Church Needs a Facelift

Fr. Basil, the rector at St. Faith’s, has been on vacation since the end of June. In his absence I have stepped up to take on additional roles at the parish. One of these roles is to lead the parish’s weekly Wednesday Bible study. Over 20 people consistently participate in the Bible study. Their commitment and passion continues to floor me each week as we delve into the scriptures.

The characteristics that attracted me to St. Faith’s and that challenge me the most (their reputation as an evangelical and charismatic parish) are magnified during Bible study each week. Three weeks in we have settled into a groove in which we are aware of and respect one another’s differences and are not afraid to challenge each other’s understandings of the scriptures.

I have been learning a lot during these two hour weekly sessions about my leadership style, my reaction to theological differences, my ability to navigate group discussion, etc. I cherish the knowledge I am gaining and the various perspectives I am exposed to. As my time at St. Faith’s (and indeed in South Africa) winds down I cannot help but look to the future and wonder what parish life will be like at St. James’ Episcopal Church in Connecticut where I’ve accepted my first call as Assistant Rector.

I recently read an article entitled, Theology and the Church After Google by Claremont professor Philip Clayton. This article is chockfull of insight and perspective on the state of the Church and its inevitable future unless our way of doing church shifts. Episcopal Divinity School (EDS), my alma mater, instilled in me the importance of thinking outside the box. When I was considering seminaries to attend my rector described EDS as a place that prepares its graduates to minister to the church of the future, not the church that currently exists.

As I stand on the brink of the new ministry God calls me to, I am fully aware that the Church is in a dire condition. Congregations are dwindling, youth are despondent, budgets are in the red, and we are still trying to operate out of a way of doing church that worked in the 1950’s but cannot work in this new millennium. Times are changing and the church must also change. In fact, the Church should be at the forefront of that change, though sadly in most instances it is not.

Bible studies like the one I facilitate at St. Faith’s are growing less and less common in the U.S. People just aren’t in that space. And so, as I appreciate the provoking lessons gained in Bible study I also ponder ways to facilitate similar growth in new and innovative ways that branch outside the box. What does the 21st century Church look like? What should it look like? What could it look like?

As Clayton reminds his readers in his article, Jesus’ gospel message is more relevant today than it ever was. And so as a Church, how do we share this message in meaningful and pertinent ways to a world that so desperately longs for it?

“Every exit is an entry somewhere.”

This weekend I moved for the 4th time since coming to Cape Town 10 months ago! As you may recall from an earlier blog (“The Only Thing Constant is Change", February 2011) complications between my first flat mate and apartment complex resulted in my having to move out of my first South African home at the end of January. Since then I’ve relocated three additional times. After looking through past posts I realized I haven’t shared much about my various residences. So, here’s a break down of the places I’ve lived in Cape Town – geography, demographics, commute, etc.

Bellville
I stayed in Bellville from the end of August when I first arrived in the Mother City to the end of January. At a total stay of 5 months, it’s been my longest place of residence here. Bellville is located in the Northern Suburbs, which means it is north of the city center. I stayed on the third floor of the Tyger Valley Falls II Apartment Complex with my work colleague and friend Maropeng. The apartment was across the street from a LARGE shopping mall, the Tyger Valley Shopping Centre. I would escape to this mall regularly to do some people watching, indulge in a movie at the cinema, or if I was feeling very decadent I would eat a Cinnabun! My commute to work from Bellville included a 15-minute taxi ride, an hour train ride with a transfer to another train 45 minutes in and then a 20-minute walk.

The tall yellow apartment building on the left is Tyger Valley Falls,
my first South African home in Bellville.

Gordon’s Bay
I stayed in Gordon’s Bay February through mid-March. My work colleague and friend Richenda welcomed me into her apartment until HOPE Africa found a more semi-permanent living arrangement for me. Living with Richenda was a lot of fun as was living outside the city. Gordon’s Bay is not technically in the city of Cape Town. It is about an hour’s drive northwest of the city, just as you get to the Western Cape’s wine lands. It had a very different feel than city or suburb life. And as you can see from the picture below, it is a beach town. Richenda’s apartment was a mere 10-minute walk from this beach and I visited it almost daily! Gordon’s Bay was laid back and relaxed. People seemed less stressed there. It was a quaint town and very peaceful. For the month of February my commute to work from Gordon’s Bay included an hour ride with Richenda in her car. In March Richenda left HOPE Africa to pursue other interests at which point my commute morphed into an hour’s walk (3 miles) to the train station and then a 2-hour train ride, followed by another 10-minute walk.

