“It’s the Hap-Happiest Season of All!”

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It is also one of the busiest times of the year. Here in South Africa there have been Christmas parties, after parties, conferences, concerts, and celebrating galore!

December 1 was World AIDS Day. It was also the day Archbishop Thabo (the leader of the Anglican Church in Southern Africa) hosted a Christmas party for orphaned children at his house/the provincial headquarters. HOPE Africa was there to assist with sheepherding kids, dishing out hotdogs and watermelon, manning a jumping castle, and playing games. My main task was to operate a popcorn machine and distribute freshly popped corn to hordes of enthusiastic children. It was a hot, hurried, and exasperating ordeal that left my eyes streaming and my fingers burned; but it also left a lot of children with full tummies and satisfied smiles on their faces!

Playing a game with the partygoers.

A week after the children’s Christmas party I jetsetted north to Johannesburg to assist with a two-day conference HOPE Africa had been planning since early November. The conference focused on the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, an initiative born out of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Summit in September 2010. At this summit the UN decided that the world’s best shot at achieving the MDGs would be to focus on women’s and children’s health. Our conference brought together leaders from 30 faith based organizations, non-governmental organizations, and governments throughout Africa to discuss best practices for supporting the total health and holistic wellbeing of women and children. It was the first gathering of its kind on the African continent.

The conference was my last big work project of the year, a fact that I celebrated at the provincial Christmas party the day after returning from Johannesburg. The Province of Southern Africa hosted a party for all their organizing offices. HOPE Africa is the province’s social development office and was therefore present at the festivities. I sat next to a lovely American woman who works in the province’s AIDS office. We swapped stories and had a great time! Following the provincial party, my co-workers and I went out for appetizers and more fellowship. It was an evening to remember!

My co-workers from left to right:
Petrina, me, Richenda, Ann, and Jenny

In addition to spending my time at Christmas parties and conferences I have been going to outdoor concerts. Here in the southern hemisphere it’s warm, sunny, and beautiful outside. It is summer after all! And what better way is there to spend a lazy summer Sunday evening than in the botanical gardens eating a picnic supper and listening to the sounds of South Africa’s best bands?

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, located at the foot of Cape Town’s picturesque mountains, hosts an outdoor summer concert series from the end of November through April. The concert series showcase South African chart-toppers. Gates open at 4pm, the show starts at 5:30 and ends at 7. Concertgoers arrive with picnic baskets and blankets in hand and line up at the gates beginning at 3:30. Once in the pavilion everyone lays claim to a spot on the grassy hill, spreads their blankets, and dig into their delectable goodies while awaiting the concert. There’s an air of good-natured relaxation. People sip wine and eat hummus while amiably chatting with other members of their party.

Cape Town band Freshlyground

Once the band starts to play, concertgoers sway back and forth linking hands with their fellows enjoying the atmosphere. By the end of the evening everyone is on his or her feet genially dancing. I have been to two of these concerts thus far. My first was to see Mango Groove and my second to see Freshlyground. Both were great! My favorite was Freshlyground. This is the band that did the world cup song “Waka Waka” with Shakira. They were lively, colorful, and filled with energy.

A colorful energy permeates the atmosphere here. Christmas is coming! More on a South African Christmas in my next post. Until then, Advent blessings dear ones!

A Cape Town Thanksgiving

* Frozen turkey… 100 Rand ($15)
* Ingredients for side dishes… 190 Rand ($25)
* Sharing thanksgiving with South African friends… Priceless!

Happy belated thanksgiving everyone! I love thanksgiving. It’s the time of year we set a moment aside to remember our blessings with gratitude. It’s usually a time when we surround ourselves with family, friends, and good food.

At the end of October a few of my colleagues told me they wanted to celebrate thanksgiving. South Africa doesn’t have a holiday similar to thanksgiving and they wanted to experience it. Plus, they added, they have been introducing me to all types of South African cuisine (i.e. chicken feet, etc.) and its only fair that I should share some American fare with them in return. It was arranged that the Americans connected to HOPE Africa (me, Ann, and Suzanne) would prepare the various holiday dishes to share with our South African friends on November 26.

Somehow I was allotted the task of cooking the turkey and dressing. Have I mentioned that I’ve never cooked either of these dishes before? A little apprehensive but not deterred, I willingly accepted the challenge with the help of my sous chef, Ann.

Success!

Armed with my mom’s recipes, borrowed pans, cutting boards, other culinary articles, and the necessary ingredients Ann and I set to work eager for our newest adventure. Delicious smells wafted through the apartment as the turkey roasted in the oven and butter, onion, and celery simmered on the stove. As our feast cooked we watched thanksgiving episodes of Home Improvement Ann had on her computer and enjoyed a simple meal of sliced deli turkey, cranberry sauce, and goat cheese pitas. For desert we indulged in Cinnabuns and Kinder Eggs. A little comfort food to ease the souls and tummies of homesick Americans on Thanksgiving Day.

Thursday's Feast!

Friday's Feast!

We ate our delicious thanksgiving meal the day after thanksgiving at the HOPE Africa headquarters. Our turkey was nicely roasted to a golden brown, our dressing baked to deliciousness and the side dishes were wafting with steam. Our South African friends provided Dr. Pepper (a rare and pricey delicacy) for the American cooks and our thanksgiving meal commenced with twelve happy partakers digging into the fare. We went around the table and said what we were thankful for enjoying the amiable company.

The food was delicious! The turkey juicy! Not exactly like mom’s, but very close! Some of the South Africans had never tasted turkey or pumpkin pie and were pleasantly surprised at the new dishes. All in all, the meal was a hit with proclamations from my coworkers that it was the best thanksgiving ever, and for most of them it was their first thanksgiving ever!

The HOPE Africa Family

It was a good thanksgiving. Ever since Halloween I have been somewhat apprehensive about the impending holiday season. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are very festive occasions in my family and are always very special. Being away from my family at this time of year is not something I have been looking forward to. And yet, thanksgiving was way better than I anticipated. Not only was the food good, it was extremely meaningful to be able to share my family traditions with my new friends. It was empowering to know that even though I am thousands of miles away from my family, I bring their love with me when I share the traditions they raised me with.

