Sunday, December 11, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Good News from Nigeria
I wrote earlier about two girls in Nigeria whose home was demolished by the government. Today my dear friend Jackie wrote this to me:
I met your little girls in Ilaje community. What is so cool is that they remembered you as the white girl with long hair after I told them that there is a friend of theirs that was really concerned about their whereabouts after their house was demolished... so I have a pic of them waving at you to say they are safe, God protected them..
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
the moments of my day
there are moments within every season or every situation of life. the moments are usually small but we were created for them. these moments exist everyday and although they are small, it is how we fulfill our purpose in life. although they are small, they require risk. we need to give up ourselves and surrender to the people and the God around us. that's the only way we can step into these moments because the world around us is telling us that these moments are small, insignificant, and not worthwhile. but it's in these moments that God truly works.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
i will enter His gates
We started the day by sleeping in and then having breakfast ... pancakes, hashbrowns, fruit, eggs. We then proceeded to sit together and watch beautiful music. Then we decided to go on an outdoor adventure. We longboarded for a bit and then stashed our boards in the forest under leaves (Will did a great job of hiding.. I could barely find them when we returned). We walked up the hill and then just sat together for a long while. We talked and we sat in silence. For the most part it just felt like we were basking in God's goodness. It was beautiful. It was refreshing.
I am so so thankful for this life.
I am so so thankful for this life.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Some people just don't count.
In 2009 I had the opportunity to visit Nigeria, specifically a community called Ilaje in Lagos. I blogged about it here. Ilaje was fascinating because half of the people lived on the land and half lived on the water in these wooden shacks on stilts.
I recently discovered that the government demolished all the homes that were on the water, leaving many families homeless and hopeless. Some have secured shelters on land but many have left looking for shelter elsewhere.
The only thing I could find on it are these excerpts from an article I found online:
It's easy to let it pass, but there are two girls stuck in my mind that I can't shake. They lived in a home on the water and attended one of our community schools.
They have a name. But now they don't have a home.
Help me pray for them and others like them.
Please pray for those in authority to have wisdom and that our displaced children can be resettled and that they can continue enjoying food security, basic health care and education provided for in the community based organisation in Ilaje community. Pray that our children will be able to come back and continue with their education.
I recently discovered that the government demolished all the homes that were on the water, leaving many families homeless and hopeless. Some have secured shelters on land but many have left looking for shelter elsewhere.
The only thing I could find on it are these excerpts from an article I found online:
The Lagos State Government has ordered the demolition of over 400 shanty homes on Ilaje Lagoon in Bariga Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
With this development over 1, 000 Ilaje people living on water in the area will be displaced.
Commissioner for Waterfront and Infrastructure Development, Prince Adesegun Oniru visited the area on Wednesday and was unhappy about what he saw, saying that government could no longer tolerate a situation where its waterfront is turned into a slum by the Ilajes and that they have to quit the place.
According to him, the area had been an eyesore, especially when viewed from the Third Mainland Bridge, stressing that this ugly spectacle could drive away foreign investors visiting Lagos for the first time.
He vowed that the government would demolish all the shanties at the next visit, adding that, “we have come here to warn you to leave this place; we would not come back here to warn you again.
“The bridge you see there is an international link bridge, and we do not like the eyesore these shanties are creating here, we do not want them near the bridge anymore. The entire area has been bastardised with shanties in the water and we would remove them if you refuse to move.”
On the possibility of relocating them, Oniru said that there were no plans to assist the dwellers relocate to other areas, saying, “Why will you relocate someone that is not supposed to be in this area in the first place? There are people here along the water front, they are not supposed to be here; they should move away from there and I don’t believe that a plan should be put in place to relocate them”.
It's easy to let it pass, but there are two girls stuck in my mind that I can't shake. They lived in a home on the water and attended one of our community schools.
They have a name. But now they don't have a home.
Help me pray for them and others like them.
Please pray for those in authority to have wisdom and that our displaced children can be resettled and that they can continue enjoying food security, basic health care and education provided for in the community based organisation in Ilaje community. Pray that our children will be able to come back and continue with their education.
Friday, September 30, 2011
wanda and friends like to hang out with me daily
Wanda and her friends are often hanging out in our yard. I am always thrilled when they come to play, but have been recently discouraged when I found out our neighbour feeds them ... sad. I guess our love grass isn't just it.
OH.... well i see you too!
OH.... well i see you too!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
long walks and long happy days (a photo update)
geo-caching.
african-y date nights
adventures (bon iver/portland)
change
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
a housewife?
There's nothing wrong with that, I say! There's a lot more time for writing that way! And rhyming I guess, ..... eh????
More time for writing after the laundry, the bread baking, the vacuuming, the yard-ing, the music-ing, and the other things I find to fill my day.
I applied to a few places for work. I felt very confident (like, really confident) about all of them and was rejected from one and haven't heard from three. So I'm going to embrace this time of my life. I'm going to do laundry, bread, sweep, vacuum, read, write, sing, dance, play. And then patiently await my foxy husband's return.
I'm really okay with this. Tomorrow I'm driving to Nanton to meet the lovely Jesse halfway for coffee. Friday I'm driving to Red Deer to enjoy a most anticipated date with the beauty Dayla: picnic, paddle boat, park adventures.
"I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."
I'm content.
Just as long as I don't sink to the bottom of the barrel and begin passing my days and weeks enslaved to the shallow, but sometimes enticing, soap opera. At that point, I give you permission to get me a job at McDonald's again.
More time for writing after the laundry, the bread baking, the vacuuming, the yard-ing, the music-ing, and the other things I find to fill my day.
I applied to a few places for work. I felt very confident (like, really confident) about all of them and was rejected from one and haven't heard from three. So I'm going to embrace this time of my life. I'm going to do laundry, bread, sweep, vacuum, read, write, sing, dance, play. And then patiently await my foxy husband's return.
I'm really okay with this. Tomorrow I'm driving to Nanton to meet the lovely Jesse halfway for coffee. Friday I'm driving to Red Deer to enjoy a most anticipated date with the beauty Dayla: picnic, paddle boat, park adventures.
"I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."
I'm content.
Just as long as I don't sink to the bottom of the barrel and begin passing my days and weeks enslaved to the shallow, but sometimes enticing, soap opera. At that point, I give you permission to get me a job at McDonald's again.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Family Planning
So we have been married 36 days and something that comes along with marriage is discussing when we want to have a family. I've had a LOT of pressure from my family (including my 4 year old niece) and so Will and I have discussed it. We are pleased to announce that we will hopefully be adding one to our family in a year's time!
Isn't he beautiful? We fell in love with him on Animal Planet. Only one more year until a baby Hoff.
Isn't he beautiful? We fell in love with him on Animal Planet. Only one more year until a baby Hoff.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
The Vision.
(Pete Greig)
"The Vision from Red Moon Rising"
So this guy comes up to me and says "what's the vision? What's the big idea?" I open my mouth and words come out like this…
The vision?
The vision is JESUS – obsessively, dangerously, undeniably Jesus.
The vision is an army of young people.
You see bones? I see an army. And they are FREE from materialism.
They laugh at 9-5 little prisons.
They could eat caviar on Monday and crusts on Tuesday.
They wouldn't even notice.
They know the meaning of the Matrix, the way the west was won.
They are mobile like the wind, they belong to the nations. They need no passport.. People write their addresses in pencil and wonder at their strange existence.
They are free yet they are slaves of the hurting and dirty and dying.
What is the vision ?
The vision is holiness that hurts the eyes. It makes children laugh and adults angry. It gave up the game of minimum integrity long ago to reach for the stars. It scorns the good and strains for the best. It is dangerously pure.
Light flickers from every secret motive, every private conversation.
It loves people away from their suicide leaps, their Satan games.
This is an army that will lay down its life for the cause.
A million times a day its soldiers
choose to loose
that they might one day win
the great 'Well done' of faithful sons and daughters.
Such heroes are as radical on Monday morning as Sunday night. They don't need fame from names. Instead they grin quietly upwards and hear the crowds chanting again and again: "COME ON!"
And this is the sound of the underground
The whisper of history in the making
Foundations shaking
Revolutionaries dreaming once again
Mystery is scheming in whispers
Conspiracy is breathing…
This is the sound of the underground
And the army is discipl(in)ed.
Young people who beat their bodies into submission.
Every soldier would take a bullet for his comrade at arms.
The tattoo on their back boasts "for me to live is Christ and to die is gain".
Sacrifice fuels the fire of victory in their upward eyes. Winners. Martyrs. Who can stop them ?
Can hormones hold them back?
Can failure succeed? Can fear scare them or death kill them ?
And the generation prays
like a dying man
with groans beyond talking,
with warrior cries, sulphuric tears and
with great barrow loads of laughter!
Waiting. Watching: 24 – 7 – 365.
Whatever it takes they will give: Breaking the rules. Shaking mediocrity from its cosy little hide. Laying down their rights and their precious little wrongs, laughing at labels, fasting essentials. The advertisers cannot mould them. Hollywood cannot hold them. Peer-pressure is powerless to shake their resolve at late night parties before the cockerel cries.
They are incredibly cool, dangerously attractive
inside.
On the outside? They hardly care. They wear clothes like costumes to communicate and celebrate but never to hide.
Would they surrender their image or their popularity?
They would lay down their very lives - swap seats with the man on death row - guilty as hell. A throne for an electric chair.
With blood and sweat and many tears, with sleepless nights and fruitless days,
they pray as if it all depends on God and live as if it all depends on them..
Their DNA chooses JESUS. (He breathes out, they breathe in.)
Their subconscious sings. They had a blood transfusion with Jesus.
Their words make demons scream in shopping centres.
Don't you hear them coming?
Herald the weirdo's! Summon the losers and the freaks. Here come the frightened and forgotten with fire in their eyes. They walk tall and trees applaud, skyscrapers bow, mountains are dwarfed by these children of another dimension. Their prayers summon the hounds of heaven and invoke the ancient dream of Eden.
And this vision will be. It will come to pass; it will come easily; it will come soon.
How do I know? Because this is the longing of creation itself, the groaning of the Spirit, the very dream of God. My tomorrow is his today. My distant hope is his 3D. And my feeble, whispered, faithless prayer invokes a thunderous, resounding, bone-shaking great 'Amen!' from countless angels, from hero's of the faith, from Christ himself. And he is the original dreamer, the ultimate winner.
Guaranteed.
"The Vision from Red Moon Rising"
So this guy comes up to me and says "what's the vision? What's the big idea?" I open my mouth and words come out like this…
The vision?
The vision is JESUS – obsessively, dangerously, undeniably Jesus.
The vision is an army of young people.
You see bones? I see an army. And they are FREE from materialism.
They laugh at 9-5 little prisons.
They could eat caviar on Monday and crusts on Tuesday.
They wouldn't even notice.
They know the meaning of the Matrix, the way the west was won.
They are mobile like the wind, they belong to the nations. They need no passport.. People write their addresses in pencil and wonder at their strange existence.
They are free yet they are slaves of the hurting and dirty and dying.
What is the vision ?
The vision is holiness that hurts the eyes. It makes children laugh and adults angry. It gave up the game of minimum integrity long ago to reach for the stars. It scorns the good and strains for the best. It is dangerously pure.
Light flickers from every secret motive, every private conversation.
It loves people away from their suicide leaps, their Satan games.
This is an army that will lay down its life for the cause.
A million times a day its soldiers
choose to loose
that they might one day win
the great 'Well done' of faithful sons and daughters.
Such heroes are as radical on Monday morning as Sunday night. They don't need fame from names. Instead they grin quietly upwards and hear the crowds chanting again and again: "COME ON!"
And this is the sound of the underground
The whisper of history in the making
Foundations shaking
Revolutionaries dreaming once again
Mystery is scheming in whispers
Conspiracy is breathing…
This is the sound of the underground
And the army is discipl(in)ed.
Young people who beat their bodies into submission.
Every soldier would take a bullet for his comrade at arms.
The tattoo on their back boasts "for me to live is Christ and to die is gain".
Sacrifice fuels the fire of victory in their upward eyes. Winners. Martyrs. Who can stop them ?
Can hormones hold them back?
Can failure succeed? Can fear scare them or death kill them ?
And the generation prays
like a dying man
with groans beyond talking,
with warrior cries, sulphuric tears and
with great barrow loads of laughter!