If you rotate 180 degrees from the way this picture is facing,
that is where I stayed in Gordon's Bay.

Edgemead
I stayed in Edgemead mid-March through June. Eugene, a friend of my work colleague and friend Mari, kindly offered to let me stay in his home with him. His house is nestled in the heart of the suburban utopia that is Edgemead. Constructed in the late 1970’s this Northern Suburbs neighborhood is situated at the foot of the Durban Hills with a breath taking panoramic view of Table Mountain. The neighborhood felt very much like a community where everyone knew everyone else. And you could set your watch by people’s daily routines! For example, I knew that as I waited for the bus at 6:30am that I would see a certain group of joggers run by at 6:23am and that the lady with the poodle would walk by three minutes later! My daily commute into work included a 45-minute bus ride into the city center and then a 30-minute train ride, followed by a 10-minute walk.

Edgemead, suburbia at its best!

Rosebank
I will stay in Rosebank July through the end of August when I return to the US. My friend Mari (my coworker from Finland who had us over for Finnish Christmas dinner) and her husband Ari have opened their home to me for the remainder of my stay in Cape Town. They are traveling to Finland for the month of July and are letting me have free reign of their third story apartment in Rosebank. Rosebank is in the Southern Suburbs and is very close to both the city center and my work! My commute to work from Rosebank is a 2-minute walk followed by a 15-minute train ride and another 10-minute walk.

I am currently staying on the third floor of this building in Rosebank.

People always ask me if I’ve minded moving very much. At first I was not a huge fan of it. As you will see if you read the post from February, I don’t really like change so much and I like to be in control of what’s happening to me. That being said, this experience has been a positive one that has made me loosen up! I have enjoyed staying in different parts of the city and seeing what the various areas are like. I’ve also liked getting to know my different roomies on a deeper level. And I am blown away by people’s radical hospitality and their willingness to sacrifice their space and share with me. I am deeply grateful for the depths of kindness I have been party to. So all in all, my variety of residences has been a good opportunity and one that I am very appreciative of.

Serving at St. Faith’s Anglican Church

Since the beginning of April, I have been serving as a deacon in the local Anglican parish of St. Faith’s. St. Faith’s is located in Plumstead, a southern suburb of Cape Town. They have two services on Sunday morning with about 60-80 people attending the first service and 150-200 attending the second service. They are a vibrant and charismatic community of authentic individuals seeking to live as followers of Christ.

Prior to my ordination to the deaconate I met with Bishop Garth Counsel, the bishop of Cape Town, to discuss a placement where I could serve as a deacon for the remainder of my time in Cape Town. After my ordination and my return to South Africa the bishop informed me that he was placing me at St. Faith’s.

Bp. Garth licenses me to serve as a deacon in the Diocese of Cape Town
at a Eucharist on April 20, 2011.

I heard it through the grapevine that St. Faith’s was “conservative” and “evangelical.” This description made me a little apprehensive because conservative and evangelical are not terms that I easily identify with. At the same time, I was intrigued at what I saw as an opportunity to engage with a community I may not typically have much exposure to.

My first day at St. Faith’s was Wednesday, April 6. I preached at the parish’s 7:30pm Lenten Eucharist. Before the service I ate dinner with Basil, St. Faith’s rector, and Linda his wife. They prepared an excellent meal and eased my apprehension with their hospitality. From that first service I knew that St. Faith’s was going to be a place of authenticity and warmth.

Welcome basket from the Women’s Guild given to me on April 10, my 1st Sunday.

Over the past 3 months, God has been softening my heart and opening my eyes to God’s presence in St. Faith’s. Through my participation in lively worship services and in forming relationships with parishioners, God has been blowing my preconceived notions of “conservative” and “evangelical” out of the water. I have been witnessing and participating in a way to do church that I would never have done in the US. I hear God’s voice in the energetic preaching radiating from the pulpit Sunday after Sunday, I feel God’s touch in the warm embrace of faithful parishioners, I see God’s face in the children gazing up at me at the communion rail as I place bread in their hands or touch their foreheads in blessing, and I feel God’s Spirit resonate within me as we sing praise and worship music. God continues to reveal God’s self in unexpected ways.

