. Who else could trust and engage so completely in strangers as they?
The children of the Red Hill community are amazing. Within the last few weeks they have been terrorized by a horrendous fire that destroyed many of their homes. One reported seeing a slithering line of snakes out ahead of the blaze. How does one sleep at night with those kinds of real life nightmares?
So we come and offer them our attention and our interest in who they are and not much more....only ingredients that make today perhaps somewhat more palatable than yesterday. Were it not for a God who could take a mustard seed and grow a palatial tree house, it would not seem worth it. But we trust in Him and in His ability to make much out of nothing. He's so good at that!
Beyond the mission itself, we're having more fun together than anyone deserves. We have laughed ourselves silly! Every new and remotely funny experience lends itself to a haiku, a limerick, or, as was the case today, a new book concept: Chef Steve Mok's Top 100 Preparations for Penguin....and here they are:
Instead of jungles and encounters with deadly beasts every 15 minutes, we've been witnesses to the most devastating predator of all - hopelessness. Rows and rows of makeshift shacks in a concrete and cardboard jungle. Drug addicted children and adults. Emaciated AIDS victims sitting on hospital beds with no one in their families who care enough to visit them.
Yet, despite the oppressive tragedy, there are glimmers of hope in the eyes and spirits of children and caring adults. As expected, we are blessed more each and every day than the seemingly meager blessings we bring with us. It is no wonder that Jesus uses children as the model citizens of his kingdom. Who else could trust and engage so completely in strangers as they?
The children of the Red Hill community are amazing. Within the last few weeks they have been terrorized by a horrendous fire that destroyed many of their homes. One reported seeing a slithering line of snakes out ahead of the blaze. How does one sleep at night with those kinds of real life nightmares?
So we come and offer them our attention and our interest in who they are and not much more....only ingredients that make today perhaps somewhat more palatable than yesterday. Were it not for a God who could take a mustard seed and grow a palatial tree house, it would not seem worth it. But we trust in Him and in His ability to make much out of nothing. He's so good at that!
Beyond the mission itself, we're having more fun together than anyone deserves. We have laughed ourselves silly! Every new and remotely funny experience lends itself to a haiku, a limerick, or, as was the case today, a new book concept: Chef Steve Mok's Top 100 Preparations for Penguin....and here they are:
stuffed penguin
penguin sausage
shake & bake penguin
steamed penguin
frozen penguin sticks
penguin cheese omelet
penguin souflet
penguin trail mix
penguin jerky
penguin kabob
lemon pepper penguin
penguin goulashe
penguin crepes
penguin lasagna
penguin pops
penguin turnovers
popcorn penguin
penguin noodle soup
penguin & chips
penguin nuggets
penguin au gratin
rotisserie penguin
penguin parmesan
penguin pita
penguin tacos
penducken (a combination of penguin, duck and chicken...Chef Mok's penguin of the day)
penguin pesto
penguin casserole
penguin soup
penguin pasta
smoked penguin
penguin sushi
penguin protein smoothy
General Tso's penguin
penguin salad
penguin chow mein
sweet & sour penguin
peanut butter & penguin sandwich
penguin melt
fillet of penguin
penguin almondine
moo goo gai penguine
penguin on the half shell
penguin steaks
penguin stir fry
roast penguin
penguin enchiladas
stir fry penguin
penguin burger with cheese
penguin bits
smoked penguin
penguin pizza
penguin prima vera
penguin dip
penguin pie
penguin preserves
penguin alamode
pickled penguin
penguin sausage
shake & bake penguin
steamed penguin
frozen penguin sticks
penguin cheese omelet
penguin souflet
penguin trail mix
penguin jerky
penguin kabob
lemon pepper penguin
penguin goulashe
penguin crepes
penguin lasagna
penguin pops
penguin turnovers
popcorn penguin
penguin noodle soup
penguin & chips
penguin nuggets
penguin au gratin
rotisserie penguin
penguin parmesan
penguin pita
penguin tacos
penducken (a combination of penguin, duck and chicken...Chef Mok's penguin of the day)
penguin pesto
penguin casserole
penguin soup
penguin pasta
smoked penguin
penguin sushi
penguin protein smoothy
General Tso's penguin
penguin salad
penguin chow mein
sweet & sour penguin
peanut butter & penguin sandwich
penguin melt
fillet of penguin
penguin almondine
moo goo gai penguine
penguin on the half shell
penguin steaks
penguin stir fry
roast penguin
penguin enchiladas
stir fry penguin
penguin burger with cheese
penguin bits
smoked penguin
penguin pizza
penguin prima vera
penguin dip
penguin pie
penguin preserves
penguin alamode
pickled penguin
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
More About Flowers
"Suffer the little children come unto Me..."