I am thankful for tradition, for friends (old and new), family, good food, and the love which permeates all of these things. Happy thanksgiving and may God’s blessings be with you now and always.

Weekend Exploring with HOPE Africa & ERD

I had a houseguest this weekend! Tammie, a fellow American, who works for Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD), arrived in the Rainbow Nation last week. ERD is one of HOPE Africa’s major funders and Tammie (ERD’s staff person for Haiti, South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, and Angola) was in town to visit HOPE Africa staff and projects.

Tammie, my boss, a few of my fellow co-workers, and I spent the weekend visiting some of HOPE Africa’s local projects. Saturday we traveled an hour and a half east of Cape Town to Hawston. I thoroughly enjoyed the scenic drive from the big city to the small town. We drove out of the city on curvy winding mountain roads. The car eased its way up and down mountain passes narrowly avoiding running over guinea fowl and baboons! The rocky outcrops soon morphed into rolling hills as we arrived in the small town of Hawston. It was one of the only communities of people we had seen since leaving the city.

Our reason for visiting Hawston was the HIV/AIDS clinic the town boasts. In 2004 Hawston’s Anglican Church approached HOPE Africa with their idea to build the clinic. They identified the need in their town and the surrounding areas for a hospice center for people suffering from HIV/AIDS. The church owned a dilapidated building that was occupied by gangs and covered in filth. They wanted to convert the building into their hospice center. HOPE Africa provided funds and the church organized the community to transform the old building. With the community’s buy in, the building was converted into an eight-bed hospice care facility. Since then it has revolutionized into a twenty-six-bed facility complete with nursing staff, a social worker and volunteers.

A painting done by one of the hospice patients adorns the clinic wall

After visiting with the staff and a few patients at the Hawston hospice, we drove on an hour more to Arniston. Arniston is a picturesque seaside village nestled on the coast. It was originally a colored fishing village but was soon discovered by white settlers and coveted as a holiday resort. During apartheid the town was segregated into different racial sections. As in most places throughout South Africa, these segregated areas still exist. They are not segregated by law anymore, but the effects of apartheid are long reaching… Modest mansions designate the “white” part of town while the “colored” part of town is populated by small white washed cottages with thatched roofs.

One of Arniston’s colored residences

We had lunch at in the colored part of town at Auntie Lillian’s. Auntie Lillian started her own business selling crafts and cooking meals. She is one of a group of ladies who HOPE Africa sponsored a number of years ago to begin their own businesses in the village. After a leisurely lunch and a stimulating conversation about social development we walked the beach. The water was a lovely teal. I have never seen anything quite that color before. Waves of peace enveloped me as I listened to the water lapping the shore and collected intricate shells. Before long it was time to embark upon the two and a half hour drive back to Cape Town.

An Arniston coastal rock formation

On the way back to the city we drove once more through the rolling hills. They were dotted with sheep and ostriches eating excess wheat from farmers’ crops. Stunningly vivid blue cranes strode through small riverbanks. Owls and hawks alighted on power cables along the roadside. Nature splendidly displayed her glory.

Our car glided from rolling hills into rocky mountains and then to ragged coastal outcrops. The sea stretched as far as the eye could see to our left and the mountains towered on our right. One of my companions suddenly called for the driver to stop the car. We drifted to a stop on the side of the road and followed our friend’s pointing finger to see a large whale popping out of the sea tinged with the setting sun. We jumped out of the vehicle and eagerly watched the whale’s progress stirred by silent twilight breezes.

The March of the African Penguins

Q: What’s black and white and red all over?
A: A sunburned penguin!

Ever seen a sunburned penguin? Me neither, but I did recently acquire a pretty wicked sunburn while visiting a local colony of African Penguins!

South Africa is sometimes called the land of milk and honey because the nation has an abundance of natural beauty and resources. After being here for over two months I can attest to Cape Town’s beauty. The city is nestled on South Africa’s southern tip and is surrounded by both the Indian and the Atlantic Oceans. The marine life consists of exotic creatures such as sharks, whales, seals, and penguins. A colony of African Penguins lives at Boulders Beach, a 30-40 minute drive from where I stay.

After driving Bobbi Beyoncé (my car) to and from work for the past few weeks I’ve gained confidence in my ability to drive a stick shift on the left side of the road in the right side of the car. Thusly self-assured, I decided that it was time to venture forth and explore some of Cape Town’s natural beauty… like the penguins. Penguins are one of my favorite animals! Ever since I learned that Cape Town boasted a few colonies, I couldn’t wait to see them in their natural habitat.

Ann (my fellow Cape Townian YASCer) and I headed to Boulders Beach early on a Saturday morning. We drove along the ocean most of the way and were both speechless at it’s beauty. We arrived at Boulders early enough to get a good parking space and then walked the short distance to the beach to see its inhabitants.

The adequately named, “Boulders Beach”

Boulders Beach is a national park. The park association has built sturdy boardwalks around the beach so that tourists cannot hurt the picturesque landscape nor the penguins. Penguins peered at us from the sandy beach as we walked along the boardwalks. They were not afraid to venture close to us either! I squatted down to take a picture of one of the penguins and he waddled up close to me, examining my camera case.

Smile for the camera!

The birds are about a foot tall. They eat mainly squid and shoal fish such as pilchards and anchovy. I’m willing to bet though that tourists sometimes supplement this diet with bits of their picnic lunches! It is hard to resist wanting to give them a little treat, they are so incredibly cute. But be warned, their beaks are razor sharp!

After watching the penguins for sometime we climbed to the top of one of the 540 million year old boulders from which the beach gains it name. Laying back we soaked in some rays, watched the sun’s light play on the crystal clear ocean, and listened to music from a local African choir that was singing for tourists on the other side of the beach. It was a wonderfully relaxing and fulfilling day!