Waiting. Watching: 24 – 7 – 365.
Whatever it takes they will give: Breaking the rules. Shaking mediocrity from its cosy little hide. Laying down their rights and their precious little wrongs, laughing at labels, fasting essentials. The advertisers cannot mould them. Hollywood cannot hold them. Peer-pressure is powerless to shake their resolve at late night parties before the cockerel cries.
They are incredibly cool, dangerously attractive
inside.
On the outside? They hardly care. They wear clothes like costumes to communicate and celebrate but never to hide.
Would they surrender their image or their popularity?
They would lay down their very lives - swap seats with the man on death row - guilty as hell. A throne for an electric chair.
With blood and sweat and many tears, with sleepless nights and fruitless days,
they pray as if it all depends on God and live as if it all depends on them..
Their DNA chooses JESUS. (He breathes out, they breathe in.)
Their subconscious sings. They had a blood transfusion with Jesus.
Their words make demons scream in shopping centres.
Don't you hear them coming?
Herald the weirdo's! Summon the losers and the freaks. Here come the frightened and forgotten with fire in their eyes. They walk tall and trees applaud, skyscrapers bow, mountains are dwarfed by these children of another dimension. Their prayers summon the hounds of heaven and invoke the ancient dream of Eden.
And this vision will be. It will come to pass; it will come easily; it will come soon.
How do I know? Because this is the longing of creation itself, the groaning of the Spirit, the very dream of God. My tomorrow is his today. My distant hope is his 3D. And my feeble, whispered, faithless prayer invokes a thunderous, resounding, bone-shaking great 'Amen!' from countless angels, from hero's of the faith, from Christ himself. And he is the original dreamer, the ultimate winner.
Guaranteed.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
A Fortnight
A fortnight. Ooooh sounds fun! Are we sleeping in a fort tonight? Awesome....
Will and I started our adventure in Canada with 6 weeks until we were married and a lot of time to just hang out. We had never anticipated that we would be serving for 2 weeks at the summer camp I grew up going to. We just finished up two weeks and it was incredible. I was helping out my friend Alissa directing the program and Will spent one week on maintenance and the other week leading a cabin full of Grade 5's.
It was a really incredible time and I'm thankful for the opportunity. We met some pretty amazing kids throughout the two weeks. It was interesting to see us really draw to the kids that have tough homes and stories. During the high school aged week, we met a guy named Tanner*. He was living in a foster home with a few other kids. His parents had both been heroin addicts but died along the way. He had just gotten off drugs before camp and needed to smoke to help him along. Will got the opportunity daily to take him for drives so he could smoke. Will had some great conversations with him. I watched Tanner over the week and was just touched to see such a rough kid just let his guard down completely. He didn't need to put up a tough front. I just imagined what it would be like in his home and on the streets where I'm sure he had a ton of friends. He even told Will he loved camp because he could just be himself and didn't feel judged. I thought this was an incredible statement, especially for a Christian camp. Most people claim to feel judged around Christians. Anyway, I adored him and wish that we could be near so we could walk a road with him, but that's not possible.
One thing that I think we both realized is how we are both so fit for camp ministry and how camp ministry really does change lives. We're happy to be in Calgary this year to plug into Will's camp, Limber Pine, throughout the year.
So, life is good. Will and I are getting married in a fortnight. I only heard this word used for the first time and learned the definition of it through my dear English friend, Kitty-Cat. (Miss you)
Will and I started our adventure in Canada with 6 weeks until we were married and a lot of time to just hang out. We had never anticipated that we would be serving for 2 weeks at the summer camp I grew up going to. We just finished up two weeks and it was incredible. I was helping out my friend Alissa directing the program and Will spent one week on maintenance and the other week leading a cabin full of Grade 5's.
It was a really incredible time and I'm thankful for the opportunity. We met some pretty amazing kids throughout the two weeks. It was interesting to see us really draw to the kids that have tough homes and stories. During the high school aged week, we met a guy named Tanner*. He was living in a foster home with a few other kids. His parents had both been heroin addicts but died along the way. He had just gotten off drugs before camp and needed to smoke to help him along. Will got the opportunity daily to take him for drives so he could smoke. Will had some great conversations with him. I watched Tanner over the week and was just touched to see such a rough kid just let his guard down completely. He didn't need to put up a tough front. I just imagined what it would be like in his home and on the streets where I'm sure he had a ton of friends. He even told Will he loved camp because he could just be himself and didn't feel judged. I thought this was an incredible statement, especially for a Christian camp. Most people claim to feel judged around Christians. Anyway, I adored him and wish that we could be near so we could walk a road with him, but that's not possible.
One thing that I think we both realized is how we are both so fit for camp ministry and how camp ministry really does change lives. We're happy to be in Calgary this year to plug into Will's camp, Limber Pine, throughout the year.
So, life is good. Will and I are getting married in a fortnight. I only heard this word used for the first time and learned the definition of it through my dear English friend, Kitty-Cat. (Miss you)
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Pine Air
I arrived in Canada on Thursday last week and the first thing I noticed when I stepped out of the airport was the strong smell of pine-fresh air! It was actually quite overwhelming. I couldn't believe how strong it was. It's nice to be in fresh air. Fresh, cool air.
It's really nice to be back. I kicked off my return home with a wedding of one of my good friends. It was beautiful!! And there were so many people there that I didn't expect. It was a nice reunion.
I've been really taking advantage of the down time. Will and I went hiking yesterday and it was the most fun I've had in a while. I have fun all the time, but this was especially fun! We haven't really had much opportunity to adventure on our own lately, so it was well appreciated.
The weather hasn't been pleasant. We came back to days of rain and cold. But today is a stunning day! It's sunny and beautiful! I'm currently sitting on the deck in Millarville, staring at the lush, green poplar trees and in between, a clear view of the mountains. Also staring at Will mow the grass. I like mowing the lawn and especially love smelling the mowed lawn, but I also just love staring at him. I choose to not help today.
In this moment I feel incredibly blessed. I miss Africa and think of all my family there often, but God has ordained this time for us and we look forward to what is to come.
It's really nice to be back. I kicked off my return home with a wedding of one of my good friends. It was beautiful!! And there were so many people there that I didn't expect. It was a nice reunion.
I've been really taking advantage of the down time. Will and I went hiking yesterday and it was the most fun I've had in a while. I have fun all the time, but this was especially fun! We haven't really had much opportunity to adventure on our own lately, so it was well appreciated.
The weather hasn't been pleasant. We came back to days of rain and cold. But today is a stunning day! It's sunny and beautiful! I'm currently sitting on the deck in Millarville, staring at the lush, green poplar trees and in between, a clear view of the mountains. Also staring at Will mow the grass. I like mowing the lawn and especially love smelling the mowed lawn, but I also just love staring at him. I choose to not help today.
In this moment I feel incredibly blessed. I miss Africa and think of all my family there often, but God has ordained this time for us and we look forward to what is to come.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Everything Happens On The Street
Helen and Paul have a large piece of art in their living room titled Everything Happens On The Street. It's a photo of two young Cambodian boys on the street. I don't understand poverty in Asia.
We arrived in Singapore two Thursdays ago. Singapore is pretty crazy. It's just a big island-city-country filled with people from all over the world. It's quite a beautiful city, but extremely hot. Sweaty Singapore. The interesting thing about Singapore is everyone has a home. Apparently there's no such thing as homelessness.
It's been really nice to spend time with Will's parents. And it has been really fun to operate as a family unit. Hoff clan. I especially get a kick out of it when we're cruising around Singapore in a little bike posse. It's how we get around. We've been doing a lot of fun, yet simple things while we've been here. Riding bikes, swimming in the pool, enjoying different types of restaurants (Turkish, Mexican, Indian, etc), exploring.
Will, Thom, and I got the opportunity to spend 4 days in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This is home of the famous Angkor Wat temple, as well as many other famous ancient temples. We had a fantastic time!
The most interesting part about Cambodia for me (and the most challenging) were the street children and the way I battled with how to care for them, especially after being in Africa and being so comfortable and confident with how to do it there. My eyes were first opened to this on the first night. We were eating dinner at a hawkers and many children were trying to sell us postcards and bracelets. We didn't want them and continued, exhaustively, to say so. The children were very persistent and clever and continued to stand at our table and watch us eat. They then began asking us to buy them food. Not feeling comfortable saying no to this without knowing the children's situation, I eventually asked them were they slept. They looked startled and went very quiet. When I asked again, they took off around the corner and never came back. We came to realize later that these kids belonged to the women at the hawkers and that's just how the system worked.
It's really difficult being in an extremely poor and desperate place and knowing the culture and systems, but then going to a completely foreign place, with no understanding of the children, their poverty, and their stories. I really battled with this.
My next difficult encounter occurred much later that night. We were going back to our hostel late in the evening, around midnight, and a child literally jumped into my arms. He latched his legs around my waist and he wasn't letting go. He looked to be around 5 or 6 years old. He wanted me to buy him food. There were other children and Will and Thom were trying to communicate with them. Using our best investigatory skills that we learned in Africa, we found out the little guy lived very far away and couldn't just walk home. As Will is trying to talk to an older kid and convince him my little friend had to get home and we'd pay for a way to get him home, I stood by helplessly as an old granny walked up to me, quickly smacked the little boy a few times until he cried, then without words spoken, leave. Another young girl came and yelled a few words at him then walked away. I was completely lost, but my heart was aching. I've never felt so helpless and so lost. We just didn't know what to do. Will and Thom made the decision to just leave. I couldn't make that decision; my heart just hurt so much for him. Why was he out so late? Did he have parents? Is this a scam? I just didn't know what to think. I pried him off and we walked away feeling very heavy.
We talked later to the Canadian couple that owned our hostel. They said most of the children are scammers, especially in such a touristy city. They said some are authentic in their need, but they are very hard to find and it's very hard to figure out who they are. I wasn't convinced, though, that they had gone deep enough in the lives of these families for me to take full value of what they had to say. That sounds really harsh, but I know what it means to go deep and I know that you can't know unless you do.
I'm still trying to process this feeling. I know South Africa. I know the kids. I know their stories. I know how the government operates, how the culture operates. I know the messy history and how that affects the people today. I know the social problems, the roots of them. I don't know this place. And not knowing this place but watching the kids beg on the streets was one of the hardest things I have had to experience. Everything happens on the streets and I have no idea what that means.
We arrived in Singapore two Thursdays ago. Singapore is pretty crazy. It's just a big island-city-country filled with people from all over the world. It's quite a beautiful city, but extremely hot. Sweaty Singapore. The interesting thing about Singapore is everyone has a home. Apparently there's no such thing as homelessness.
It's been really nice to spend time with Will's parents. And it has been really fun to operate as a family unit. Hoff clan. I especially get a kick out of it when we're cruising around Singapore in a little bike posse. It's how we get around. We've been doing a lot of fun, yet simple things while we've been here. Riding bikes, swimming in the pool, enjoying different types of restaurants (Turkish, Mexican, Indian, etc), exploring.
Will, Thom, and I got the opportunity to spend 4 days in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This is home of the famous Angkor Wat temple, as well as many other famous ancient temples. We had a fantastic time!
The most interesting part about Cambodia for me (and the most challenging) were the street children and the way I battled with how to care for them, especially after being in Africa and being so comfortable and confident with how to do it there. My eyes were first opened to this on the first night. We were eating dinner at a hawkers and many children were trying to sell us postcards and bracelets. We didn't want them and continued, exhaustively, to say so. The children were very persistent and clever and continued to stand at our table and watch us eat. They then began asking us to buy them food. Not feeling comfortable saying no to this without knowing the children's situation, I eventually asked them were they slept. They looked startled and went very quiet. When I asked again, they took off around the corner and never came back. We came to realize later that these kids belonged to the women at the hawkers and that's just how the system worked.
It's really difficult being in an extremely poor and desperate place and knowing the culture and systems, but then going to a completely foreign place, with no understanding of the children, their poverty, and their stories. I really battled with this.