Fr. Basil Davids, Rector St. Faith’s and Mentor Extraordinaire

I am truly blessed to be serving at St. Faith’s and look forward to continuing my journey with them for the final two months of my stay in South Africa.

Things I Appreciate About Cape Town, SA

(in no particular order)

1. The mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon mini-meal called “teatime,” during which cups of tea are sipped and tasty biscuits consumed.

2. Cape Malay Curry, which I think is probably the food of the gods, can be easily obtained and devoured. I kid you not when I say I ate it for 5 meals in a row last week – yummy, spicy, warm, deliciousness!

3. Pickup trucks are called “bakkies” (pronounced “buckies”).

4. The word “shame” is used as an all-encompassing expression applicable as a response to any statement that is sad/disappointing/troublesome/etc. Examples:

Statement: “My cousin broke his arm this weekend.”
Reply: “Shame.”

Statement: "Lemurs’ brains are so small they can’t remember where they leave their babies."
Reply: “Shame.

5. Male Afrikaaners are fond of short shorts and wear them at every opportunity.

6. Marshmallows are very popular and are often given out as treats.

7. Whole isles at grocery stores are dedicated to feta cheese. South Africans love them some feta!

8. Personal space isn’t a concept that many people recognize.


9. The phrase “issit” (a combination/abbreviation of the question “Is it?”) is used habitually. This phrase functions like the word “really.” Example:

Statement 1: “I'm not too keen on chocolate.”
Reply 1: “Issit?”
Statement 2: "No, its just too sweet."
Reply 2: "Shame!"

10. Mullets are a popular hairdo among young men because of the overwhelming number of South African rugby players who rock the style!

11. There are countless varieties of fresh fruit juice.

12. Each radio station plays a variety of music ranging from sappy 70’s love songs to techno and EVERYTHING in between. You never know what you’re going to hear.

13. Alcoholic beverages are served for free on domestic flights.

14. About 72% of teenage girls dress like Rihanna.

15. The city contains the most breathtakingly beautiful landscapes, animals, and people I have ever seen.

16. Greeting friends usually includes kissing on the lips, hugging, and much hand holding.

17. Most of the items you purchase in stores are 100% made and manufactured in South Africa.

18. Women and men often are addressed as and referred to as “Auntie” and “Uncle” or sometimes as “Sisi” and “Bhuti.”

These are just a few of the things I appreciate about the Mother City! There are more, much more, but I thought I'd whet your appetite in this post. Thanks for reading!

Garden Route Road Trip Mix

An essential element of any road trip are the tunes you blast as you zoom down the open road. The right music heightens the sense of freedom and aliveness you feel. You know that feeling you get when you’re surrounded by friends, adventure, and happiness? That feeling when you know you could take on the whole world? Music has the power to enhance that invincibility.

I thoroughly enjoyed our musical repertoire as we navigated the Garden Route. I’ve included some of the highlights below for your enjoyment! These were songs that we heard throughout our trip. Some come from CDs that we hijacked from my roommate, some were played in bars, and some we started singing through inspiration. Whenever I hear these songs I will look back with fondness on the best road trip ever! Enjoy!

1. The Climb - Miley Cyrus
2. You're Still The One - Shania Twain
3. Rolling in the Deep - Adele
4. Complicated - Avril Lavigne
5. Only Girl (In The World) - Rihanna
6. Animal - Glee Cast
7. E.T. - Katy Perry
8. Give Me Everything - Pitbull
9. Meet Me Halfway - Black Eyed Peas
10. Sk8er Boi - Avril Lavigne
11. Man! I Feel Like A Woman! - Shania Twain
12. Friends In Low Places - Garth Brooks
13. Always On My Mind - Elvis Presley
14. From This Moment On - Shania Twain
15. Fields of Gold - Sting
16. Drift Away - Dobie Gray
17. Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye
18. American Honey - Lady Antebellum
19. Someone Like You - Adele
20. Stay - Sugarland

Travis at the helm, as we cruise along listening to songs on a ipod
and speakers from the Dollar Tree!

YASC Team South Africa Takes to the Road

April 25 – May 2 has been one of my favorite weeks in South Africa hands down! This was a week of journeying, exploration, beauty, laughter, and wonders. This was the week YASC “Team South Africa” went on a road trip along the Garden Route.