A Lack of Jack-O’-Lanterns

Thump, thump, thump, thump… My feet thumped the asphalt in the parking lot as I made my way to the grocery store’s entrance. The automatic glass doors slowly slid apart granting me access to the supermarket. I had been looking at my feet and listing necessary foodstuffs in my head and thus, not paying attention to the display which greeted incoming shoppers. But as the sliding doors admitted me into the store, I looked up and there it was...

A seven-foot plastic evergreen tree trimmed in gold and red garland with metallic baubles and twinkling white lights topped with a gaudy glittering star stared me in the face. Gold and red tinsel garland draped between the supermarket aisles. Displays of holiday candy prominently lined the walkways. My mouth literally dropped open. Christmas.

Festive images swam in front of my eyes as I tried to overcome my disorientation. Why was this disorienting you may ask? It is a pleasant 75 degrees outside. Baby blue skies and a brilliant sun adorn the heavens. Colorful flowers are budding everywhere. I went to the beach this past weekend. 13 baby ducklings just hatched in the gardens outside the HOPE Africa office. It is full blown spring here. It feels nothing like Christmas at all!

Office Ducklings

It also feels nothing like Halloween! This past weekend in the states, leaves were falling, pumpkins were carved, and trick-or-treaters reaped candy in reward for donning costumes; but here in South Africa no such antics occurred. Halloween is not a big holiday here. Its possible to find a shelf in a local grocery store decked with bags of marshmallow body parts, but other than that… All Hallows’ Eve is just another day.

This is the most disorienting change I have experienced here. Western food is attainable, worship services are more or less similar to those in the US, American music blares from passing cars in traffic… but no Halloween? Before I came to South Africa, I realized how important holidays and traditions are to me. This week though, I was reminded in a new way. I realized that for me, holidays and traditions are bound together with culture, weather, and geography. For example, try to envision Halloween happening in April. For all intents and purposes, I just experienced that occurrence. Try to imagine Christmas happening on the Fourth of July. In two months, I’ll let you know what that’s like.

It sounds odd, but I feel like everything that is familiar has been turned upside down… like I’m living in a parallel universe. At times it can be disorienting. However, disorientation presents the opportunity to reorient one’s self. I have an invitation to look at the core of an event and ask myself what is it about this event that makes it special? What is the essence of this event? Is it the temperature outside that makes a holiday a holiday? My life in South Africa is challenging everything I once took for granted and as engrained (even something as simple as a spooky holiday), and demands that I re-evaluate my pre-conceived conceptions of life. Funny how this should be made abundantly clear simply by a lack of jack-o’-lanterns…

Cuisine Crusade

We eat lunch together everyday at HOPE Africa. Sometimes people will bring food from home and sometimes we pitch in to purchase something from the bakery down the street. There is usually a mix-matched buffet of delicacies to partake of. A couple of weeks ago at one such meal my co-workers asked me if I had tired a number of certain local delicacies yet. After confessing that I had not tried any of the fare they mentioned, we decided that I should make a list of South African cuisine to taste during my tenure in the Rainbow Nation.

The list contains a plethora of items including fruit, desserts, meats, and beverages. It includes everything from “Amarula,” a cream liqueur made from fruit of the African Marula tree to “smilies,” a roasted sheep’s head that appears to smile up at its diner. As you can see, the list is extensive!

To get me started on this expansive project, Richenda, one of my co-workers, took me to a pizza joint called Panarotti’s last week to feast on pizza with South African toppings. Panarotti’s produced your typical toppings such as ham and pineapple and four cheese and it boasted some less mainstream (for me) ingredients as well. To my surprise I found myself thoroughly enjoying slices of avocado, banana, and bacon pizza. Lip-smackingly sweet and savory!

Yummy avo pizza!

This week my horizons were broadened even more… Monday morning I was sitting at my desk in the HOPE Africa offices when Pury, one of my co-workers, arrived to begin the workday. She entered my office to greet me and told me she had something for me. She unstrapped her bag and reached inside to extract a tupperware container. She removed the opaque lid to reveal a number of chicken feet! In the early stages of my South African delicacies list, Pury had enthusiastically affirmed that chicken feet should be added; she then volunteered to make the dish for me. I stared at the heaped pile of chicken talons complete with hooked nails with mixed feelings of astonishment, apprehension and adventurousness!

Nervous smile...

When lunchtime rolled around at HOPE Africa I selected one of the chicken feet and observed the intricacies of the avian talon. Thin dark veins traced their way down each toe. Tiny nails capped each of the four toes. The bottom of the claw had minute rounded pads used in life to help the chicken grip the ground. Examining the small foot’s details was a mistake as it racked my mind with tenuous thoughts… but I told myself, mind over matter. I licked my dry lips and raised the foot to my mouth. Grease dribbled down my fingers as I took an exploratory nibble. My teeth ripped through skin and gristle and I tasted the salt and onion the foot was boiled in. I rotated the meager meat in my mouth and swallowed it down with gulps of water. Despite endless teasing from my co-workers I could not finish the foot but chose rather to top my small taste of chicken foot off with an avocado sandwich!

I think the next fare I’ll try from my list might be something a bit less adventurous. Perhaps a nice chocolaty dessert!

“This skin tone of yours, it helps you.”

South Africa is a country of extreme wealth and extreme poverty. This divide mostly runs along racial lines, having directly to do with the apartheid policy of South Africa’s past. Apartheid, a word that means separateness, was a system of legal racial separation in South Africa between 1948 and 1994. Under apartheid people were divided into racial groupings (black, colored, Indian, and white) and were forced to comply with government segregations of residential areas, education, medical care, and other public services. Whites were granted access to the best and most coveted of these services while non-whites were provided inferior services.

Since its inception apartheid had been warmly embraced by some and vehemently opposed by others. By 1994 after years of civil unrest and violence a new democratic government emerged. Although many things have changed in the 16 years since democracy, it must be said that only a few of the survivors from South Africa’s past received economic, physical and social redress. The country is still scarred from apartheid and the people most oppressed by the system still struggle economically, politically, and spiritually.