My next difficult encounter occurred much later that night. We were going back to our hostel late in the evening, around midnight, and a child literally jumped into my arms. He latched his legs around my waist and he wasn't letting go. He looked to be around 5 or 6 years old. He wanted me to buy him food. There were other children and Will and Thom were trying to communicate with them. Using our best investigatory skills that we learned in Africa, we found out the little guy lived very far away and couldn't just walk home. As Will is trying to talk to an older kid and convince him my little friend had to get home and we'd pay for a way to get him home, I stood by helplessly as an old granny walked up to me, quickly smacked the little boy a few times until he cried, then without words spoken, leave. Another young girl came and yelled a few words at him then walked away. I was completely lost, but my heart was aching. I've never felt so helpless and so lost. We just didn't know what to do. Will and Thom made the decision to just leave. I couldn't make that decision; my heart just hurt so much for him. Why was he out so late? Did he have parents? Is this a scam? I just didn't know what to think. I pried him off and we walked away feeling very heavy.
We talked later to the Canadian couple that owned our hostel. They said most of the children are scammers, especially in such a touristy city. They said some are authentic in their need, but they are very hard to find and it's very hard to figure out who they are. I wasn't convinced, though, that they had gone deep enough in the lives of these families for me to take full value of what they had to say. That sounds really harsh, but I know what it means to go deep and I know that you can't know unless you do.
I'm still trying to process this feeling. I know South Africa. I know the kids. I know their stories. I know how the government operates, how the culture operates. I know the messy history and how that affects the people today. I know the social problems, the roots of them. I don't know this place. And not knowing this place but watching the kids beg on the streets was one of the hardest things I have had to experience. Everything happens on the streets and I have no idea what that means.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Au Revoir RDC
So our time in the DRC came and went rather quickly. Strange to say that considering I've never seen my life move more slowly. I was even noticing one day when I was walking to the kitchen to do something, and even my pace to the kitchen was brutally slow. Life just seems to move slower. We honestly spent the majority of the time cooking, reading, eating, planning meals, and sleeping. Erick was busy in a training so there really wasn't much opportunity to get out.
After many days of not doing much, we planned out our last day. We were going to start in the morning at Kikula market, looking for fabrics and any other DRC treats. We were then going to visit the care centre in the afternoon and do home visits with the care workers. Yes, a well-planned day. Thom will get a nice community experience. And then Will and Thom woke up very ill. They lied around all day and decided they weren't well enough to carry out the plan. So Todd, Katie, and I did. We didn't spend long in the market, which was unfortunate. I love the markets. I could spend hours looking at fabrics. It feels like a bookstore to me; I'm scared if I leave before I look at everything, I'll miss a treasure. But I had to hurry on. But I did have time to stop and buy a Congolese Moo-Moo. So sweet. We walked to the care centre and were greeted warmly by the kids. This is the same community I blogged about earlier. It was so special to be there again. I was amazed to see the kids remember the songs we sang with them that last day. The English songs. I think the most beautiful part of that place is just the community the kids have formed. Parentless, some abandoned, children. The centre is a safe place for them to come together and be together. They know each other's names, they know where one another is if not at the centre. They eat together, play together, sing together, pray together. It's a really beautiful thing to be a part of.
We decided we needed to get Thom and Will tested for Malaria so arranged for a doctor to come to the house. After a lot of confusion and miscommunication, Will and Thom also ended up in Kikula at Pastor Jacob's house. The doctor came with his little Malaria tests. I'm quite familiar with this particular test. It's just a quick test that requires you to prick the finger, put in one of the spots and put solution in the other. If two lines show up, Malaria. So the doctor began by pricking Will's finger and putting it in the spot where the solution is supposed to go. He then pricked Thom's finger (using a different needle) and proceeded to drip his blood also in the spot where the solution is supposed to go. He then sat and waited. I've used these tests before and I know nothing will happen without the solution. I tried to talk to him in my very good French about the test and where the blood is supposed to go and where the solution is supposed to go. But the conversation ended with me saying, "You know." Of which I knew he didn't, but questioning authority here doesn't happen. So we waited. And then finally he pricked Thom's finger again and started to drip the blood in the correct spot on WILL'S test. Thom stopped him quickly. Disaster diverted. So now on each test there is blood in the solution spot and the blood spot. And we waited a bit more. He then dug up some sort of fluid in his bag and put some in both the blood spot and the solution spot. Will's test started magically working (imagine) and came up negative. Thom's took much, much longer. He said Thom's blood was too thick so it didn't move, but the rest of us knew blood dries out quickly and was probably clotted already. So eventually both came up negative and the doctor prescribed Will to drink coffee to bring down his blood pressure. But we're positive Will has Malaria so we're starting him on treatment anyway.
So I'm writing this on our last night here. Thom is fast asleep already and I'm sitting in the living room enjoying the company of Todd, Katie, and Will in candlelight. Power cuts are pretty classic here. We've been quite lucky and have been without power cuts for the last 4 or 5 days, but on our last night, what would be a proper send-off than candlelight.
Oh, and for Todd's sake I must say I burnt the cookies today.
We will stay Thursday night in Luanshya, Friday night in Lusaka, and Saturday and Sunday night in Livingstone. We arrive in South Africa on Monday.
That's all for now.
[Wrote this blog on Wednesday night, but posting now. We are in Livinstone. We decided to do the whole trip from Luanshya in one day. Loving it! Oh and Thom and Will are without Malaria. All is well]
After many days of not doing much, we planned out our last day. We were going to start in the morning at Kikula market, looking for fabrics and any other DRC treats. We were then going to visit the care centre in the afternoon and do home visits with the care workers. Yes, a well-planned day. Thom will get a nice community experience. And then Will and Thom woke up very ill. They lied around all day and decided they weren't well enough to carry out the plan. So Todd, Katie, and I did. We didn't spend long in the market, which was unfortunate. I love the markets. I could spend hours looking at fabrics. It feels like a bookstore to me; I'm scared if I leave before I look at everything, I'll miss a treasure. But I had to hurry on. But I did have time to stop and buy a Congolese Moo-Moo. So sweet. We walked to the care centre and were greeted warmly by the kids. This is the same community I blogged about earlier. It was so special to be there again. I was amazed to see the kids remember the songs we sang with them that last day. The English songs. I think the most beautiful part of that place is just the community the kids have formed. Parentless, some abandoned, children. The centre is a safe place for them to come together and be together. They know each other's names, they know where one another is if not at the centre. They eat together, play together, sing together, pray together. It's a really beautiful thing to be a part of.
We decided we needed to get Thom and Will tested for Malaria so arranged for a doctor to come to the house. After a lot of confusion and miscommunication, Will and Thom also ended up in Kikula at Pastor Jacob's house. The doctor came with his little Malaria tests. I'm quite familiar with this particular test. It's just a quick test that requires you to prick the finger, put in one of the spots and put solution in the other. If two lines show up, Malaria. So the doctor began by pricking Will's finger and putting it in the spot where the solution is supposed to go. He then pricked Thom's finger (using a different needle) and proceeded to drip his blood also in the spot where the solution is supposed to go. He then sat and waited. I've used these tests before and I know nothing will happen without the solution. I tried to talk to him in my very good French about the test and where the blood is supposed to go and where the solution is supposed to go. But the conversation ended with me saying, "You know." Of which I knew he didn't, but questioning authority here doesn't happen. So we waited. And then finally he pricked Thom's finger again and started to drip the blood in the correct spot on WILL'S test. Thom stopped him quickly. Disaster diverted. So now on each test there is blood in the solution spot and the blood spot. And we waited a bit more. He then dug up some sort of fluid in his bag and put some in both the blood spot and the solution spot. Will's test started magically working (imagine) and came up negative. Thom's took much, much longer. He said Thom's blood was too thick so it didn't move, but the rest of us knew blood dries out quickly and was probably clotted already. So eventually both came up negative and the doctor prescribed Will to drink coffee to bring down his blood pressure. But we're positive Will has Malaria so we're starting him on treatment anyway.
So I'm writing this on our last night here. Thom is fast asleep already and I'm sitting in the living room enjoying the company of Todd, Katie, and Will in candlelight. Power cuts are pretty classic here. We've been quite lucky and have been without power cuts for the last 4 or 5 days, but on our last night, what would be a proper send-off than candlelight.
Oh, and for Todd's sake I must say I burnt the cookies today.
We will stay Thursday night in Luanshya, Friday night in Lusaka, and Saturday and Sunday night in Livingstone. We arrive in South Africa on Monday.
That's all for now.
[Wrote this blog on Wednesday night, but posting now. We are in Livinstone. We decided to do the whole trip from Luanshya in one day. Loving it! Oh and Thom and Will are without Malaria. All is well]
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Malawi, The Series Round 3
The high school I attended (and later taught at) in Lloydminster has been building a relationship with the orphaned and vulnerable children attending the school Royie started up in Mngwere, Malawi. The Lloyd school has been learning about Malawi and Hands at Work, raising funds, generating awareness and interest and writing letters. One of the main reasons I visited Malawi was to understand more about the community and the children in the schools so I can bring more information back to my school. I visited all the schools Royie's children are attending. There are three schools in total: Tima (which the Community Based Organisation [CBO] runs out of Royie's church in Mngwere), Milonde 1 and Milonde 2 (government schools). Tima CBO takes the children for the first 2 years in order to get them adjusted to school, to keep closer tabs on them, and build good skills and passion for school. Royie's first group of kids he started with in Tima CBO have just entered the government school this year. After Grade 2, the children attend Milonde 2 which runs up to Grade 6, and then further onto Milonde 1 which goes up to Grade 8. After that, one of the best Secondary Schools in the country is very near, but many don't make it there.
To understand the schools a bit better, I spent a whole day interviewing teachers, principals and children. This is what they had to say.
Principals:
[The headmaster of the school and head teacher spoke about their school, successes, and challenges.]
We teach 9 subjects: English, Maths, Chichewa (local language), Science & Technology, Social & Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts (music, dance, games, drama), Life Skills, Agriculture, and Religious Education (including Islam, Christianity, and ADR, their traditional spirituality). We have 804 learners and 11 teachers. Our classes have up to 150 children per 1 or 2 teachers. The government recommends 60 children per teacher, but we just can't manage that. Because of this, we are preaching, not teaching. This is our main challenge. Our classrooms are overcrowded. The rooms are very small and children are sitting on the floor, shoulder to shoulder. Ideally we would want a ratio of 1 teacher to 40 students. We are also short of books. The government sponsors us, but we mostly have to supply our own. We would love to have posting boards to post papers on and demonstrations for teaching, lockers to store learning materials, and desks and chairs for the students. Another challenge is the unreliable water source. We have a seasonal water trap but when it is dried up we have to fetch water over 2 km away. This makes a huge challenge for teachers because it is difficult to keep clean and they often come to school unbathed and with dirty clothes. Other challenges include parents' inability to meet basic needs, lack of permanent and adequate toilets, and no teacher housing (part of the deal of being a teacher is that the government provides houses for you near the school). [One thing I found very interesting is that they never one mentioned or hinted at their salary.]
[I was impressed that these guys spoke so much about their successes. In my experience, mostly challenges are spoken about and successes difficult to come up with.]
We have very hard working teachers and they love their learners very much. They are quick to offer extra classes to ensure their students succeed. Our school always wins competitions against other schools in the district. We won a National Quiz on Aids. Our students won us MK 40,000 (approx $212). Our school sends the most learners in the district to National secondary schools and because of this, pupils come from all over to attend our school. We are also proud that our learners can read and write in Grade 1.
[Because I was curious, I asked about salaries].
Our pay ranges based on the grade we teach. When a teacher first starts out, they are placed in Grade L. They can only move onto the next grade level (and pay scale) by receiving a promotion. The problem with this is that if a teacher completes all the requirements to receive a promotion, but gets denied, they are never allowed to receive a promotion again. The teachers can upgrade themselves to teach at higher levels by going back to school, but they can't afford it.
Grade L pay starts at MK 19,000 per month (approx $100) before deductions. They usually earn a net pay of around MK 15,000 per month (approx $80). A teacher in Grade 8 can earn between MK 40,000 - MK 50,000 per month (approx. $212 - $265). There are very few Grade 8 teachers, though, because the government controls how many are promoted. Too many Grade 8 teachers costs too much. They currently have 1 Grade 8 teacher in their whole district.
Teachers:
[A teacher, Peter, spoke about the kids from Tima CBO and their adjustment to Grade 3 in the government school.]
