“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!