Photo during apartheid in South Africa, circa 1960's

During apartheid’s enforced residential segregation non-whites were forced to the outskirts of major cities like Cape Town and lived in areas called townships. These areas still exist today. They are clusters of erected shacks made of tin, wood, and cardboard. These shacks make up people’s homes and places of commerce.

I recently visited Khayelitsha, the largest township in South Africa. Khayelitsha (a isiXhosa word meaning “new home”) is a black township located on the outskirts of Cape Town in the Cape Flats. I accompanied two of my co-workers to an appointment with a group of women who live and work in Khayelitsha. These women run a school and are seeking funds to support the small institution.

Khayelitsha is visible from the highway. Rows upon rows of uneven one story tin shacks nestled within inches of each other can be espied from the comfortable distance of a speeding car. From such a distance, one can choose to not look in the direction of the gaping poverty though one can hardly miss it. But once one merges off the highway in the direction of Khayelitsha one cannot avert one’s eyes any longer. The same sun tanning the skin of vacationing tourists in the city beats down on the rusted sheet metal of the tin shacks that house Khayelitsha’s 400,000+ inhabitants.

Once in the township the roadways instantly recede into poor conditions, scourged with potholes and rubbish. Children fill the streets. Over 40% of Khayelitsha’s residents are under 19 years old. Eyes glance curiously at our oncoming car recognized as not belonging to a local inhabitant. Every few blocks there seems to be a central place where toilets are located and where water can be hand pumped at fountains. Our car rumbles on to meet the women we have come to visit with.

Khayelitsha Township

Once we arrive at our location, a four-roomed home very tidily kept; we vacate the car and meet our client. She welcomes us into her home and explains that she doesn’t know where her colleagues are so we sit down to await their arrival. The woman chats pleasantly with my co-workers in isiXhosa and then turns to me to tell me about herself. She is HIV/AIDS positive and sews to make money. She also teaches sewing to little children. Her eyes light up as she tells me she’s a teacher. She enjoys teaching her talent to others. She is also very focused and determined. She is eager to begin our meeting and continue working with HOPE Africa to ensure funds for the local school she works at. Her colleagues however never showed up and so we arranged to meet again when all parties involved could be present. She issued us out of her house with a warm smile and said she looked forward to seeing us again.

This woman’s life and living conditions are in stark contrast to the lives of some of her fellow countrymen whose skin happens to be a different color. Though apartheid is over, racism is still very much alive and mistrust is prevalent. I knew about apartheid because I read about it. But seeing its ripple effects is much different than reading about it. It was only 16 years ago that apartheid was still intact in South Africa. 16 years… not even 2 decades, not even a lifetime… Though the country has taken great strides to confront its past, scar tissue from apartheid’s scourge still rivets the land and the people.

I have heard some people’s stories and have seen the economic disparity still raking the country. I have been treated with respect while my black companion was ridiculed. After such an encounter my companion touched my arm and said to me, “this skin tone of yours, it helps you.” These things weigh on my heart. It is a lot to take in as it challenges me to confront my wealth, whiteness, sense of entitlement, and position of privilege. “This skin tone of yours, it helps you.” This phrase echoes in my head and in my heart as I try to make sense of it all. “This skin tone of yours, it helps you.”

Provincial Synod

I recently traveled with a few co-workers from HOPE Africa to Johannesburg to attend the Anglican Church in Southern Africa’s (ACSA) Provincial Synod. The Provincial Synod is ACSA’s governing body. It meets every three years and is equivalent to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Six delegates (3 lay and 3 clergy) representing the 29 dioceses of the province joined their diocesan bishops at the meeting from Sept. 29 – Oct. 2.

I was very excited to attend the synod because I am eager to learn about key issues the church is facing here in Southern Africa. Archbishop Thabo Makgoba addressed these very issues in the charge he delivered at the opening Eucharist. The issues are eightfold:

1) liturgical renewal
2) theological education
3) leadership formation
4) health (HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria)
5) the environment
6) women and gender
7) protection and nurture of children and young people
8) public advocacy

These eight topics were major themes of discussion at the synod and will guide ACSA’s focus over the next few years. Over the course of the four-day synod each of these issues were touched upon. The gathering was jam packed with discussion, dialogue, motions, and speeches and was framed in prayer. It was fascinating to observe and learn about challenges the church here faces. However, it was also quite frustrating at times.

As a liberal, American, EDS-trained young woman about to be ordained, I struggled with the hierarchical process oriented nature of the gathering and some of the debates over such subjects as the ordination of women bishops and the acceptance of the Anglican Covenant. I was very aware that though members of the same communion, the Episcopal Church and the ACSA, view some things very differently. And yet, that is the beauty of our communion… It encompasses vastly different viewpoints and those who are on extreme ends of the spectrum still meet at God’s welcome table to be gathered and reminded that we are one in Christ Jesus.

I am still processing many of my experiences from synod. I hope to be able to share a few of them in future posts. In the mean time… may God work through us in all our human structures and formalities, in our opinions, motions, and resolutions, all to God’s glory.

Bobbi Beyoncé

Do you remember that 80’s song “Cars” by Gary Numan? You know… “Here in my car, I feel safest of all, I can lock all my doors, it’s the only way to live, in cars.” I can’t seem to get that catchy track out of my head and the reason is because I have just become the proud owner of a new car (pictured below)!

Well “new” is a bit of a stretch… The ’99 Opel Astra is certainly a used car, but it’s new to me. The car belonged to Emily, my friend and fellow YASCer whose footsteps I am following in. While serving in Cape Town she decided that life would be much easier with a car so during her tenure she purchased the pre-owned Astra. Her YASC year now complete, Emily departed for the states and I inherited Bobbi Beyoncé from her at a fair price.

That’s right, Bobbi Beyoncé is the car’s name. When Emily purchased it a year ago, she was homesick for the US. She was overcome by a wave of patriotism and decided to name the Astra Bobby in honor of Robert Kennedy. She asked me if I would keep the name. I am a fan of tradition so I told her yes, however I wanted to change it up a bit. Emily, remembering my love of Beyoncé (from our NY days together when we would dance and sing to her music) suggested Bobbi Beyoncé. And so the Astra has been rechristened!