The children attend regularly. They are average students, they definitely aren't the bottom of the class, despite the unique challenges they face. They were facing many challenges (food, clothing, health, grief, etc.) but Tima CBO has minimized these challenges so the children are better able to focus in school. They interact very well with the other children. They all play well together and aren't stigmatized. As a teacher I face a big challenge of the large numbers of learners and the little learning materials we have. In order to cope with this, we do a lot of group work. Another challenge is that we don't have enough classrooms for all the classes. One of the classes takes place outside under the big tree. During rainy season (Oct - Apr), the class learns in the hall (which is basically outside still, but under a veranda).
Students:
[Interviewed 3 students cared for by the CBO, one of Royie's original students in Grade 3, one student in Grade 6 and another in Grade 7.]
Teleza is an 11 year old girl in Grade 3B. She stays in Mngwere Village with her Granny. She is a very clever girl whose favourite subject is Chichewa and who desires to be a teacher. She loves to play a common Malawian game called Wishu. You use bowls and collect sand. There is a person in the middle that has to fill the bowl with sand while others are trying to hit him/her with a ball. She says her biggest challenge is soap for bathing and writing materials for school. She says she loves school and knows that if she stays in school, she will know how to read and write. She has a field where they have planted maize and beans. They will harvest between June and July and Teleza will be a big part of this harvest. As the Granny gets older, responsibility will fall more and more on Teleza to do the farming. This is the only way they are surviving. From the CBO, Sarah visits her three times a week. Sarah encourages her to go to school. Teleza is very happy when Sarah visits and so is her Granny (she gives a big smile). Her mother passed away when she was 4. When her mother passed away, her father married another woman. He comes sometimes to see her, but really isn't around much. In Malawi, when men marry, they become part of the woman's family and stays with them. When they divorce or the wife dies, the man must go back to his own family. The man can take the children but he will most likely get re-married and the new wife usually treats the children poorly. He knows it is best for the children to stay with the Grandparents. When asked if she's happy, she just smiled and giggled, then proceeded to take me to a bush of flowers to pose in front of as I took her picture.
Felista in 17 years old and stays in Mngwere village with her mother's younger sister, who is 25. She has an older sister who is 19 but she is away doing domestic work for a family in Lilongwe. Royie found Felista in 2009 staying alone in her house, both of her parents had passed away. She was incredibly vulnerable to lonely men and the CBO feared men could come at any time. She was 15 at that time and in Grade 4, but was taken away to work a farm for 1 year. This seems to be common with vulnerable children. Because Mngwere is not a developed or highly educated place, people see it as a place they can get workers. Farmers come into the community and advertise that they want workers and it seems to be children that get taken. Vulnerable children see it as an opportunity until they come back after 1 year and received very little pay. When the CBO found out she was working the farm, they talked to the person that hired her. They were kind enough to allow her to attend school when she wasn't farming. After coming back from working, she stayed with her Aunt and is now attending school at Milonde 1. She says she likes school because she wants to assist all her relatives when she finds work. She says her main challenge is at home. Some days they can't find food and this causes her to struggle with her school work because of her hunger.
Deborah is 14 years old and stays in Mngwere village. She stays with her Granny and her Uncle. She likes school because she wants to be a useful citizen in Malawi and become a nurse. She says she knows people who are sick right now, one of them being her Aunt's daughter. She has been sick for 3 days and Deborah has been helping them fetch water for her bath. She loves to read books in English and does it every opportunity she has, which often isn't much. They struggle with water and she has to fetch water up to 1.5 km away. This usually takes her 1-2 hours, depending on the cue. She says she fetches water because she doesn't want her Granny to be troubled to go. She does this as soon as she comes home from school and as a result has to complete homework during the night with a torch.
All the children spoke highly of their Care Workers from Tima CBO that visit them regularly. The CBO is doing a lot for the children, 165 orphaned and vulnerable children in total. Everyday after school, they come to the Care Centre (Royie's church in the meantime) for a meal. All the children also receive exercise books and pens, uniforms, home visits, and blankets. Many children sleep on the bare, dirt floor which is a huge problem especially in the winter when it gets down to 0 degrees Celcius. The Care Workers also provide homework help for the children at the Centre after school. This is very important (as we learned from Deborah) because the children become very busy fetching water and working the fields as soon as they get home from school. Tima CBO is also providing Grade 1 and 2 classes for 28 children, an additional meal for them, and soap.
To understand the schools a bit better, I spent a whole day interviewing teachers, principals and children. This is what they had to say.
Principals:
[The headmaster of the school and head teacher spoke about their school, successes, and challenges.]
We teach 9 subjects: English, Maths, Chichewa (local language), Science & Technology, Social & Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts (music, dance, games, drama), Life Skills, Agriculture, and Religious Education (including Islam, Christianity, and ADR, their traditional spirituality). We have 804 learners and 11 teachers. Our classes have up to 150 children per 1 or 2 teachers. The government recommends 60 children per teacher, but we just can't manage that. Because of this, we are preaching, not teaching. This is our main challenge. Our classrooms are overcrowded. The rooms are very small and children are sitting on the floor, shoulder to shoulder. Ideally we would want a ratio of 1 teacher to 40 students. We are also short of books. The government sponsors us, but we mostly have to supply our own. We would love to have posting boards to post papers on and demonstrations for teaching, lockers to store learning materials, and desks and chairs for the students. Another challenge is the unreliable water source. We have a seasonal water trap but when it is dried up we have to fetch water over 2 km away. This makes a huge challenge for teachers because it is difficult to keep clean and they often come to school unbathed and with dirty clothes. Other challenges include parents' inability to meet basic needs, lack of permanent and adequate toilets, and no teacher housing (part of the deal of being a teacher is that the government provides houses for you near the school). [One thing I found very interesting is that they never one mentioned or hinted at their salary.]
[I was impressed that these guys spoke so much about their successes. In my experience, mostly challenges are spoken about and successes difficult to come up with.]
We have very hard working teachers and they love their learners very much. They are quick to offer extra classes to ensure their students succeed. Our school always wins competitions against other schools in the district. We won a National Quiz on Aids. Our students won us MK 40,000 (approx $212). Our school sends the most learners in the district to National secondary schools and because of this, pupils come from all over to attend our school. We are also proud that our learners can read and write in Grade 1.
[Because I was curious, I asked about salaries].
Our pay ranges based on the grade we teach. When a teacher first starts out, they are placed in Grade L. They can only move onto the next grade level (and pay scale) by receiving a promotion. The problem with this is that if a teacher completes all the requirements to receive a promotion, but gets denied, they are never allowed to receive a promotion again. The teachers can upgrade themselves to teach at higher levels by going back to school, but they can't afford it.
Grade L pay starts at MK 19,000 per month (approx $100) before deductions. They usually earn a net pay of around MK 15,000 per month (approx $80). A teacher in Grade 8 can earn between MK 40,000 - MK 50,000 per month (approx. $212 - $265). There are very few Grade 8 teachers, though, because the government controls how many are promoted. Too many Grade 8 teachers costs too much. They currently have 1 Grade 8 teacher in their whole district.
Teachers:
[A teacher, Peter, spoke about the kids from Tima CBO and their adjustment to Grade 3 in the government school.]
The children attend regularly. They are average students, they definitely aren't the bottom of the class, despite the unique challenges they face. They were facing many challenges (food, clothing, health, grief, etc.) but Tima CBO has minimized these challenges so the children are better able to focus in school. They interact very well with the other children. They all play well together and aren't stigmatized. As a teacher I face a big challenge of the large numbers of learners and the little learning materials we have. In order to cope with this, we do a lot of group work. Another challenge is that we don't have enough classrooms for all the classes. One of the classes takes place outside under the big tree. During rainy season (Oct - Apr), the class learns in the hall (which is basically outside still, but under a veranda).
Students:
[Interviewed 3 students cared for by the CBO, one of Royie's original students in Grade 3, one student in Grade 6 and another in Grade 7.]
Teleza is an 11 year old girl in Grade 3B. She stays in Mngwere Village with her Granny. She is a very clever girl whose favourite subject is Chichewa and who desires to be a teacher. She loves to play a common Malawian game called Wishu. You use bowls and collect sand. There is a person in the middle that has to fill the bowl with sand while others are trying to hit him/her with a ball. She says her biggest challenge is soap for bathing and writing materials for school. She says she loves school and knows that if she stays in school, she will know how to read and write. She has a field where they have planted maize and beans. They will harvest between June and July and Teleza will be a big part of this harvest. As the Granny gets older, responsibility will fall more and more on Teleza to do the farming. This is the only way they are surviving. From the CBO, Sarah visits her three times a week. Sarah encourages her to go to school. Teleza is very happy when Sarah visits and so is her Granny (she gives a big smile). Her mother passed away when she was 4. When her mother passed away, her father married another woman. He comes sometimes to see her, but really isn't around much. In Malawi, when men marry, they become part of the woman's family and stays with them. When they divorce or the wife dies, the man must go back to his own family. The man can take the children but he will most likely get re-married and the new wife usually treats the children poorly. He knows it is best for the children to stay with the Grandparents. When asked if she's happy, she just smiled and giggled, then proceeded to take me to a bush of flowers to pose in front of as I took her picture.
Felista in 17 years old and stays in Mngwere village with her mother's younger sister, who is 25. She has an older sister who is 19 but she is away doing domestic work for a family in Lilongwe. Royie found Felista in 2009 staying alone in her house, both of her parents had passed away. She was incredibly vulnerable to lonely men and the CBO feared men could come at any time. She was 15 at that time and in Grade 4, but was taken away to work a farm for 1 year. This seems to be common with vulnerable children. Because Mngwere is not a developed or highly educated place, people see it as a place they can get workers. Farmers come into the community and advertise that they want workers and it seems to be children that get taken. Vulnerable children see it as an opportunity until they come back after 1 year and received very little pay. When the CBO found out she was working the farm, they talked to the person that hired her. They were kind enough to allow her to attend school when she wasn't farming. After coming back from working, she stayed with her Aunt and is now attending school at Milonde 1. She says she likes school because she wants to assist all her relatives when she finds work. She says her main challenge is at home. Some days they can't find food and this causes her to struggle with her school work because of her hunger.
Deborah is 14 years old and stays in Mngwere village. She stays with her Granny and her Uncle. She likes school because she wants to be a useful citizen in Malawi and become a nurse. She says she knows people who are sick right now, one of them being her Aunt's daughter. She has been sick for 3 days and Deborah has been helping them fetch water for her bath. She loves to read books in English and does it every opportunity she has, which often isn't much. They struggle with water and she has to fetch water up to 1.5 km away. This usually takes her 1-2 hours, depending on the cue. She says she fetches water because she doesn't want her Granny to be troubled to go. She does this as soon as she comes home from school and as a result has to complete homework during the night with a torch.
All the children spoke highly of their Care Workers from Tima CBO that visit them regularly. The CBO is doing a lot for the children, 165 orphaned and vulnerable children in total. Everyday after school, they come to the Care Centre (Royie's church in the meantime) for a meal. All the children also receive exercise books and pens, uniforms, home visits, and blankets. Many children sleep on the bare, dirt floor which is a huge problem especially in the winter when it gets down to 0 degrees Celcius. The Care Workers also provide homework help for the children at the Centre after school. This is very important (as we learned from Deborah) because the children become very busy fetching water and working the fields as soon as they get home from school. Tima CBO is also providing Grade 1 and 2 classes for 28 children, an additional meal for them, and soap.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Bonjour! Je pense ... je suis ici.
Greetings from the Democratic Republic of the Congo!
I arrived here on May 6 with Willis and his brother TCat. This place is hectically crazy but it's nice to have Will (who lived here for 5 months last year) to direct us around. It's just nice to have those boys in general. So entertaining. Will has the dirtiest feet in the history of dirty feet and Thom is rocking the Orlando pony.
So far we've been doing nothing. It's been nice. Just hanging out. Yesterday we went to Kikula, a community just outside of Likasi (the town we're staying in). Kikula is caring for 50 orphans and vulnerable children, visiting them regularly in their homes and feeding them 6 days a week. We arrived around 1:30 pm and stayed until 5:00 pm. Doesn't sound like very long, but it felt like eternity. We were so tired by the end. When we first arrived Will, Thom, Carey & Alissa instantly started playing games with kids. Thom invented this French counting game with actions. He would count to 5 in french and on each number he had a different action. I think "un" was a clap, "deux" was hands on lap, "trois" was crossed arms over chest, "quatre" was touching the head, and "cinq" was arms in the air. The kids loved it, I found it entertaining. All round good fun.