The Garden Route runs along South Africa’s eastern coast. Its gains its name the verdant and ecologically diverse vegetation encountered here. It is breathtakingly beautiful and I was fortunate enough to travel along a good part of it with three of my fellow YASCers – Ann, Travis, and Sarah.

Ann is working in Cape Town. Travis is stationed in Grahamstown (about 550 miles from Cape Town). And Sarah is posted in Mthatha (765 miles from Cape Town). The four of us had talked throughout the year about getting together and exploring South Africa. With an abundance of public holidays at the end of April we were finally able to get together and embark upon our journey.

YASC Team South Africa in Grahamstown
From Left to Right: Travis, Ann, Amanda, and Sarah

Sarah and Travis both flew into Cape Town and the four of us met up on Easter Monday to begin our road trip. We set out east in our rented Nissan Tilda full of excitement, anticipation, and high spirits! The first leg of our journey took us from Cape Town to Cape Agulhas. Cape Agulhas is the southern most tip of the African continent where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. We stayed at Cape Agulhas Backpackers on Monday night, which was a cozy accommodation with a very nice bar and fireplace both of which we took full advantage of as we caught up with one another.

The next morning we visited the Cape Agulhas lighthouse, braved some extremely steep ladders, and climbed to the windy top. After checking out the lighthouse that provided an ample view of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, we ventured to a shipwreck about 1km away before setting off on the next leg of our journey to Plettenberg Bay. We spent most of this second day together driving. We traversed a plethora of landscapes ranging from desolate grey hills of sand and stone to lush forests and vast expanses of turquoise ocean. We arrived at our destination, Acadia Bed and Breakfast, as the sun was setting over picturesque Plettenberg Bay with its rolling whitecaps and flaming clouds.

Wednesday, we explored the wonders of Plettenberg. After enjoying a thoroughly filling breakfast prepared by Acadia’s owner Lesley, we took a drive through town along the ocean before heading to Bramon Wine Estate for wine tasting and lunch. Bramon’s food is a serious contender for the best food I’ve had in South Africa. It was mouth wateringly delicious! Filled to capacity with wine and food we left Bramon for a spell at the beach and then a trip to Monkey Land (a monkey sanctuary) followed by Birds of Eden (a bird sanctuary). After a laidback dinner in town followed by wine in Acadia’s lounge, we settled down for a second night in Plettenberg.

Thursday we bid farewell to Plettenberg Bay and traveled to Storms River. Storms River, only an hour from Plettenberg, boasts many activities for the adventure seeker. From zip lines, to canopy tours, hikes, and one of the highest bungee jumps in the world, Storms River has is all! We embarked on a hike through an ancient forest to behold an 800-year-old tree. After our hike Ann and Travis zip lined through the Tsitsikamma Mountains. After these adventures we made our way to Storms River Mouth National Park where the ocean feeds Storms River. This was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. It’s a majestic place that took my breath away leaving me speechless before its primal magnificence and grandeur.

Lunch at Storms River Mouth

We ate lunch at the park’s restaurant and then wandered along the coast and even up a mountain before sunset. We spent the night at Dijembe Backpackers where we sang karaoke with an Elvis impersonator, participated in a drum circle, and mingled with people from all over the world, all of which was spontaneous!

Friday we went to Grahamstown making a pit stop at Addo Elephant Park where we dawdled for a few hours watching elephants in their natural habitat. We got mere meters from the regal creatures – close enough to see the deep, rich brown of their eyes and their thick, long eyelashes! We were silently captivated by these ancient giants. Windows rolled down; the only sounds we could hear were the elephants’ muffled steps and gnawing noises as they chewed vegetation. We left Addo, my heart filled to capacity with happiness, and drove on to Grahamstown as night set in and stars flamed into life above us.

Bull Elephant in Pumba

We stayed Friday and Saturday night at the monastery in Grahamstown where Travis has been living and working since July 2010. Saturday we went on safari in Pumba Game Reserve just outside of Grahamstown. We saw the “African big five” (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino) and many other animals. The beauty of creation that surrounded us was simply marvelous! We returned from safari in time for evening worship with the monks and then the four of us had dinner together one last time. Sunday our four-some would break up as the ladies departed for Mthatha and Travis stayed in Grahamstown. Before that happened though we participated in an uplifting Sunday Eucharist at the monastery which Travis preached at! After the service we mingled with the monks and the children who have become a huge part of Travis’ life. It was a joy to be able to see this place, to worship God together, and to enjoy the brothers’ hospitality.