Last week we registered Bobbi Beyoncé in my name. The process was much simpler than either Emily or I anticipated. We were warmly greeted at the Motor Vehicle Registering Center by friendly staff that instructed us to complete the appropriate forms. After doing so we briefly waited as the car was switched into my name. Within 15 minutes we were done! We were flabbergasted by how nice the staff was and by how little time it took. The DMVs we were familiar with in the states are not known for their cheerfulness nor their speed. Grateful, we left the center in search of a place to get new license plates made.

In South Africa, every time a car is registered in a different person’s name the plates must be changed. The Motor Vehicle Registering Center’s staff directed us down the road to a place that makes plates. This place, located in a pharmacy, was a kiosk that did shoe repairs, cut keys, and made license plates. We were in and out in 10 minutes!

Bobbi Beyoncé was now registered in my name and had new license plates. In that moment I was officially the new owner. Now… all I have to do is learn how to drive the thing!

Don't get me wrong, I know how to drive a car... But as opposed to in the US, in South Africa drivers use the left side of the road. Additionally, the driver’s seat is on the right side of the car. As if that’s not enough to become familiar with, almost all the vehicles here are operated manually with a gearshift. I had never driven a stick shift in the states. But here in South Africa I will learn on Bobbi Beyoncé.


After completing all the paperwork Emily and I found an empty parking lot and she taught me some driving basics. She said I did pretty well. I only stalled the car once which she said was a huge success. I did however make her gasp a few times as I tried to work the clutch and acceleration at the same time. I can tell, this is going to be a work in progress, but I say bring it on! Practice makes perfect!

I am optimistic about learning to drive Bobbi Beyoncé and excited about the freedom that having a car allows me. I won’t be dependent on public transportation any longer (which is only safe during peak hours on weekdays). Additionally, I should be able to get to places quicker. I am very aware of the privilege it is to own a car and I am extremely grateful. I thank all of you who have contributed to my fundraising efforts and thus made the purchase of the Astra possible. Please hold me (and the other drivers) in your prayers as I become accustomed to driving on the left side of the road in the right side of the car while shifting with my left hand!

Laden with the Burden of Untold Stories

Friday, September 24, was Heritage Day in South Africa. Heritage Day is a national holiday on which South Africans celebrate the country’s many diverse cultural heritages. Most people have the day off from work and celebrate the occasion in various ways. In Cape Town, all of the national museums offered free admission. I opted to check out two such museums in hopes of becoming better accustomed with South African history. A fitting way to spend Heritage Day!

One of the museums I visited is called the Slave Lodge. The front of the building is pictured below.


It is one of the oldest buildings in Cape Town. Its name is derived from its former function as the center of the slave trade in “the Mother City.” The Slave Lodge was the place where the Dutch colonists housed the slaves they captured from their exploits in foreign lands (primarily Asia). Below is a picture of routes the Dutch East India Company traversed to capture slaves.


The modern museum provides visitors with an overview of the history of slavery at the Cape.

The morning I spent in this museum was one of the most challenging I’ve experienced in Cape Town. Upon entering the building visitors view a sign that unapologetically reminds them that slavery is often viewed with so much guilt that people are afraid to speak about it and thus forget the stories of those who suffered under it. The Slave Lodge seeks to remind its visitors of those very stories.

As I made my way through the exhibit I struggled to make peace with the fact that people, who long ago were held captive in the very rooms where I was now leisurely strolling, were once the property of another person. I felt their ghosts laden with the burden of their untold stories lurk around me. I could tangibly feel their lack of freedom. And I felt something else too. I felt a deep sadness permeate my entire being as the knowledge sank in that one group of people willingly exploited and dehumanized another group all for profit’s sake. Standing in the midst of that place, slavery hit me in an overwhelmingly new way that broke my heart. I felt as though my faith in humanity vanished and I was left feeling incredibly grief stricken.

I stood paralyzed in sorrow and leaned back against the walls of the building where the slaves of the past were once housed. I felt the cold from the wall seep through my clothes and into my body. As the chill permeated my being, I began to think of contemporary slavery and the ways in which dehumanization still occurs today.

One of the signs in the Slave Lodge stated: “Slavery is a form of domination of one person over another.” Based on that definition slavery is still alive and well. I left the Slave Lodge with a burning question in my mind: What forms of domination of one person over another exist today and in what ways do I contribute to them? In what ways do we contribute to them?

The ghosts of those long ago exploited peoples still cling to the walls of the Slave Lodge. Their memories are palpable. I pray that our generation may become aware of and forsake its reliance on dominating and dehumanizing behaviors that exploit others. May the God of freedom who creates, liberates, and sustains us be present with us and guide us to heightened awareness and action.

Storyteller

When I am not commuting on the train, worshiping at various local churches, or exploring Cape Town’s beautiful tourist attractions, I am working at HOPE Africa. HOPE Africa is a social development agency that works mainly with the Anglican Church in the Province of Southern Africa. The Province of Southern Africa includes dioceses throughout South Africa, Namibia, Angola, and Mozambique. HOPE Africa works with these dioceses and parishes in order to promote social development programs. It’s goal is to support the church and local communities in strengthening society’s holistic well being. To that end the organization raises funds, forms partnerships, and provides educational opportunities.


And my role within the organization? I have been asked to write HOPE Africa’s story, to be a "storyteller." (This is of particular interest to me because I understand storytelling to be one important aspect of being a missionary.) As someone new to HOPE Africa, I see the organization through fresh eyes and will see both its growing edges and its strengths. In order to write the story, I must first get the facts. This learning process includes becoming intimately familiar with organizational documents, interviewing HOPE Africa’s stakeholders, constituencies, partners, etc., and traveling with staff members in the field to gain firsthand experience.

My first “in the field” experience occurred this week when a co-worker and I made a trip to Somerset Hospital on Cape Town’s waterfront. Part of HOPE Africa’s social development mission is to promote health within communities. One way they do this is by giving grants to hospitals. Somerset Hospital approached HOPE Africa to request funds for new monitoring equipment. Therefore we made our way to the hospital at their invitation to view the facilities.