These are the words of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament. I am not exactly sure which verse these words are in and I am too tired to get my Bible and find them and I am fairly certain Jesus did not say them in English but nonetheless these are the words that come to mind.
For the last two days we have hosted a back yard Bible Club of sorts in a shanty town called Red Hill. (I encourage you to visit my posting on last year's South Africa blog and read the first installment about flowers in Red Hill.)
Although I am a Dad, LOVING it by the way, I still get a bit overwhelmed when I am surrounded by sixty or so children all in need of attention. This is the situation we have been in for a few hours each day. Semi-controlled mayhem is the description that comes to mind. I see these children and see them craving love and attention. Many of them have lost one or more parents to AIDS. Many of them are abused. Many of them are malnourished and sick themselves, and yet all they want is someone to pay them a little loving attention.
I struggled with coming here and leaving my son Elijah. I knew I would miss his smile and the cuteness of his trying new words and the feel of his tiny arms around my neck. What I have realised though is how much he is loved by parents, grandparents, and a host of other relatives.
I have come here to share God's love, however I was not expecting that to be in the form or feeling of my fatherly love for Elijah. I am gaining a much better understanding of what God expects from us as Christians. I keep feeling like I should be vocally sharing the gospel with each of these children but I continually get frustrated with the language barrier.
As I sat there yesterday the afore mentioned verse came to mind. The kids were all around and I was unsure of what to do with them when I realized that Jesus did not speak deep theology to the children, he just let them come to him as they were and he loved them. He then used this action to teach deep theology to the adults.
This is where the flowers come in.
Having this realization about sharing the love of God the way I would show love to my son, I picked up a crayon and drew a very rudimentary flower for a little girl.
Next thing I new, kids were coming from all over and saying one word.
"Flower?"
Several broken crayons later I realized I had learned a lot about how simple and confoundingly deep God's love truly is.
Ethan
These are the words of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament. I am not exactly sure which verse these words are in and I am too tired to get my Bible and find them and I am fairly certain Jesus did not say them in English but nonetheless these are the words that come to mind.
For the last two days we have hosted a back yard Bible Club of sorts in a shanty town called Red Hill. (I encourage you to visit my posting on last year's South Africa blog and read the first installment about flowers in Red Hill.)
Although I am a Dad, LOVING it by the way, I still get a bit overwhelmed when I am surrounded by sixty or so children all in need of attention. This is the situation we have been in for a few hours each day. Semi-controlled mayhem is the description that comes to mind. I see these children and see them craving love and attention. Many of them have lost one or more parents to AIDS. Many of them are abused. Many of them are malnourished and sick themselves, and yet all they want is someone to pay them a little loving attention.
I struggled with coming here and leaving my son Elijah. I knew I would miss his smile and the cuteness of his trying new words and the feel of his tiny arms around my neck. What I have realised though is how much he is loved by parents, grandparents, and a host of other relatives.
I have come here to share God's love, however I was not expecting that to be in the form or feeling of my fatherly love for Elijah. I am gaining a much better understanding of what God expects from us as Christians. I keep feeling like I should be vocally sharing the gospel with each of these children but I continually get frustrated with the language barrier.
As I sat there yesterday the afore mentioned verse came to mind. The kids were all around and I was unsure of what to do with them when I realized that Jesus did not speak deep theology to the children, he just let them come to him as they were and he loved them. He then used this action to teach deep theology to the adults.
This is where the flowers come in.
Having this realization about sharing the love of God the way I would show love to my son, I picked up a crayon and drew a very rudimentary flower for a little girl.
Next thing I new, kids were coming from all over and saying one word.
"Flower?"
Several broken crayons later I realized I had learned a lot about how simple and confoundingly deep God's love truly is.
Ethan
Unconditional Love
Monday marked the first day of our official work with Living Hope. We toured a few of the facilities that Living Hope operates in the southern suburbs of Cape Town and I can't find the right words to describe the impact Living Hope is having in the community.In the afternoon, we worked with a bunch of young kids in the Red Hill area during Kids Club. A fire destroyed many homes in Red Hill a few weeks ago. I was struck by how much ethnic conflict exists between the Xhosa and the Zimbabweans. Imagine getting charged higher rents or having your homes burned down overnight, just because of your ethnic background.
