activities
During the day on Thursday, I drove around with Anna and two of the carers who work at the home-health NGO, Mavis & Brenda. We visited patients all throughout the township. There are a lot of sick people in Soshanguve, whether elderly with high blood pressure and no access to medicine, or people struggling with HIV and tuberculosis. The NGO that petunia and anna work with is a home health program, so each of these patients gets visited at home and their health tended to. the neat thing about visiting these patients on Thursday was that while there was initially a specific “purpose,” there was also opportunity and openness to develop a real relationship. It didn’t seem like there was the typical distance between care-provider and recipient. i watched as the carers took blood pressures, checked blood sugar, laughed, listened, and prayed. and it was so hot that work was done by 1pm.
On Friday, I visited the National Cultural History Museum which was very interesting and informative. I learned about the history of migration into South Africa, as well as some of the background one of the most diverse neighborhoods in pretoria.
Comparisons
It was amazing to me how many similarities I found between life in the township and my life in new Orleans. Life is full and vibrant, neighbors are friendly. Many nights I fell asleep to the music and sounds of a bar near the team house. Celebrations are public, as is mourning. Just like in new Orleans when people get a DJ for any sort of event, birthday party, wedding, funeral, in Sosh events like these—whether to celebrate or mourn—are public and open to the whole neighborhood. There is a high value placed on young women having babies and new life, though also risky living when people realize that longevity cannot be taken for granted. There are old women raising grandkids. The children in the neighborhood don’t have a lot of recreational options. Addictions and distractions from daily struggles are a regular part of life. There's a strong presence of “church” culture and a strong need for the gospel to be truly lived out. Unemployment is a big problem, and that also creates opportunities for informal entrepreneurship.
Of course there are differences too, even though many people are fond of saying that New Orleans is like a third world country. Some parts of Sosh have still not been declared fit for
human habitation, which means the government does not provide basic services, like water and electricity, to those informal settlements. Many people are living in tin shacks when people are sick here, they are just as likely to visit a Sangoma as they are to visit a clinic. Speaking of clinics, for a township of over 1 million people, ther are only 4 government run health clinics. South Africa has the highest rate of HIV in the world.
One of the things about returning to South Africa was seeing how it felt, compared to the first time I had been there. And it was very interesting. At first I really couldn’t believe that I had actually made it back! After all that time of wanting to return—then it was real! It took some time into my visit to really realize some of the differences between the first time and this time. First of all, capetown seems to be very different from the northern part of the country, near Pretoria & Johannesburg. The other main thing was realizing that when I studied abroad, I lived with all other international students, many American, and surrounded myself largely with university happenings and culture. Yes I was definitely in South Africa and taking advantage of that, but I still chose to cushion myself with what was familiar and comfortable. Reflecting on this reminded me of when I was in mission year and we were challenged to really immerse ourselves in the culture and the experience. We were challenged to remember that it is so easy to go into a seemingly difficult situation yet still try to protect ourselves with the “safe” and familiar things of life. And there is nothing intrinsically wrong with doing that. But, when we cling to what we know, we miss out on what is new all around us. And that’s what I can remember of my previous time in South Africa. I don’t think I was genuinely immersed in the culture—and I don’t know how much I could have been—and that is totally the opposite of this time. The circumstances are so different, the settings so disparate,yet the temptation to stick with the “familiar” is still there.
What God is doing.
In my debrief with Luc & Petunia, we talked about what we see God doing in Sosh. He is definitely using the skills and gifts of petunia and anna to meet with the sick and not only give them medical care but also offer prayer and compassion. He is using the team as a safe place for neighborhood kids to come and study the bible as well as have fun. He is using Luc to reach men in the community, many of whom would not be the church-going type. He is using the team to develop relationships that might seem unlikely, in order to bring people closer to Himself. God is using the team to challenge many long-held cultural assumptions; a married couple that enjoys spending time together, a father who takes care of the kids and a wife who is not above doing gardening or fixing the car. Even having a white person living in the house, working as part of the team, is such a strong statement of reconciliation in the post-apartheid era in South Africa.
Next Steps
When the conversation came to “next steps” I wasn’t quite sure what to say. The team has graciously and generously offered an open door invitation for me to join them in life and work in Sosh. at the same time, they confirmed and agreed that they trust that God is in control and that He has a plan for me, so that even if I end up not moving to Sosh, they are excited to see where God is leading me.
I really enjoyed my time with the team. I did not see the clouds part and an angel descend telling me my next directives. But I know that I did not end up there randomly. Honestly, I really missed my friends and family and it really began to sink in just how FAR I was from everything that I know. I feel like I am still in a discernment period as to what God is leading me to. Really, I feel like I’m competing with my desires for personal comfort. Can I put them aside for the sake of pursuing God? Seems like such a crazy comparison when I put it on paper, but it’s a real strong pull. this visit also showed me my fondness for answers—having them, knowing them, understanding reasons behind everything. In this case though, I need to keep seeking God’s face and not just his answers. I have to trust that there may still remain some unanswered questions when I make a decision. I am generally commitment-avoidant, at least until the last minute of the deadline. I would prefer someone else making the decision for me. In this case, there are so many reasons to not move halfway across the world. At the same time, I cannot forget all that God has led me through up to this point. As a good friend reminded me, “Don’t doubt in the darkness what God gave you in the light.” Or as I read in The New Friars “The ups and downs of your emotions are no basis for determining God’s will in this matter.” I am so thankful for the time that I had with the team. I will be participating in the InnerChange Apprentice orientation beginning tomorrow afternoon, and I’m hoping that that will help clarify things for me too. Please join me in prayer for discernment and wisdom!
Thank you for all your encouragement and support on the journey so far!
1 comment:
Prayers, friendly.
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