Somerset is directly across the street from the new soccer stadium used during South Africa’s recent hosting of the World Cup this past June-July. The hospital’s ER underwent a major face lift paid for largely by the government in order to be better equipped for the world cup. After showing us the ER’s state of the art equipment (the best in the city and probably the country) our guides then took us to the section of the hospital that still needs upgrading – the pediatrics department. This is the section the Hospital is seeking funds for.

Our hosts led us to a set of elevators, most of which were out of operation. Pediatrics, our destination, is on the fourth floor. One set of elevators was in working order. (Note, these are the only elevators for the entire hospital.) After waiting for about 7 minutes the elevator reached the ground floor, we crowed into the car with a host of doctors and staff only to stop at the second floor where a patient in a gurney needed to be transported to the first floor. We filed out of the elevator to allow the patient access and then we hiked the remaining two floors. Once we arrived on the fourth floor we walked down a long corridor to the oldest section of the hospital (which was built in 1856) where pediatrics is located.

The building is nice in an old fashioned sort of way. It reminded me of Ellis Island. The ceilings were high vaulted and the patient rooms held about twenty beds. There was no in door ventilation system for heating or cooling, only opened windows. We traipsed down the passageway, lined with wooden lockers filed with sheets, to pediatrics and entered the high vaulted room. Almost every bed was occupied. Babies slept or cried in their rainbow painted barred cribs. Some had their mothers sitting next to them, others were alone. They were there for various reasons but our hosts told us that the highest cause of hospitalization and death in infants in South Africa is diarrhea.

Three of the twenty plus beds had monitors… three. The hospital is seeking funding for more.


After viewing the general pediatrics rooms we went to the neonatal intensive care unit where again, every bed was occupied. Tiny infants curled in their cribs in the high vaulted room. Doctors and nurses rushed to and fro as monitors beeped frantically. Most beds in this wing had monitors, but our hosts informed us that these monitors were from the 1980’s and not all were working correctly.

From the broken down elevators, to the lack of modern technological equipment, this hospital was an eye-opening experience for me. I worked at the Methodist Hospital in Houston as a chaplain for a summer in 2009 and I couldn’t help comparing the two institutions. I hope that HOPE Africa will provide funds for Somerset so that they can advance their institution. It is a pleasure to work for an agency that supports projects for the betterment and well-being of the community. I look forward to learning more about the important work HOPE Africa is involved in. For now, my first in the field experience has left me with a lot to process and a lot to be grateful for.

The Extensive Revelation of God’s Self

One of my goals this year is to witness what God is up to in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. To this end I hope to worship at various Anglican churches throughout the region. Last week I worshiped at the Cathedral in Cape Town (see my blog post entitled “Sego se Meetse”). This week I worshiped with the Anglican Society at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). This Anglican Society is a community of college students from both campuses. Maro (my roomie) attended these universities and continues to worship with the Anglican Society there. He invited me to accompany him to worship with the community and I gladly accepted the invitation. Below is a picture of Maro and I at CPUT.


We took two taxis (which are as crowded on Sunday morning as they are during the weekday rush hour) to get to the CPUT campus and arrived shortly before the service began at 10:30am. When we arrived on campus we discovered that the meeting room where the community usually met for worship was no longer available for groups to use on Sunday mornings. We found the community of about 25 young Anglicans gathered instead in “The Dome of Remembrance” (an outdoor memorial to deceased CPUT community members). The Dome is centered in the heart of the picturesque campus surrounded by a fountain, palm trees, and gentle breezes. Pigeons nestled on top of the Dome’s columns and curiously peeked at the gathering worshipers.

Student volunteers had transformed the small space inside the dome into a sacred place of worship by carefully placing chairs and a wooden table in the open space. The chaplain then adorned the wooden table with a white cloth and silver vessels, which would soon hold bread and wine.


Presently a rich warm female voice rose in song. Other voices soon joined her anthem. The song was not in English so I could not understand the words, but its theme was clear – it was a song of praise. Male and female voices weaved and wrapped around each other. Drums and tambourines soon joined the chorus and my spirit wafted with the voices around me and joined in praising the Living God.

The two-hour service was a mixture of song, dance, and traditional Anglican liturgy. The music was my favorite element of the service. The community was quick to sing and enthusiastic in their gusto. Their delight and enjoyment was palpable and contagious. At one point a pigeon nestled in the pillars above us rustled its feathers and peered down at the spirited people bellow. After blinking it spread its wings and took flight through an opening at the top of the Dome through which sunlight flowed. As it hovered above us and broke through the sunlight, it reminded me of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove in the scriptures. In the scriptures the dove flies from the world to descend upon people, this time it flew from the throng of worshipers out to the world.

This was an amazing service, where the community welcomed me whole-heartedly. I felt God’s tangible presence in song, communion, and warm embrace. The relaxed atmosphere invited my participation. Hearty voices raised in song set me at ease. Hearing the name of Jesus uttered in assorted languages reminded me of Christ’s universal presence and recalled to my mind the words of Paul that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:38-39). Paul lists such things as powers and principalities. I would add to that list such things as language, nationalities, and cultures. These things do not separate us from God or from one another, rather if we allow them to; they bring us closer to realizing the extensive revelation of God’s self. My eyes continue to be opened day by day. May yours also be. You remain in my heart and in my prayers.

Daily Commute Via Public Transportation

Two of the most hectic yet exciting parts of my day are my morning and evening commutes. In the morning I leave my apartment at 7:45am and walk a few blocks to catch a taxi to the train station. Cape Townian taxis are quite different than your average American city’s taxi. A Cape Townian taxi is a small van into which as many people as can possibly fit squeeze into the cramped space together. The morning taxi fare is 6 Rands, which is about $0.82. The taxi ride is about 5 minutes to the train station.