I've spent many, many days and hours in communities like this one and my first instinct isn't usually to play with the kids but to sit with the care workers and learn about them and bond with them in the kitchen. This is what I did. But the Congo wasn't colonized by English people. Their native tongue is Swahili but the colonial language is French. There were 3 care workers in the kitchen and only one could speak a bit of French. It was quite nice because I'm not fluent and neither was she so our conversation was a series of simple sentences and head nods. It was really fun to practice my french ... I'm actually really surprised how much I've retained from Chabot's classes 7 years ago. The most difficult part about trying to bring my french back is that I've learned multiple languages after that and usually resort to one of these languages when searching my mind for the right word. Spanish (University), Siswati (SA), Shangaan (SA/Moz), Bemba (Zambia), Chichewa (Malawi).
Mama Deda, the coordinator of the program for the kids, made us play game after game with the kids and sing song after song for the kids. We were seriously running out of things to do. Erick was supposed to fetch us at 4, so we figured we only had to run a few things, but when it became later and later, we feared there would be no end. Alissa and I tried to think of every camp song possible and Thom and Will also dove into their camp songs. I had to resort eventually to songs like Little Bunny Fufu (which I didn't remember anything past "bopping them on the head" and was forced to stop), MM-NN went the Little Green Frog (which didn't really last long so tried to make up verses past the first and failed miserably when what came to mind was "Bam Bam went the Rabbit" of which didn't go well with the rhythm and was so funny to me I couldn't contine). We sang Jesus Loves Me, the Banana Song (3 times), Tarzan, Funky Chicken (twice with new and improved actions), and Petite Poisson. We played Duck Duck Chicken (Alissa didn't know Swahili word for Goose) and that was a HUGE hit ... until the kids started cheating and cutting through the circle. Poor Thom just couldn't make it back to the space before any of the kids...
We're here in the Congo for two weeks and don't really have much planned. We will probably just visit communities and hang out and explore as much as we can without getting harrassed by the Yellow Fever (what Erick calls the police here.. they wear full yellow outfits and yellow hats).
But speaking of harrassment, just want to love on all the Mothers out there! In particular want to send love to the mothers in my life: Pauline, Kimmy, Helen, Jessica, Trish, Grandma G,B,D, and Aliah. I love you all! Hope you enjoy this special day and take pride in all those years of worry, tears, and sacrificial love.
Prayer:
Please pray for Katie who got Malaria and left the Congo early to receive proper treatment in South Africa. Pray for quick recovery and for their insurance to come through.
Please pray for Kelvin (our bookkeeper at Hands). He got Cerebral Malaria, which is the most serious kind. He's currently in the ICU at our nearby hospital in South Africa.
Also pray for me on a less serious note. I've had a cold for over 2 weeks now and just can't shake it. When I think it is getting better and almost gone, it just kicks in again.
Thanks.
Much love.
I arrived here on May 6 with Willis and his brother TCat. This place is hectically crazy but it's nice to have Will (who lived here for 5 months last year) to direct us around. It's just nice to have those boys in general. So entertaining. Will has the dirtiest feet in the history of dirty feet and Thom is rocking the Orlando pony.
So far we've been doing nothing. It's been nice. Just hanging out. Yesterday we went to Kikula, a community just outside of Likasi (the town we're staying in). Kikula is caring for 50 orphans and vulnerable children, visiting them regularly in their homes and feeding them 6 days a week. We arrived around 1:30 pm and stayed until 5:00 pm. Doesn't sound like very long, but it felt like eternity. We were so tired by the end. When we first arrived Will, Thom, Carey & Alissa instantly started playing games with kids. Thom invented this French counting game with actions. He would count to 5 in french and on each number he had a different action. I think "un" was a clap, "deux" was hands on lap, "trois" was crossed arms over chest, "quatre" was touching the head, and "cinq" was arms in the air. The kids loved it, I found it entertaining. All round good fun.
I've spent many, many days and hours in communities like this one and my first instinct isn't usually to play with the kids but to sit with the care workers and learn about them and bond with them in the kitchen. This is what I did. But the Congo wasn't colonized by English people. Their native tongue is Swahili but the colonial language is French. There were 3 care workers in the kitchen and only one could speak a bit of French. It was quite nice because I'm not fluent and neither was she so our conversation was a series of simple sentences and head nods. It was really fun to practice my french ... I'm actually really surprised how much I've retained from Chabot's classes 7 years ago. The most difficult part about trying to bring my french back is that I've learned multiple languages after that and usually resort to one of these languages when searching my mind for the right word. Spanish (University), Siswati (SA), Shangaan (SA/Moz), Bemba (Zambia), Chichewa (Malawi).
Mama Deda, the coordinator of the program for the kids, made us play game after game with the kids and sing song after song for the kids. We were seriously running out of things to do. Erick was supposed to fetch us at 4, so we figured we only had to run a few things, but when it became later and later, we feared there would be no end. Alissa and I tried to think of every camp song possible and Thom and Will also dove into their camp songs. I had to resort eventually to songs like Little Bunny Fufu (which I didn't remember anything past "bopping them on the head" and was forced to stop), MM-NN went the Little Green Frog (which didn't really last long so tried to make up verses past the first and failed miserably when what came to mind was "Bam Bam went the Rabbit" of which didn't go well with the rhythm and was so funny to me I couldn't contine). We sang Jesus Loves Me, the Banana Song (3 times), Tarzan, Funky Chicken (twice with new and improved actions), and Petite Poisson. We played Duck Duck Chicken (Alissa didn't know Swahili word for Goose) and that was a HUGE hit ... until the kids started cheating and cutting through the circle. Poor Thom just couldn't make it back to the space before any of the kids...
We're here in the Congo for two weeks and don't really have much planned. We will probably just visit communities and hang out and explore as much as we can without getting harrassed by the Yellow Fever (what Erick calls the police here.. they wear full yellow outfits and yellow hats).
But speaking of harrassment, just want to love on all the Mothers out there! In particular want to send love to the mothers in my life: Pauline, Kimmy, Helen, Jessica, Trish, Grandma G,B,D, and Aliah. I love you all! Hope you enjoy this special day and take pride in all those years of worry, tears, and sacrificial love.
Prayer:
Please pray for Katie who got Malaria and left the Congo early to receive proper treatment in South Africa. Pray for quick recovery and for their insurance to come through.
Please pray for Kelvin (our bookkeeper at Hands). He got Cerebral Malaria, which is the most serious kind. He's currently in the ICU at our nearby hospital in South Africa.
Also pray for me on a less serious note. I've had a cold for over 2 weeks now and just can't shake it. When I think it is getting better and almost gone, it just kicks in again.
Thanks.
Much love.
Malawi, The Series Round 2
Last time on Malawi, The Series:
Maize fields, long walking, precious family, lots of love.
So to continue with my update on Malawi I choose to discuss the topics of bathing, eating, electricity, and mosquitoes.
If you have been following my blogs regularly, you know by now that I am not an avid bather. But when you are not in control of your life (being hosted by the most hospitable people on the planet), you change. Vailet made me a bath twice a day. This is not a porcelain tub lined with candles and rose petals, filled with bubbles, rubber duckies and other fun bath toys. This is a small basin of extremely hot water placed in a grass hut with a dirt floor and large rocks strategically placed around the floor. These rocks are meant for balancing. The hut had a blue mosquito net placed over the door for privacy ... on non-windy days. Baths are basically a lot of scooping water in hand and splashing. But honestly, these are my favourite types of baths. I'm planning to have a bath basin in my bathroom.
Overly hospitable people can at times be stressful, especially in terms of food. And not just the amount I am forced to eat, but also knowing that the most hospitable families are usually families that are too generous for their own economic capacity. I would get this incredible spread every meal (4 a day) and the kids would get a half piece of dry bread. Hard to swallow that. It was not physically possible to ingest all the food I had ingested.
Common breakfast: 3 giant buns with 1 inch spread of margarine, 2 bananas, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 cups of coffee. One time she made homemade deep-fried potato wedges and popcorn for breakfast. She filled my bowl with wedges and I ate very slowly, hoping the elapsed time would display the fill of my stomach. As soon as I finished, she tried to fill my bowl again. After explaining I'm full and her responding, "You have long journey", she filled my bowl. When she left, I put most of it back in the main bowl and continued to test my elapsed-time theory. When she returned and found my bowl nearly empty, she filled again. And then brought me a giant bowl of popcorn. There's no winning. Breakfast, lunch (which included 3 full plates of rice), tea at 5 pm (which included anther 3 giant buns with margarine and 2 cups of coffee), and supper. One time we had fried chicken for supper and in total I ate 6 pieces of chicken, along with the mountain of Nsima and veggies.
The house had no electricity. No one had electricity. When it got dark at 6 pm the candles would come out. Difficult to use the toilet (literally a small hole 8 inches in diameter) on a windy day with a candle. Step outside, candle instantly out, proceed to aim. One thing they did have that gave a tiny bit of light was a wire hanging around the house with mini flashlight bulbs hooked to a battery. It made it look really nice, actually.
Mosquitoes were the worst I had ever seen. The first night they were all in my net with me so I tried to sleep under the blankets but you know how that goes. It gets so hot and stuffy so you try to make a small breathing hole but know the mosquitoes can smell your lips so you continue to suffer. I'm honestly surprised I don't have malaria. If I was to get it anywhere, should've been there.
Next round of the series we'll explore the communities and schools I visited.
Maize fields, long walking, precious family, lots of love.
So to continue with my update on Malawi I choose to discuss the topics of bathing, eating, electricity, and mosquitoes.
If you have been following my blogs regularly, you know by now that I am not an avid bather. But when you are not in control of your life (being hosted by the most hospitable people on the planet), you change. Vailet made me a bath twice a day. This is not a porcelain tub lined with candles and rose petals, filled with bubbles, rubber duckies and other fun bath toys. This is a small basin of extremely hot water placed in a grass hut with a dirt floor and large rocks strategically placed around the floor. These rocks are meant for balancing. The hut had a blue mosquito net placed over the door for privacy ... on non-windy days. Baths are basically a lot of scooping water in hand and splashing. But honestly, these are my favourite types of baths. I'm planning to have a bath basin in my bathroom.
Overly hospitable people can at times be stressful, especially in terms of food. And not just the amount I am forced to eat, but also knowing that the most hospitable families are usually families that are too generous for their own economic capacity. I would get this incredible spread every meal (4 a day) and the kids would get a half piece of dry bread. Hard to swallow that. It was not physically possible to ingest all the food I had ingested.
Common breakfast: 3 giant buns with 1 inch spread of margarine, 2 bananas, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 cups of coffee. One time she made homemade deep-fried potato wedges and popcorn for breakfast. She filled my bowl with wedges and I ate very slowly, hoping the elapsed time would display the fill of my stomach. As soon as I finished, she tried to fill my bowl again. After explaining I'm full and her responding, "You have long journey", she filled my bowl. When she left, I put most of it back in the main bowl and continued to test my elapsed-time theory. When she returned and found my bowl nearly empty, she filled again. And then brought me a giant bowl of popcorn. There's no winning. Breakfast, lunch (which included 3 full plates of rice), tea at 5 pm (which included anther 3 giant buns with margarine and 2 cups of coffee), and supper. One time we had fried chicken for supper and in total I ate 6 pieces of chicken, along with the mountain of Nsima and veggies.
The house had no electricity. No one had electricity. When it got dark at 6 pm the candles would come out. Difficult to use the toilet (literally a small hole 8 inches in diameter) on a windy day with a candle. Step outside, candle instantly out, proceed to aim. One thing they did have that gave a tiny bit of light was a wire hanging around the house with mini flashlight bulbs hooked to a battery. It made it look really nice, actually.
Mosquitoes were the worst I had ever seen. The first night they were all in my net with me so I tried to sleep under the blankets but you know how that goes. It gets so hot and stuffy so you try to make a small breathing hole but know the mosquitoes can smell your lips so you continue to suffer. I'm honestly surprised I don't have malaria. If I was to get it anywhere, should've been there.
Next round of the series we'll explore the communities and schools I visited.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Malawi, The Series.