After saying goodbye to Travis, Ann, Sarah, and I set out on the final leg of our journey to Mthatha where Sarah is serving her year as a YASCer. We spent Sunday night through Tuesday morning in Mthatha. We explored the city and Itipini where Sarah works in a clinic with African Medical Mission. It was amazing to get to see where Sarah works and meet members of the community she serves. At one point Ann and I turned to each other in shock after witnessing how vastly different her placement is from ours in Cape Town. It was impressive and humbling to glimpse the great work our fellow YASCers are engaged in.

Tuesday morning Ann and I regretfully parted from Sarah and made our way two hours east to East London where we dropped the rental car off and hopped on a plane back to Cape Town. The week was one of my most memorable in South Africa. Everyday was filled with new wonders, joys, and memories. Friendships were strengthened and new bonds formed. I am so thankful that this trip happened and consider myself extremely blessed by all that I encountered throughout the week!

To see more pictures from my trip please visit the following link - YASC Garden Route Road Trip

Washed Out in Shades of Grey & Black

I stepped through the doorway of the house into a room lit only by the sunlight shining through the door. Dust mites and ashes floated in the rays of morning sun. As my eyes adjusted to the light, my nasal cavity was filled with the putrid reek of smoke. This was not the smell of smoke from a wood-burning fire, that pleasant rustic scent. This was the smell of smoke from a fire that consumed possessions, memories, and human life, leaving behind charred remnants of what once was.

In the early hours of Wednesday, March 23, a candle fell and set fire to a house in the coloured neighborhood of Mascassar, a suburb of Cape Town. The home had no electricity so the family used candles at night in order to see. The nine residents fell asleep with a candle burning and awoke to find their home on fire. The house was a small residence with a kitchen, tiny living-room, one bathroom, and two small bedrooms. The family of nine, three adult women who were sisters and their six children (ranging between the ages of 6 months to 14 years old) were trapped in their house and in the flames. All nine of them died.

Flowers left in memory of lost loved ones.

The vicious Cape Townian winds fed the flames and spread the fire along to two other houses. One of these houses was the one that I walked through. The homeowner, his wife, and small daughter survived the fire. He took me, my HOPE Africa collogues, and Archbishop Thabo through the remains of his charred house. Everything was black. The linoleum floor tiles were melted from the heat of the flames. The pages of a scorched book fluttered in the breeze. A burnt Christmas ornament sat beside the book. Evidence of life lived. I made my way into one of the small rooms. The remnants of blackened bunk beds rested against the wall. A large crayon and the strap of a plastic watch sat in a pile of ashes. The children’s room. Colorful and vivid life washed out in shades of grey and black.

Archbishop Thabo and his entourage prayed with the man, his family, and the Macassar community. We then made our way to St. Joseph the Worker Anglican Church for some more prayers and a light reception with the families of the fire victims. When asked how the Anglican Church could provide support for the survivors, the community responded by asking the Church to use its voice.

When the fire broke out on Wednesday morning, the fire department was called in. Three separate trucks were sent. None of them had water to fight the fire. Here in Cape Town, they don’t have fire hydrants. Fire trucks carry their own water. Each of the water tanks on the trucks sent to the Macassar fire was empty. Archbishop Thabo promised the community that the Anglican Church would indeed use its voice to advocate for adequate public services. He also encouraged the community to turn to one another in their grief and to turn to God. He told them to question and to wrestle with God. He told them not to be afraid to ask God the difficult questions, like why this happened and where was God in the midst of it.

The most tragic part of this story is that it is not the only story like this. This kind of thing happens frequently throughout the Western Cape. Lack of electricity and water often lead to fatal tragedies. This is a part of life for many people.

Human Rights Day

March 21, Human Rights Day, is a national holiday in South Africa. The Constitution of South Africa states, “Everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected.” This right was repressed during apartheid South Africa (1948-1993) and was fought for and bought dearly by oppressed South Africans and their allies. Human Rights Day is a time to remember their struggle and ensure that by honoring each person’s God-given rights, South Africans will never experience such injustice again.