The train station is quite an adventure! Outside the train station is the taxi rank, which looks like a large gas station (minus the gas pumps) with hundreds of vans crammed within inches of each other. This is where you catch and get out of the taxis. The drivers shout greetings or curses at each other outside their windows. There are people everywhere (mostly black or colored South Africans) speaking one of South Africa’s eleven national languages. The people greet friends they recognize or haggle with a vendor selling fruit or chicken. The smell is a mixture of exhaust and trash (which is piling up due to a civil servant strike). Upon exiting the taxi it is a brief walk through the center of activity to the train station itself, which is abuzz with morning commuters.

After purchasing a weekly train ticket for 33 Rand (about $4.50) I make my way to the train tracks to await my train into Cape Town proper (which switches tracks without warning at times). By this time it’s about 8:00am. The train arrives (at different times each day) and people push their way through the doors and shove themselves into any available space. Sometimes the buzz of conversation is all that I hear. Other times people will sing church music and others join in until half the train is singing together.

The first train ride is about 45 minutes and then I switch trains and board another one. The second train ride is about 20 minutes. If I am fortunate enough to be close to a window when I peer out I see residential areas ranging from deluxe apartment complexes to brick houses, and tin shacks. These residences are usually located close to the train stations. Between residential areas and the train stations however, beautiful landscape sprawls. Lush green grass spreads in all directions rippling as the train passes. Calla lilies (which grow wild here) fleck the flowing grass with specks of white and yellow. Table Mountain and its sister mountains, Lion’s Head and Devil’s Peak, appear on the horizon. It is quite beautiful.

Once the train arrives at my desired station I walk about half a mile to work. The entire commute takes 1.5 - 2 hours on a good day, assuming the trains are running on time and do not break down (which they tend to do).

The evening commute is much the same. I am glad to have Maro (my roomie and fellow co-worker) with me to help navigate the experience. He also is a great conversation partner. The commute slips by when I travel with him! Unfortunately for me, he is currently practicing for a play he will be in at the end of September so I have had the adventure of navigating public transportation solo. The upside of this is that when I do it successfully I feel like I can take on the world!!!

My daily commute via public transportation, while stressful and daunting at times, is also a great opportunity to glean nuggets of cultural information and witness the presence of the incarnate God in the average South African.

Sego sa Meetse

In my first week at HOPE Africa I have been reading through the organization’s materials to better familiarize myself with its work and mission. One of the materials I have been scanning is HOPE Africa’s newsletter entitled, “Sego sa Meetse.” “Sego sa Meetse” is a Sepedi phrase. “Sego” is a vessel and “meetse” is water. Yet the two also have deeper meaning that can be interpreted as “living water.” I was amused to find that the name of HOPE Africa’s newsletter is the same title I chose for my blog. What a coincidence, huh? But wait... there’s more!

This Sunday I worshiped at the Anglican Cathedral of St. George. The service was lovely. It was conducted in three of South Africa’s eleven national languages – English, Afrikaans, and isiXhosa. Various verses of hymns were each done in a different language, as were the readings. The second reading was from 1 Peter in which the author commends the church to be like living stones. This was the reading that our preacher focused on in his wonderful sermon. He highlighted the difference between being a dead stone and a living stone. Dead stones are unyielding, hard, and un-pliable. Living stones on the other hand are malleable, soft, and workable. Living stones are filled with the breath of God, God’s ruah or Spirit, and thus are alive.

This weekend was my friend and fellow YASCer Ann’s birthday. We spent the weekend together exploring Cape Town, discussing our impressions thus far, and processing our experiences. I admitted to her that I am a bit of a control freak (those of you reading this are shocked I’m sure!!) and being totally out of my element in a new country and a new culture is challenging me. She told me something a friend told her which is that life is what happens when we get out of our comfort zones.

Life… like living water life? Like living stones life? Life, like ruah-filled, Spirit-infused life? The control freak in me is struggling to learn it all, to adapt, to be in the know, to be in charge. And yet, there is something freeing about not being in control. There is something life giving about being dependent upon the hospitality and kindness of others, about being reliant on God. Perhaps it is in letting go that the Spirit is invited in. Sego sa Meetse! May the living water of God’s ruah flow through us all and make us malleable living stones. You remain, as always, in my prayers and in my heart.

New Beginnings

My dear friends, I’ve made it to South Africa. Now the adventure begins… now I am submerged in living water! Last Wednesday, I boarded a plane in Houston bound for Amsterdam and then on another one bound for Cape Town. The flights were long, but not painstakingly so. Once we (myself and Ann, a fellow YASCer who is also stationed in Cape Town) arrived in Cape Town and went through customs, we were greeted by some of our fellow co-workers and the current YASCer, Emily (who happens to be my friend and roommate from my NYC days!).

I am staying in an apartment with one of my co-workers named Maropeng. Maro is a young South African man who is bristling with good energy! Our apartment is a two-bedroom, one bath, complete with a living room, kitchen, and balcony and is located on the third floor of a rather nice part of town. Below is the view from outside the balcony.


We live right across from one of Cape Town’s largest malls – the Tyger Valley Shopping Center. I made my way there the day after I arrived to purchase some items (coat hangers, an alarm clock, etc.). I was mistaken by store workers several times as a local South African. Most people would speak Afrikanns to me to which I stared dumbfounded and politely asked, “Pardon?” in English. This was one of the surprises I encountered at the mall. Another was finding a Cinnabun! Cinnabuns are one of my all time favorite comfort foods and it did indeed comfort me to know where I could find one should I need it in the days ahead.

Saturday night I attended a braii (a South African BBQ) at my friend Emily’s house. A co-worker gave Maro and I a ride to the event. It was wonderful to relax and meet people in a low-key atmosphere. I even learned the Waka Waka dance, a dance made popular by Shakira during the recent World Cup. Youtube the song if you haven’t heard it, it’s great! As was our attempt to mimic Shakira… if you can imagine! Below is a picture of Emily, Ann, and I at the braii (post Waka Waka dance).