Of course, the bigger picture is the story of apartheid in South Africa. Even though it officially ended in 1994, its effects are still felt throughout the country today. On surface, everything appears to be going well but in reality, many blacks and coloreds (it's politically correct to call them as such in South Africa) still face discrimination and encounter extraordinary difficulties in advancing themselves. It's difficult to obtain a good-paying job when you were denied a good education. Kids do not go to school because their families cannot afford school uniforms; if the government really wanted to have equal opportunities for all races, the rules can be simply modified to remedy the situation. Unfortunately, there appears to be little political willpower or economic incentive for the government to do so.
Amidst these conflicts and troubles, I still see hopes of reconciliation. While we were waiting for the doors of Kids Club to open. This 5 year-old kid, whom I later found out his name is Jeremiah, saw me from afar and ran toward me and gave me the biggest, warmest hug I've ever received. I didn't bring any toys or candies with me and I was quite smelly and sweaty. I have absolutely nothing to give back to him except my time. Jeremiah just wanted to come up and share his love with me (granted, I am the sharpest looking of the group...we will talk about humility at another time). I was instantly reminded how pure and unconditional the love of a child is.
I often wonder when and where during our development did we pick up the bad habit of labeling people. I don't remember it being taught in schools...but as we grow up we begin to focus on how people are different than ourselves. Male, female, Hispanic, HIV+, addict, homosexual, black, Republicans, Democrats, liberals, etc...we've all used those terms to describe others.
And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 18:3
Jesus told us to love each other and we all try to do that, but is it truly unconditional love? I have to confess it's not for me. I wonder how different our world would be if we would roll ourselves back to the mindset of a child and love and trust others unconditionally.
An Apology
On behalf of the entire team, I would like to offer a quick apology for not keeping up with the blog as often as we should. But 31 hours of travel is exhausting and I had aches and sores in places I didn't know existed before on my body. So here's one of the many Haiku's we written to make up for it.
Seven pairs of hands
The attitiude is "WE CAN"!
Mouths full of sand.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
36 Hours and counting...
We are leaving in about 36 hours and panic finally sets in for me. I am a clinical pharmacist by training and I work with HIV patients regularly at my practice, so this trip sounded like a very good fit for me...it may be a different country but not exactly that far out of my comfort zone. I didn't really have much doubt or concerns since signing up for the trip last fall.Fast forward to today, my bags are not packed yet, errands, loose ends at work, and the hallmark symptoms highly suggestive of an upcoming cold or upper respiratory tract infections are beginning to make me wonder what have I gotten myself into?
By sheer coincidence I was looking through some files on my computer earlier today and ran into an old presentation that I prepared a year ago about the AIDS epidemic and global health disparity, and I was instantly reminded why we are doing this trip. I would like to share some of this statistics with you:
Every day, 1,800 children under 15 are infected with HIV and 1,400 die of AIDS-related illnesses.
Infection rates in women and girls are 5 times higher than males in Africa; many women do not have the power to refuse sex or insist on condom use.
Less than 5% of children worldwide receive necessary antiretroviral drugs.
Infant deaths from AIDS-related infections can be cut in HALF with Bactrim treatment (costing pennies a day), yet only 1% of infants receive this life-saving treatment.
In 2007, 22.5 million people are living with HIV and 1.6 million died because of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. In contrast, the numbers are 1.3 million and 21,000 in North America, respectively. In South Africa specifically, 18.8% of the country's residents are infected.
The statistics are overwhelming. I would be foolish, prideful, and arrogant to think that I am going to make a difference. I have to be honest and say I wonder sometimes why bother at all? But this trip is not about me, it's about walking humbly with God and accomplishing His will.
"Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." - Isaiah 1:17So please keep our team in your prayers - for safety, understanding, and effectiveness in this mission and ministry. Pray for our work, the people that we will meet, the hearts that will be opened, the lives that will be changed...and personally that my cold will run its quick course and a speedy recovery! Now, I better get going and start packing.
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." - 1 Peter 4:10
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Welcome to the blog!
Friends--Welcome to your Cape Town blog! I am thrilled that you have responded to God's nudging to be a part of the RHCC team in Cape Town next month. This is your venue to speak...to talk about your hopes, fears, and ultimately to record your experience. I am looking forward to reading all about it...
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