March Preschool Update

SACS (South African Collage Schools):

I left this past week filled with joy as I realized that I have now memorized all 50 of the boy’s names! This remains a powerful tool…especially as I am now able to greet them personally and call out those that are misbehaving or not listening! I have started a good routine of spending the morning slot, 8:30-10:00 with one class, and the afternoon slot from 11:30-12:30 with the other. The hour and a half between is lunch & outside play with all the boys. The boys who didn’t see me in the morning are certain to make sure at recess that I will going to class with them. Once seated around the circle inside I always have many little boys fighting over who gets to sit by me (I must say that still being a single woman, having boys fight over me, despite their age, feels like a compliment!).

My favorite time of the day is recess for I can catch up with the teachers, talking about our lives and getting to know each other more deeply. I had a great chat with one of the assistant teachers named Tina the other day. She asked how I was earning money while I was here, and I was able to tell her about living on faith, and some of the incredible stories of how Jesus has provided for me. It was a sweet moment and I could see her fascination in my lifestyle. I also love immersing myself in play with the boys…not simply just standing guard and supervising, but actively playing with them…children come alive when they recognize that an adult is stepping down to their level…into their world. A few weeks ago I let the boys bury me in the stand pit, but only up to my knees. Of course, as you can imagine, one or two buckets made their way on my lap and shirt…and I wasn’t too happy when a small bucket full ended up in my bra! They love to be chased, tickled, pushed on the swing, watched, and especially listened too! These are the many reasons why Jesus has me here!

Khayelitsha Crèche:

Unlike SACS, I have not learned any of these children’s names yet. Language continues to be a barrier and I am never with a single child for more than a few minutes. However, I am proud to say I have recently memorized all the teachers’ Xhosa names! This just shows that at SACS right now Jesus is using me more for one on one time with the children, and at the Crèche more one on one time with the teachers.

Every Wednesday I continue to load up my car, with different woman volunteering at The Warehouse, and travel 45min into the Cape Flats to the vast township of Khayelitsha. It has been a difficult month for a few of the teachers. A few weeks ago we showed up to the news that Nombongo (the 4 year old teacher), was away from school as her brother had been arrested. It wasn’t until the following week that we heard he had burned down the shack of a local witch doctor, in retribution of a curse, and a child was accidentally killed (he is now in prison, possibly for life)…horrible spiritual situations such as this one happen daily here! The community rallied in anger and unfairly turned against this young man’s entire family. Nombongo is now forbidden by the community to come back to the Crèche and teach! Rumor has it that she has moved...fearing her safety. I will most likely never see her again. Her departing words a few weeks ago keep ringing in my ears… “I love you guys”. Jesus protect this young woman and her family…may you bring justice and love into this situation!

The day I showed up to the Crèche to find Nombongo gone, was also they day I met Nikkolo (the new 4 year old teacher)…it was her first day and she looked rather wide-eyed at the out of control group of 40 four year olds under her care! My friend Lara and I stepped in the best we could. I pulled out every song I could think of from my preschool memory tank and did my best at entertaining the unsettled group. At one point the many children craving some personal attention began to pull at my arms and then my skirt. So many bodies were around me and pulling at me that I could feel my legs give way and I actually fell to the ground! The children thought this was hilarious and I had to tag team with Lara for the rest of the morning to try and pull off the kids that were now deliberately trying to push us over. Later, the art activity for the day was getting the children’s hand print (in runny paint) on a piece of paper…this was clearly not my idea! There was absolutely no order! Can you imagine one bowl of red paint and forty little hands pushing and shoving, trying to get in at the same time? Paint was dripping on clothes, on the floor and all over other children’s artwork. Remember I don’t know the language…and these little ones with their teacher gone were not listening to “NO” and “STOP”!

At one point during that day as I looked around at these precious children, I began to feel overwhelmed…holding back tears I thought, “Jesus what can be done?...These little ones need so much love and attention. They are desperate for love…and I find when I am with them that I am desperate for more of You…desperate to hear Your voice and to be obedient to Your call." Later that night I wrote in my journal:

“There is so much loss and injustice around me here in South Africa, that it often gets overwhelming...thinking that the needs and pain I see in peoples lives is too much to bear...but Jesus continues to LOVE through me...giving me the strength to be his hands and feet, and proclaiming the faith and hope that he brings.”

March in Pictures

Visiting my friend Phumla (center) in her
new bedroom flat after church

My Housemates (Caroline, Rene & Linda)
at a friends 21st birthday party

Caroline and I with the birthday girl
Esther at Khanysia

A cuddle from a new friend

Playing dress up in the Warehouse

Two Pictures from a 3 day Getaway to
Simonstown with my housemates

Praying for Sarah

I have never been one to share my faith or pray for strangers on the street…but last week I was challenged to do just that. Walking up to strangers and asking them if I can pray for them is definitely outside my comfort zone, but the fact that I was in Khayelitsha, (the largest township in Cape Town) and one of the few white faces within miles added to my initial discomfort. I was joined by my former London church, Christchurch Fulham who was in Cape Town for a week doing ministry at a church in Khayelitsha. One early evening, before the service we walked down to the train station with the local pastors to invite people to the service and pray for them. It was rush hour, the hustle and bustle of people coming home from work…African taxis were hooting their horns, women with babies securely fastened on their backs rushed by and children of all ages loitered among the crowds. We stopped on a street corner…a group of white ‘foreigners’! As I saw the more courageous team members step out and begin to pray for people I knew in my spirit that I needed to be bold and do the same. I went up to the nearest stall, which was selling cool drinks and snacks, and said hello to the individuals working behind it. I started making small talk with one woman, telling her why we were here and also telling her where I had come from. I asked her if she had any children, not an unreasonable question as most women my age here have many of their own children…but she was very shy in her response as she quietly said one and then walked away. I was thinking to myself, “Oh great this is going well.” The man behind the counter was very friendly and we quickly struck up a conversation. He was a member of the new political party, Congress of the People and proceeded to talk for ages on politics and some interesting insight on where he feels like his country is going. I then asked him for his opinion on Obama which added to another long conversation. Obama is well loved here, and I have found that I can talk about him with anyone. To be honest, most Africans know more about my President than I do! After a while I told my new friend that I was here with a group praying for people and inviting them to the evening service at the church around the corner. The woman I had previously talked with then immerged behind the counter…The man said to me, “This woman would like prayer, she has no husband and is going to have a baby.” At that moment, I walked over to the woman and found out her name was Sarah. She did want prayer…so right then, admits the busyness of life going around us I grabbed her hands and began to pray for her…asking the Lord to bring her a husband who would care for her and also a healthy delivery for her baby. No wonder she was a bit unsettled when I first asked her if she had children…for there was so much fear and uncertainty surrounding the little child she was carrying. After our prayer, the man said to me… “Take some chips”…I looked at this humble stall and said “No thank you, I don’t have any money on me”…he said, “No it is a gift” and proceeded to hand me my favorite bag of chips/crisps. I then felt something else in my hand and when I looked up Sarah had placed an entire packet of biscuits/cookies in my palm…another generous gift that I couldn’t refuse. At that moment the group I had walked with was leaving and I quickly said my Thank Yous and Good Byes. I was beaming with joy. Did I just hold hands with a precious woman and have the opportunity to pray for her…was I just blessed by two people who generously gave all the had…was I experiencing the joy of breaking out of my own fear? I may never see those two ever again…I may my never know if Sarah meets a man and delivers a healthy baby…but what I do know is that I serve a God who loves those two very much…a God who knows everything about them! I am continually reminded that as I step out of my comfort zone, I am met with unbelievable experiences.