And today was my first day of work at HOPE Africa. Maro and I took two taxis (small vans into which people crowd) and two trains in order to get there. We left at 7:45 a.m. and arrived at work at 9:45 a.m. The slow moving trains were packed full of people chafing against one another, seeking out a small bit of space to cram into. It was quite an experience! Once we arrived at HOPE Africa, a medium size white washed building with a terracotta-tiled roof back dropped against Table Mountain, I was introduced to my co-workers (about 10 people in all) and was given material to read about the organization to better familiarize myself with it. I learned that it is an organization focused on social development and mutuality of relationship. HOPE Africa is concerned with listening, discerning, and supporting. It empowers and facilitates partnerships with Anglican dioceses and parishes in order to build the capacity of the church sustainably. I am excited to learn more about my role in this organization as the weeks progress.

I’ll post again soon with an update on the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of Cape Town, plus some photos of my apartment. There is just too much happening for one post! I hope this has whetted your appetite for more! You are in my prayers as I hope I am in yours. May God continue to reveal God’s self to us each in new and unlooked for ways.

Final Preparations

This is my last weekend in the states before my departure to South Africa this coming Wednesday! Since my last post I have been working diligently to obtain my visa (which I have now in hand), complete my immunizations (my arm is still bruised), and raise funds (you all have been extremely supportive and generous). I have yet to obtain my international driver’s license but will do so tomorrow. Packing is the next big challenge that awaits me. How do I discern what to take with me for an entire year? I asked some of my international friends this very question. Their advice was unanimous, in addition to packing necessary clothes; they recommended that I bring items of comfort. One friend suggested bringing a bag of Hersey Kisses another recommended my favorite stuffed animal. I think I will follow their advice on both accounts!

In addition to readying myself for my trip and contemplating packing, I have been able to spend quality time with family and friends. At the beginning of August I made a trip to Oklahoma to attend one of my best friend’s ordinations to the priesthood. Below is a picture of my seminary's contingent for the event.



It was wonderful to be present for such a landmark event. Directly after that I made my way to Florida to visit my aunt and Nana. One of the highlights of this trip was an adventurous day spent at the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park at Universal Studios in Orlando. Below is a picture of me infront of the Hogwarts Express.



The park is every Harry Potter fan’s dream, aside from the 105 degree weather and hundreds of people that is! Braving the heat and the crowds is worth it though! Upon my return from Florida I have been able to spend quality time with my close friends and parents.

I leave for Cape Town on Wednesday! I am feeling excited, nervous, adventurous, stressed, sad, and joyful all at the same time. I arrive in Cape Town late on Thursday night and will be greeted by my hosts and fellow co-workers and already have plans to attend a braii (South African BBQ) on Saturday night! Continue to hold me in your prayers as I continue to hold you in mine. Looking forward to posting soon from Cape Town!

Anticipating the Incarnate God

Greetings and welcome to my first blog post! I am one of 12 young adults with the Episcopal Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) who will be traveling internationally to engage in global mission work. As you may be able to tell from my blog, I am going to South Africa, Cape Town to be precise. I venture forth to begin the mission work I have been invited to participate in at the end of August. In the meantime I am engaged in fund raising, pursuing a visa, getting my vaccinations, and enjoying time spent with my family and friends.

I am extremely pumped about my upcoming departure! One particular source of motivation and excitement was the orientation I participated in last month to prepare me for my time abroad. This two-week orientation was organized by the Canadian Churches Forum for Global Ministries and was held in Toronto. My fellow YASCers and I gathered and explored our motivations for participating in mission work, how our social locations and backgrounds may affect our ministries, and discussed the ways God reveals God’s self to creation through various cultures and peoples. This was an extremely thought provoking time. To balance out the intensiveness of self-examination, we toured Toronto and took in the vivaciousness of the city. Through deep thought and through play we forged bonds of friendship.


This is a picture of my fellow YASCers and other missionaries from the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church, and the United Church. Please hold them in your prayers even as you continue to hold me.

I try to imagine what awaits them in their mission fields. I try to imagine what awaits me in South Africa. I anticipate that the incarnate God waits to reveal God’s beautiful self through ways I cannot fathom. How will God reveal God’s self in the people who I meet? How will God reveal God’s self in nature? In culture, language, art, music? How will God reveal God’s self in me to those I encounter? The opportunity to learn new dimensions of the Divine awaits and I am eager for further knowledge.

I am already encountering new depths of God’s love through those who have supported me thus far on my journey. It touches the core of my being to know that I am loved and supported by so many individuals, communities, organizations, and institutions. Your love is the love of Christ and I am humbled by your kindness and devotion. May God’s grace bless and keep you all as we continue to learn of God’s love together on this journey.

Welcome to my blog, “Living Water: Saturated by the Spirit in South Africa!”

A mentor told me that the most important thing one can do when immersed in a culture other than one’s own is to soak it in like a sponge. Cultures are expressions of God who dwells in the human heart. Cultures are fountains of living water that reflect the very nature of God. Jesus said, "I will give you living water" (John 4:10). This blog seeks to share my stories of being immersed in South Africa's living water and being saturated by the Spirit therein.

A little about me...



I am Amanda Akes. I was raised in the Southwest United States and relocated to the Northeast for seminary. I am a transitional deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of New York and will be ordained to the priesthood in September 2011. Until then I am engaged in global mission work in Cape Town, South Africa through the Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) of the Episcopal Church. As a "YASCer" I am an official missionary of the Episcopal Church. The mission work I have been invited to participate in involves working with HOPE Africa. HOPE Africa seeks to promote and implement a social development program for the Anglican Church in Southern Africa for the improvement of the spiritual, physical, and emotional well being of the poor and oppressed people of Africa.

I am particularly excited about 1) the chance to witness and participate in God's mission in a diverse cultural setting, 2) the prospect of developing and defining the ministry God is calling me to and 3) the opportunity to build relationships and discover the incarnate God in the people I encounter. I invite you to join me for the journey by reading and responding to my blog posts and holding me and the communities I minister with in prayer. May the one who fashions the journey, the one who shows us the way, and the one who travels with us, open our hearts and our minds to God's presence with us now and always. Amen!