A few things have happened since last time I posted: Celebrations in Zambia, our first Hands wedding (where both parties met through Hands - mine is the second), and Malawi.
I have much to say about 7 days in Malawi but don't want to make you read 100 pages at once so instead I'll write a series of blogs and make you read 100 pages over a period of time. I hope pictures will come at some point.
I arrived on 26 April. It was a fun and interesting journey, mostly because I did it all on my own. Big for me. I left my house in SA at 5 am on Monday, took the Bug to Johannesburg, got on a flight, landed in Lusaka Zambia, stayed the night and caught a bus the next morning. The bus took me to Chipata. I got on a taxi which took me to the border, I crossed, then got on another taxi to Mchiji and then another taxi to Lilongwe where I finally met up with Royie. We then travelled together to his beautiful home deep in the moutnains and maize fields of Mngwere. This place is much more rural than I could have imagined. It is literally winding footpahts through tall grass and maize. Everyone travels by foot or by bike if you are fortunate. Royie and I had to walk 9 km to work each day. One way.
But the thing that burns in my heart the most to share now is Royie's family. I fell in love with them and couldn't part without tears. Every second of every day I was deeply moved by the beauty of their family. Royie stays with his wife, Vailet, and their 7 children, ranging from 3 to 24. The two eldest girls (Chimwewe, 24, and Ireen, 22) are married with children and have their own houses on Royie's plot. In Malawian culture, when a woman marries, the man joins the woman's family. A very matriarchal society. Royie and Vailet have been married 31 years but to watch Vailet giggle as she chats with him you would think it has been 3. She's such a good companion and helper to him. As I approach my wedding, I loved watching her and the way she brings life into the home.
I think my favourite part of staying with the family was sitting in the kitchen (an outdoor room with a dirt floor and a spot to build a fire) with Vailet, Chimwewe, and Ireen. These three beautiful women would be preparing meals for their own family and would do it together with such joy. They would chat and laugh and sing together. They truly loved each other's company. It just made me see the specialness in raising families together and remaining together through all stages of life.
I'll stop here but on the next entry I need to describe their home, where I bathed (loooved it), the simple but tough way in which they live, the things I did and places I saw, how much coffee I drank, bread I ate and how many baths I took.
Before I end, just a huge shout out to Elizabeth. I missed your birthday. I'm sorry. Happy 6th!
Much love.
I have much to say about 7 days in Malawi but don't want to make you read 100 pages at once so instead I'll write a series of blogs and make you read 100 pages over a period of time. I hope pictures will come at some point.
I arrived on 26 April. It was a fun and interesting journey, mostly because I did it all on my own. Big for me. I left my house in SA at 5 am on Monday, took the Bug to Johannesburg, got on a flight, landed in Lusaka Zambia, stayed the night and caught a bus the next morning. The bus took me to Chipata. I got on a taxi which took me to the border, I crossed, then got on another taxi to Mchiji and then another taxi to Lilongwe where I finally met up with Royie. We then travelled together to his beautiful home deep in the moutnains and maize fields of Mngwere. This place is much more rural than I could have imagined. It is literally winding footpahts through tall grass and maize. Everyone travels by foot or by bike if you are fortunate. Royie and I had to walk 9 km to work each day. One way.
But the thing that burns in my heart the most to share now is Royie's family. I fell in love with them and couldn't part without tears. Every second of every day I was deeply moved by the beauty of their family. Royie stays with his wife, Vailet, and their 7 children, ranging from 3 to 24. The two eldest girls (Chimwewe, 24, and Ireen, 22) are married with children and have their own houses on Royie's plot. In Malawian culture, when a woman marries, the man joins the woman's family. A very matriarchal society. Royie and Vailet have been married 31 years but to watch Vailet giggle as she chats with him you would think it has been 3. She's such a good companion and helper to him. As I approach my wedding, I loved watching her and the way she brings life into the home.
I think my favourite part of staying with the family was sitting in the kitchen (an outdoor room with a dirt floor and a spot to build a fire) with Vailet, Chimwewe, and Ireen. These three beautiful women would be preparing meals for their own family and would do it together with such joy. They would chat and laugh and sing together. They truly loved each other's company. It just made me see the specialness in raising families together and remaining together through all stages of life.
I'll stop here but on the next entry I need to describe their home, where I bathed (loooved it), the simple but tough way in which they live, the things I did and places I saw, how much coffee I drank, bread I ate and how many baths I took.
Before I end, just a huge shout out to Elizabeth. I missed your birthday. I'm sorry. Happy 6th!
Much love.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Long Bus Rides
Hey everyone.
Today I officially wrapped up my work in South Africa. Tomorrow at 3 am I begin my big adventure.
Here are my dates:
9 Apr - 21 Apr : Luanshya, Zambia (travelling through Zimbabwe by bus, then Botswana by Kombi on way back)
22 Apr - 24 Apr : South Africa (Busie's wedding)
25 Apr - 3 May : Dedza, Malawi (flying to Lusaka then busing to Dedza)
3 May : WILL & THOM ARRIVE IN LUSAKA!
4 May - 19 May : Likasi, Democratic Republic of Congo (Kristal, Will, and Thom)
19 May - 22 May : Travels back to South Africa via Zambia, Botswana
23 May - 31 May : Final Good-byes in South Africa
1 Jun - 16 Jun : Singapore/Cambodia
16 Jun - Arrive in Calgary, Canada
I've been looking forward to the start of this adventure for a long time, and now it's here! I leave in 4 hours and haven't started to sleep yet. That's unfortunate considering it's a 28 hr bus ride. But I made caramel popcorn for the bus ride so I'm sure that will give me a little kick and entertainment at some point.
Zambia is going to be fantastic! The Regional Celebration is happening, which normally is just a family gathering and celebration of the 3 countries represented in the region (Zambia, DRC, Malawi) but this time all the countries will be represented (South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, DRC, Malawi, Nigeria). Most of these people I haven't seen since 2009. It's always such a powerful, beautiful time. Passionate and anointed people from all across Africa coming together to share in God's goodness from within the daily suffering and trials of the work with orphans and vulnerable children.
It's going to be amazing!
Not sure the best way to contact me during this all. Probably e-mail. And not facebook. kristalgadsby@gmail.com
I'll try to keep you all updated, especially with contact details.
Much love!
Today I officially wrapped up my work in South Africa. Tomorrow at 3 am I begin my big adventure.
Here are my dates:
9 Apr - 21 Apr : Luanshya, Zambia (travelling through Zimbabwe by bus, then Botswana by Kombi on way back)
22 Apr - 24 Apr : South Africa (Busie's wedding)
25 Apr - 3 May : Dedza, Malawi (flying to Lusaka then busing to Dedza)
3 May : WILL & THOM ARRIVE IN LUSAKA!
4 May - 19 May : Likasi, Democratic Republic of Congo (Kristal, Will, and Thom)
19 May - 22 May : Travels back to South Africa via Zambia, Botswana
23 May - 31 May : Final Good-byes in South Africa
1 Jun - 16 Jun : Singapore/Cambodia
16 Jun - Arrive in Calgary, Canada
I've been looking forward to the start of this adventure for a long time, and now it's here! I leave in 4 hours and haven't started to sleep yet. That's unfortunate considering it's a 28 hr bus ride. But I made caramel popcorn for the bus ride so I'm sure that will give me a little kick and entertainment at some point.
Zambia is going to be fantastic! The Regional Celebration is happening, which normally is just a family gathering and celebration of the 3 countries represented in the region (Zambia, DRC, Malawi) but this time all the countries will be represented (South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, DRC, Malawi, Nigeria). Most of these people I haven't seen since 2009. It's always such a powerful, beautiful time. Passionate and anointed people from all across Africa coming together to share in God's goodness from within the daily suffering and trials of the work with orphans and vulnerable children.
It's going to be amazing!
Not sure the best way to contact me during this all. Probably e-mail. And not facebook. kristalgadsby@gmail.com
I'll try to keep you all updated, especially with contact details.
Much love!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Sushi for Breakfast
I know, I know, it’s been a while and for that I am sorry. This last little while has been hectic, but how is that different than any other period of time in my African life. I’ve finally come to an understanding of why it’s so difficult for me to blog. How easy would it be for you to blog regularly about life in Canada? When a routine is set up, there doesn’t really feel like there’s anything new and eventful and worthy of reading updates on. So, that’s sort of how I feel. This has been my life for three years and it’s become so normal to me, it’s difficult to see anything interesting to write about.
Now that being said, this has been my life for three years, and soon it is coming to an end. Next week is my last official week of work (in relation to my responsibilities in South Africa). I leave on April 10th for Zambia and then Malawi until Will arrives at the beginning of May. Then we go to Congo and then head east to the Asian part of the world.
I was fortunate to have our Family Celebrations during my last weeks. It was a 3 day celebration of Hands in South Africa and Swaziland. We’ve been planning this sucker for months so it was exciting, enriching, beautiful and slightly stressful. And now that it’s over, I’m a bit relieved. We had 5 people from every community come, plus all of us at Hands, plus other outside friends and partners. In total, we had 121 people. It was a really big ordeal, but just so beautiful to see a giant tent full of people loving God, dancing, learning, sharing, interacting, growing. The theme was “Going Deeper in Christ” and we saw some incredible things happen! We felt so strongly that God wanted to bring people back to Him and there was a very powerful time when people gave their lives to Him! It was also nice because it was all the people I spent 3 years serving, so it was a nice way to end my time in South Africa.
It’s strange how at peace I feel about this transition, and honestly speaking this peace has only come in the last couple weeks. When you invest yourself for 3 years in something, how do you just leave it? How do you feel at peace with leaving with what was invested in you for 3 years? It’s tough, but I need to remember that this is God’s work and He is the one that has invested in me here. He hasn’t invested in me to just stay here, but He also has more out there for me. It’s all one big project. One big Kingdom project. It feels like my role here is naturally closing off, which is great. I’ve spent the last month investing in and teaching two incredible women (Lise and Elise – talk about confusing for the African people ... and then put them together in the same team.. disaster). Lise is a teacher from Edmonton and Elise is a dance teacher from Calgary. I met Lise at Missionsfest last February and instantly developed a crush on her. It’s been such a blast to just hang out with these ladies every day and I feel fully confident in the impact they will make. They are different and offer different things and the season for what I offer has ended. It’s their season now. Wow, that’s really neat.
Oh! I almost forgot! Last weekend I entered in a Trail Run. It was organized by an adventure place just near where I stay. It was 10km and of course being a flatlander, I had no idea what a trail run was. All our trails are flat. But soon I discovered it’s a hike, but running. I felt a bit adventurous so agreed. I’ve never entered any kind of race before in my life, except for Track & Field in Jr. High, but that doesn’t count. I do my usual weekly exercises, which include two days of some form of cardio, but I really wasn’t trained for it at all. And even if running is part of my cardio for that week, it’s usually around 30 minutes or 6 km. (It used to be 8, but after I visited Canada and was a big lazy bum, I had to start all over). Long story short, I ran and I won. Placed first. Seriously. I even won money! It’s something I think I’d like to continue doing. And Will likes to think I’m going to run for our living next year..
But, really, I need to find a job. Will and I are residing in Calgary starting September so if anyone knows of a job I’d be interested in, please let me know! Teaching, working with First Nations people, inner city ministries, coffee shop, comic book store, anything to that like. Just let me know if you think of anything.
Hope all is well with you! I miss you all dearly and I am truly so excited to be back in your lives, to journey with you on a daily basis and just love all over you.
Kristal
PS – The title. As part of preparing for this transition, to really focus on rooting myself, and in anticipation of something big during Celebrations, I decided to do a 5 day fast. I’m currently on Day 5 and get to break it in 1.4 hours. I am stoked. I’ve decided on Sushi. YYYYYUP.
Now that being said, this has been my life for three years, and soon it is coming to an end. Next week is my last official week of work (in relation to my responsibilities in South Africa). I leave on April 10th for Zambia and then Malawi until Will arrives at the beginning of May. Then we go to Congo and then head east to the Asian part of the world.
I was fortunate to have our Family Celebrations during my last weeks. It was a 3 day celebration of Hands in South Africa and Swaziland. We’ve been planning this sucker for months so it was exciting, enriching, beautiful and slightly stressful. And now that it’s over, I’m a bit relieved. We had 5 people from every community come, plus all of us at Hands, plus other outside friends and partners. In total, we had 121 people. It was a really big ordeal, but just so beautiful to see a giant tent full of people loving God, dancing, learning, sharing, interacting, growing. The theme was “Going Deeper in Christ” and we saw some incredible things happen! We felt so strongly that God wanted to bring people back to Him and there was a very powerful time when people gave their lives to Him! It was also nice because it was all the people I spent 3 years serving, so it was a nice way to end my time in South Africa.
It’s strange how at peace I feel about this transition, and honestly speaking this peace has only come in the last couple weeks. When you invest yourself for 3 years in something, how do you just leave it? How do you feel at peace with leaving with what was invested in you for 3 years? It’s tough, but I need to remember that this is God’s work and He is the one that has invested in me here. He hasn’t invested in me to just stay here, but He also has more out there for me. It’s all one big project. One big Kingdom project. It feels like my role here is naturally closing off, which is great. I’ve spent the last month investing in and teaching two incredible women (Lise and Elise – talk about confusing for the African people ... and then put them together in the same team.. disaster). Lise is a teacher from Edmonton and Elise is a dance teacher from Calgary. I met Lise at Missionsfest last February and instantly developed a crush on her. It’s been such a blast to just hang out with these ladies every day and I feel fully confident in the impact they will make. They are different and offer different things and the season for what I offer has ended. It’s their season now. Wow, that’s really neat.
Oh! I almost forgot! Last weekend I entered in a Trail Run. It was organized by an adventure place just near where I stay. It was 10km and of course being a flatlander, I had no idea what a trail run was. All our trails are flat. But soon I discovered it’s a hike, but running. I felt a bit adventurous so agreed. I’ve never entered any kind of race before in my life, except for Track & Field in Jr. High, but that doesn’t count. I do my usual weekly exercises, which include two days of some form of cardio, but I really wasn’t trained for it at all. And even if running is part of my cardio for that week, it’s usually around 30 minutes or 6 km. (It used to be 8, but after I visited Canada and was a big lazy bum, I had to start all over). Long story short, I ran and I won. Placed first. Seriously. I even won money! It’s something I think I’d like to continue doing. And Will likes to think I’m going to run for our living next year..
But, really, I need to find a job. Will and I are residing in Calgary starting September so if anyone knows of a job I’d be interested in, please let me know! Teaching, working with First Nations people, inner city ministries, coffee shop, comic book store, anything to that like. Just let me know if you think of anything.
Hope all is well with you! I miss you all dearly and I am truly so excited to be back in your lives, to journey with you on a daily basis and just love all over you.
Kristal
PS – The title. As part of preparing for this transition, to really focus on rooting myself, and in anticipation of something big during Celebrations, I decided to do a 5 day fast. I’m currently on Day 5 and get to break it in 1.4 hours. I am stoked. I’ve decided on Sushi. YYYYYUP.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
His Needs, Her Needs
Will and I are reading a book... okay I’m reading a book out loud with Will called His Needs, Her Needs, given to us by our “marriage mentors”. One of Will’s needs, according to the book, is an attractive spouse. We didn’t really need to go into this one, as Will gave a “check” as I read the chapter title. But as I dove into it, I found that what goes along with being an attractive spouse is hygiene. Red flag. This is something that has become quite questionable lately as I’m finding more days accumulating between my showers. This is not necessarily due to a lack of activity causing me to become dirty (probably the opposite) but more so due to the anxiety I get prior to shower time when I consider washing my mane. The problem is my jungle hair, as my mother likes to call it. As my hair grows longer, it seems to mat into one giant chunk. And not just after 8 days of not washing it, but even just after 1 day. I’ve grown really attached to this length of chunk so cutting it hasn’t really been an option. I consider myself very fortunate, though, because I’ve found a companion that washes as often as I do. Yes, we will most likely be the smelly couple and, yes; our child will be the stinky one in the class, but our house will save a butt-load of water and our bodies will, I’m sure, have a natural glow that will attract all kinds of forest animal friends!
On the topic if Will and I, I might have made a little surprise visit to Canada. My brother had a bit of a last minute, informal wedding and I decided family had to happen. I flew into Vancouver, hung out with Aliah for a bit, and hopped in the van with Will’s brother, Thom, to drive to Kamloops. Thom had already arranged to visit Will on their reading break, so it worked out quite well. We got to the mountain, I hid in the back of the van under a blanket and as soon as Will got in the van, Thom turned on the light and out I hopped from under the blanket. I couldn’t figure out how to react to Will’s reaction. It was complete utter shock. I couldn’t even tell if it was good or bad. But it was good. I hung out in Kamloops for a few days and then Will and I set off for Lloydminster for my brother’s wedding. It was an incredible time, and I even feel like it was an anointed time. I loved every second with my family and spent some much-needed time with my mother, brothers, fathers, and sister. Sometimes being so far away and becoming used to them not being around, I forget how much I love hanging out with them. It was really great for Will to hang around too. He’s met them, of course, but this time he really blended in.
It was interesting, though, because this was the first time Will and I saw each other in the winter. I’m happy to say I still think he’s a fox in ski pants and puff jacket and really encouraged that sweat is not the single attraction factor. Seriously, this was our first time cuddling in a temperature below 20 degrees and I've heard it said you must go through every season with a person before you marry, so ... check.
I’m sorry to those I didn’t tell I was coming, which was everyone except Aliah, Thom, and my sister. It was last minute, a big surprise to most, and I really only had a week, which I recognized needed to be focused on my family.
BUT...
My rough tour dates in the next months look like this though:
Now – April 12 – South Africa
April 12 – April 20 – Zambia*
April 20 – April 26 – Malawi*
April 26 – May 2 – Zambia*
May 2 – Will Arrives in Zambia
May 2 – May 14 – Democratic Republic of Congo
May 14 – Roxette Concert in Johannesburg!!!
May 14 – June 1 – South Africa wrap up
June 1 – June 16 – Singapore/Vietnam/Cambodia
June 16 – Canada
July 31 – Wedding**
August 20 – Lloydminster Wedding Celebration
August – Moving to Calgary
*Subject to change
**Definitely not subject to change.
That’s all.
Cheers!
On the topic if Will and I, I might have made a little surprise visit to Canada. My brother had a bit of a last minute, informal wedding and I decided family had to happen. I flew into Vancouver, hung out with Aliah for a bit, and hopped in the van with Will’s brother, Thom, to drive to Kamloops. Thom had already arranged to visit Will on their reading break, so it worked out quite well. We got to the mountain, I hid in the back of the van under a blanket and as soon as Will got in the van, Thom turned on the light and out I hopped from under the blanket. I couldn’t figure out how to react to Will’s reaction. It was complete utter shock. I couldn’t even tell if it was good or bad. But it was good. I hung out in Kamloops for a few days and then Will and I set off for Lloydminster for my brother’s wedding. It was an incredible time, and I even feel like it was an anointed time. I loved every second with my family and spent some much-needed time with my mother, brothers, fathers, and sister. Sometimes being so far away and becoming used to them not being around, I forget how much I love hanging out with them. It was really great for Will to hang around too. He’s met them, of course, but this time he really blended in.
It was interesting, though, because this was the first time Will and I saw each other in the winter. I’m happy to say I still think he’s a fox in ski pants and puff jacket and really encouraged that sweat is not the single attraction factor. Seriously, this was our first time cuddling in a temperature below 20 degrees and I've heard it said you must go through every season with a person before you marry, so ... check.
I’m sorry to those I didn’t tell I was coming, which was everyone except Aliah, Thom, and my sister. It was last minute, a big surprise to most, and I really only had a week, which I recognized needed to be focused on my family.
BUT...
My rough tour dates in the next months look like this though:
Now – April 12 – South Africa
April 12 – April 20 – Zambia*
April 20 – April 26 – Malawi*
April 26 – May 2 – Zambia*
May 2 – Will Arrives in Zambia
May 2 – May 14 – Democratic Republic of Congo
May 14 – Roxette Concert in Johannesburg!!!
May 14 – June 1 – South Africa wrap up
June 1 – June 16 – Singapore/Vietnam/Cambodia
June 16 – Canada
July 31 – Wedding**
August 20 – Lloydminster Wedding Celebration
August – Moving to Calgary
*Subject to change
**Definitely not subject to change.
That’s all.
Cheers!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
4 February 2011, 11:30 am
There's a community called Welverdiend that I've spent a lot of time in over the last 3 years. "Welverdiend" is Afrikaans for basically "well deserved". During Apartheid, people were relocated to this dry wasteland and apparently the people deserved it.
I spent an incredible day in Welverdiend on the 4th of February. This is my journal entry:
Today I stood on Holy Ground. As George shared to the care workers in Welverdiend and encouraged them to be strong, take possession of their land and dream big, God opened my eyes and I could see the magnitude of His heart in that place. My spirit was overwhelmed by the presence of His Holiness and His anointing. It was incredibbly humbling and I was incredibly honoured to be in that place. If Christ were to be walking the Earth today, He would be walking in a land called Well-Deserved. I had such a sense that, on this land, miracles would happen. Every child that steps foot on that land will be healed emotionally, physically and spiritually, by the power of the compassionate God roaming there. Deep emotional wounds from years of neglect and abuse, healed. Chains of spiritual oppression, broken. Spirit of hopelessness, gone.
Other updates, my Dad was here and gone. We had a great time together! He went on a hunting trip and shot an Impala (animal not car), went on a safari and saw everything!!!, visited communities, Dad helped put windows in the house of a family of kids and even paid for the last unfinished window, we went to waterfalls and canyons and had dinner at a different home every night. He even attended all the prayer meetings and fell asleep in church! It was a blast.
Another interesting fact, my brother is getting married... in like 9 days. How neat is that?
These days I've been busy with a few things. I was hosting a couple ladies from the UK this past week. I've also been busy planning child care in 3 communities in the areas of food, education, and health ... the total number of orphans and vulnerable children going to be cared for from these three communities is 260. Also have been busy starting two model projects in two different communities. These are going to be Best Practices in South Africa. We're helping the communities start a pre-school, a Saturday youth program teaching about making good choices, a program for Grannies caring for children that basically teaches them how to understand the psychosocial needs of the child and as a result care for them better, and of course this includes a feeding program, home visits and hopefully eventually an after school homework program. Lots of fun.
That's about it for now!
Much love!
I spent an incredible day in Welverdiend on the 4th of February. This is my journal entry:
Today I stood on Holy Ground. As George shared to the care workers in Welverdiend and encouraged them to be strong, take possession of their land and dream big, God opened my eyes and I could see the magnitude of His heart in that place. My spirit was overwhelmed by the presence of His Holiness and His anointing. It was incredibbly humbling and I was incredibly honoured to be in that place. If Christ were to be walking the Earth today, He would be walking in a land called Well-Deserved. I had such a sense that, on this land, miracles would happen. Every child that steps foot on that land will be healed emotionally, physically and spiritually, by the power of the compassionate God roaming there. Deep emotional wounds from years of neglect and abuse, healed. Chains of spiritual oppression, broken. Spirit of hopelessness, gone.
Other updates, my Dad was here and gone. We had a great time together! He went on a hunting trip and shot an Impala (animal not car), went on a safari and saw everything!!!, visited communities, Dad helped put windows in the house of a family of kids and even paid for the last unfinished window, we went to waterfalls and canyons and had dinner at a different home every night. He even attended all the prayer meetings and fell asleep in church! It was a blast.
Another interesting fact, my brother is getting married... in like 9 days. How neat is that?
These days I've been busy with a few things. I was hosting a couple ladies from the UK this past week. I've also been busy planning child care in 3 communities in the areas of food, education, and health ... the total number of orphans and vulnerable children going to be cared for from these three communities is 260. Also have been busy starting two model projects in two different communities. These are going to be Best Practices in South Africa. We're helping the communities start a pre-school, a Saturday youth program teaching about making good choices, a program for Grannies caring for children that basically teaches them how to understand the psychosocial needs of the child and as a result care for them better, and of course this includes a feeding program, home visits and hopefully eventually an after school homework program. Lots of fun.
That's about it for now!
Much love!
Friday, January 21, 2011
"How do I fight a monkey?"*
I went for a run yesterday morning around 5 am, which is not an unusual occurrence. I basically run along this flat strip (the only flat strip miles around) which is lined by a canopy of trees, often and cutely inhabited by friendly monkeys. They are little brats and often slip their little monkey hands into windows and steal fruit, but they are friendly. Except the handless monkey. Well, as I write this, I’m confused, because the infamous evil monkey is the handless, tailless monkey, but this one definitely had a tail. Usually if monkeys are frolicking around as I’m running, they run away as I approach. Yesterday morning, let’s call him... Buster. Yesterday morning as I approached, Buster started running towards me. Feeling a little put off and not feeling up to a game of chicken, I veered off to the side. Upon doing this, Buster veered off his path also, and continued to run towards me. Upon realizing he was chasing me, I screamed. Buster then hissed at me. I decided to not stick around to see what happens and turned and ran away. I looked back and noticed Buster was still chasing and hissing at me, but was much closer this time, like basically at my feet. I screamed again. Feeling the adrenaline, the question that consumed my mind in that moment was, “How do I fight a monkey?”. Should I kick? Should I punch? What will he do? Will he viciously scratch at my face? Of course this was all running through my mind within a matter of seconds. I just kept picturing a scene from Outbreak. (Remember that movie? Am I right?). After the mental fight scene and Outbreak, I saw a giant stick lying on the ground. This stick was massive. I’m not sure why I picked it up because I definitely wouldn’t have been able to effectively swing it. But it worked. I picked up the stick and off Buster went. It took me 0.2 seconds to decide to get the hell outta there.
Now onto a different sort of monkey...
In a very recent blog, I talked about Clearance. Okay, I talk about him a lot. But I said I was taking him to Acts clinic this week, which is a world-renowned clinic specializing in HIV/AIDS and particularly successful in paediatrics. I arranged with a friend of mine (Jonathan), who’s a doctor there, to examine him and get a second opinion. The previous clinic tested him, took his white blood cell count, and said it was too high to put him on ARVs. Further, they said they had to wait to treat his HIV before they could treat his cloudy, nearly-blinded eye. And that was the end of it. Frustrating. But I finally took him this morning. Because he’s a new patient there they had to test him again and open a new file. We then took him into the room for the test, which is basically a little prick on the finger (like diabetic people) and onto a litmus-like strip. As the nurse brought out the finger-pricker, Clearance started crying hysterically and fighting the nurse. He got up and ran out of the room. I chased after him and finally convinced him to go with me to see his care worker. As Elsie started taking him back to the room, he erupted again and ran away. Elsie chased after him and finally tracked him down and brought him back. A few more people came into the room and held him down as he kicked and screamed and cried and bit. It broke my heart. I cried so many times today. We finally pricked him and then proceeded to open a new file. We then did a general check, which resulted in another crying fit (myself included) and near escape. Then an X-ray and then the news. He has Tuberculosis which is really not a surprise to me since he’s had a cough for 2 years, but the frustrating thing is why the previous clinic did nothing! He has two months of TB treatment before he can go on ARVs. The treatment is so brutal and hard on the body and very rigorous. For a little guy who stays with his teenage sister and doesn’t consistently have food, the chance of defaulting is extremely high. We then had to take his blood (the worst fit of all, myself included). Jonathan also booked him into see an eye doctor. It was such a hard day. That poor little guy was so scared. Somehow he still loves me. When Jonathan asked if they are still friends, Clearance said no. When asked if he still loves me, he said “Ahey” ... Yes.
Last thing, I finally had my last mango test. I wasn’t convinced I was allergic to the whole mango... just the skin. Usually when I touch/eat mango skin, the swollen lips and itchy rash comes a couple days later. I ate a little bit in my smoothie this morning and noticed my lips swelling up a couple hours later and my ear itching and burning. Now I’m sitting in Khethiwe’s bed in an apparently hot room, wearing a bunny hug and sweat pants, shivering achy skin and also nursing a bit of a runny tummy (the South African polite way of saying diarrhea). It seems to get worse every time. I hereby declare to the world that I am officially allergic to the entire mango! And vow to not eat it as much.
Update on Dad... he’s doing great. I don’t want to say much because I’ve encouraged him to write in his journal, which he has been doing extensively and I’m going to have him post a blog as a special guest very soon. He’s currently on a hunt with Todd.
**Title of blog suggested by the British Cat
Now onto a different sort of monkey...
In a very recent blog, I talked about Clearance. Okay, I talk about him a lot. But I said I was taking him to Acts clinic this week, which is a world-renowned clinic specializing in HIV/AIDS and particularly successful in paediatrics. I arranged with a friend of mine (Jonathan), who’s a doctor there, to examine him and get a second opinion. The previous clinic tested him, took his white blood cell count, and said it was too high to put him on ARVs. Further, they said they had to wait to treat his HIV before they could treat his cloudy, nearly-blinded eye. And that was the end of it. Frustrating. But I finally took him this morning. Because he’s a new patient there they had to test him again and open a new file. We then took him into the room for the test, which is basically a little prick on the finger (like diabetic people) and onto a litmus-like strip. As the nurse brought out the finger-pricker, Clearance started crying hysterically and fighting the nurse. He got up and ran out of the room. I chased after him and finally convinced him to go with me to see his care worker. As Elsie started taking him back to the room, he erupted again and ran away. Elsie chased after him and finally tracked him down and brought him back. A few more people came into the room and held him down as he kicked and screamed and cried and bit. It broke my heart. I cried so many times today. We finally pricked him and then proceeded to open a new file. We then did a general check, which resulted in another crying fit (myself included) and near escape. Then an X-ray and then the news. He has Tuberculosis which is really not a surprise to me since he’s had a cough for 2 years, but the frustrating thing is why the previous clinic did nothing! He has two months of TB treatment before he can go on ARVs. The treatment is so brutal and hard on the body and very rigorous. For a little guy who stays with his teenage sister and doesn’t consistently have food, the chance of defaulting is extremely high. We then had to take his blood (the worst fit of all, myself included). Jonathan also booked him into see an eye doctor. It was such a hard day. That poor little guy was so scared. Somehow he still loves me. When Jonathan asked if they are still friends, Clearance said no. When asked if he still loves me, he said “Ahey” ... Yes.
Last thing, I finally had my last mango test. I wasn’t convinced I was allergic to the whole mango... just the skin. Usually when I touch/eat mango skin, the swollen lips and itchy rash comes a couple days later. I ate a little bit in my smoothie this morning and noticed my lips swelling up a couple hours later and my ear itching and burning. Now I’m sitting in Khethiwe’s bed in an apparently hot room, wearing a bunny hug and sweat pants, shivering achy skin and also nursing a bit of a runny tummy (the South African polite way of saying diarrhea). It seems to get worse every time. I hereby declare to the world that I am officially allergic to the entire mango! And vow to not eat it as much.
Update on Dad... he’s doing great. I don’t want to say much because I’ve encouraged him to write in his journal, which he has been doing extensively and I’m going to have him post a blog as a special guest very soon. He’s currently on a hunt with Todd.
**Title of blog suggested by the British Cat
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Three
It’s incredible how time flies. I think of this in two ways. One, I was away from Africa for 7 months and upon stepping on red soil, that 7 months felt more like 7 minutes. Two, I’ve been in Africa now for 5 ½ months and am recognizing how much of my experiences I’ve shared, one would think I’ve only been here for 5 days. For this, I’m sorry.
Coming back has felt so normal. It’s so easy to share about things that stand out and are out of the ordinary day, like the Siamese triplet bananas I bought at the store yesterday. Three different random people that day told me it means I’ll have triplets.
I guess there have been a few things plaguing my mind and heart lately. One of these things is a family I met in 2009 and have often spoken about: Lorraine and Clearance. They stay in a small rural village called Clare A in the municipality of Bushbuckridge. As soon as I got back to Africa, I felt desperate to see them. I’ve been trying to visit them as often as I can, which really has only resulted in 3 visits. One of these visits was a whole weekend worth and another only a day just before Christmas. Both visits have been quiet and beautiful, filled with lots of drawing, reading, and sitting. Lorraine (16) and Clearance (11) stay alone. I shared in an earlier blog (Dying to Self)about their situation. I’m really overjoyed to say that Lorraine has changed her ways. She recognizes the dangers in her lifestyle and has committed to giving them up. Of course I’d love to say it was through my investment and selfless commitment to her, but I’m happier to say it was through a very beautiful and compassionate African woman of God who dared to dig deep and speak the hard things. It’s just another reminder that God’s vision is for the local church to love and care and transform. Clearance on the other hand is still very sick, with no improvement. I’ve known this for a very long time and have felt convicted in my heart to do something, but still I’ve done nothing. How is that even possible? This week I’m taking him to a specialist.
The second thing plaguing me is the arrival of my father. He arrives tomorrow and is here for two weeks. I almost can’t believe it. It’s truly a miracle he’s coming and I’m excited for the opportunity to go deep in my relationship with him. I have Kruger Park safari lined up, hunting, fishing, community visits, but mostly I want him to know the community I exist in here. I want him to meet and know the people that I’ve journeyed with and have shaped my life for the last 3 years. Exciting times!
The third thing is this recent development in my life that is, in turn, shaping my future. I’m getting married July 31 this year. It’s been a strange and beautiful progression of events leading to this point but it’s so clearly a reflection and symbol of God’s goodness and His perfect and bizarre timing. I had originally committed to serving in Africa until the end of 2012, but God decided it’s time to invest in a companion/ministry partner in crime. Oh yeah, his name is Willis and I met him here in Africa in September 2009. So I’m now going back to Canada in June, getting married in July and remaining in Canada for two years. Both of our hearts seem to beat for this place so we’ll see what happens.
I'm hoping to do a series of updates from Christmas holidays and other interesting things I haven't yet documented, so stay tuned.
Much love to you all!
Kristal
Ps - My camera broke, so no pictures. I'll work on getting that fixed as well as collecting photos from others.
Coming back has felt so normal. It’s so easy to share about things that stand out and are out of the ordinary day, like the Siamese triplet bananas I bought at the store yesterday. Three different random people that day told me it means I’ll have triplets.
I guess there have been a few things plaguing my mind and heart lately. One of these things is a family I met in 2009 and have often spoken about: Lorraine and Clearance. They stay in a small rural village called Clare A in the municipality of Bushbuckridge. As soon as I got back to Africa, I felt desperate to see them. I’ve been trying to visit them as often as I can, which really has only resulted in 3 visits. One of these visits was a whole weekend worth and another only a day just before Christmas. Both visits have been quiet and beautiful, filled with lots of drawing, reading, and sitting. Lorraine (16) and Clearance (11) stay alone. I shared in an earlier blog (Dying to Self)about their situation. I’m really overjoyed to say that Lorraine has changed her ways. She recognizes the dangers in her lifestyle and has committed to giving them up. Of course I’d love to say it was through my investment and selfless commitment to her, but I’m happier to say it was through a very beautiful and compassionate African woman of God who dared to dig deep and speak the hard things. It’s just another reminder that God’s vision is for the local church to love and care and transform. Clearance on the other hand is still very sick, with no improvement. I’ve known this for a very long time and have felt convicted in my heart to do something, but still I’ve done nothing. How is that even possible? This week I’m taking him to a specialist.
The second thing plaguing me is the arrival of my father. He arrives tomorrow and is here for two weeks. I almost can’t believe it. It’s truly a miracle he’s coming and I’m excited for the opportunity to go deep in my relationship with him. I have Kruger Park safari lined up, hunting, fishing, community visits, but mostly I want him to know the community I exist in here. I want him to meet and know the people that I’ve journeyed with and have shaped my life for the last 3 years. Exciting times!
The third thing is this recent development in my life that is, in turn, shaping my future. I’m getting married July 31 this year. It’s been a strange and beautiful progression of events leading to this point but it’s so clearly a reflection and symbol of God’s goodness and His perfect and bizarre timing. I had originally committed to serving in Africa until the end of 2012, but God decided it’s time to invest in a companion/ministry partner in crime. Oh yeah, his name is Willis and I met him here in Africa in September 2009. So I’m now going back to Canada in June, getting married in July and remaining in Canada for two years. Both of our hearts seem to beat for this place so we’ll see what happens.
I'm hoping to do a series of updates from Christmas holidays and other interesting things I haven't yet documented, so stay tuned.
Much love to you all!
Kristal
Ps - My camera broke, so no pictures. I'll work on getting that fixed as well as collecting photos from others.
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