Mural in downtown Cape Town

March 21 was chosen to commemorate Human Rights Day because it marks an important day in this country’s history in the fight for human rights. On March 21, 1960, protesters refusing to be treated like second and third-class citizens were gunned down in cold blood by police.

Background to the Event:
The Native Laws Amendment Act of 1952 extended Government control over the movement of Africans to urban areas and abolished the use of the Pass Book (a document which Africans were required to carry on them to ‘prove’ that they were allowed to enter a ‘white area’) in favor of a reference book which had to be carried at all times by all Africans. Failure to produce the reference book on demand by the police was a punishable offence.

The Protest and Massacre:
The Pan Africanist Congress proposed an anti-Pass campaign to start on March 21, 1960. All African men were to take part in the campaign without their passes and present themselves for arrest. Campaigners gathered at police stations in townships near Johannesburg where they were dispersed by police. At the Sharpeville police station a scuffle broke out. Part of a wire fence was trampled, allowing the crowd to move forward. The police opened fire, apparently without having been given a prior order to do so. 69 people were killed and 180 wounded.

“That is the simple story that historians will relate,” Joe Tlholoe, one of South Africa’s most prolific journalists, wrote. “The real story was a more complex mixture of pain and grief, suffering, anger and courage, that is best left to izimbongi, the African epic poets, to tell.”

This Human Rights Day, I am taking time to consider the ways in which the world perpetuates attacks against the inherent dignity of each person and the ways in which I contribute to these injustices. I am also celebrating the human rights victories we as a world community have achieved and honoring the individuals who contributed to these triumphs. I pray that the fear of the other (that is at the heart of human rights abuses) will be transformed into joy of diversity and that out of this joy we will come to celebrate the inherent dignity of ALL people.

A prayer to inspire this task:
O God, who created all peoples in your image, we thank you for the wonderful diversity of this world. Enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of fellowship, and show us your presence in those who differ most from us, until our knowledge of your love is made perfect in our love for all your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCP p.840

Six-Month Threshold

I recently returned to Cape Town after a two-week stint in the states! On February 27 I boarded a South African Airways Boeing airplane headed to New York City for my ordination to the deaconate in the Diocese of New York. After a wonderful send-off at the Cape Town International Airport from my friends, I wound through the security line with my spirits soaring, excitedly anticipating seeing family, friends, and homeland after 6 months away.

After jetting through the atmosphere for 14 hours, America’s coast appeared on the map of my personal TV in the seat ahead of me. My heart literally jumped at the sight! While my fellow passengers watched Black Swan, The King’s Speech, and Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows on their screens, my eyes were glued to the map of the east coast looming ever closer. Soon, I was able to make out cities… Boston, New York, Washington. And that’s when I knew I was home.

Some of you may be thinking, but the Northeast isn’t really my home. That’s true, I grew up in Texas, but America is home and I never felt more at home then when I stepped out of JFK International Airport to the chilly embrace of 40° temperatures, rain, and piles of snow. I was home.

My two weeks home in the US flew by in a whirlwind of happiness. My ordination was wonderful. Flanked by family, friends, and the Holy Spirit I was ordained to the sacred order of deacons and charged to a ministry of service.

Friends from Episcopal Divinity School

Deacon Amanda

My Parents

Now that I’ve returned to South Africa I look forward to engaging in that ministry in a parish in the Diocese of Cape Town. The bishop here has placed me at St. Faith’s Anglican Church in Plumstead, where I will serve as deacon for the next five months until the end of my time in South Africa.

February 26 marked my sixth month in Cape Town. The halfway mark was an excellent time to go home. I now feel energized, rejuvenated and ready to tackle whatever new things may come my way over the rest of my time in the Mother City. A placement in a parish, a move to a new home, and a move to a new office building are all current realities for me. I am excited about these shifts and looking forward to living into the change that surrounds me at this threshold of my YASC year.

The Only Thing Constant is Change

It’s time for a confession. I am a control freak. It’s true, I am. I like to be in charge. My best friends have described me as bossy. So what happens when a bossy control freak no longer feels in charge? Well… so far I’ve been learning to lean on others, accept hospitality, and discern how to not cling so tightly to my desire for control.

What, you may ask, has brought all this about? I am smack dab in a period of immense change – on every front. The long and the short of it is that I had to suddenly move out of my apartment, learned that my car engine is shot, am relocating offices, will be ordained to the transitional deaconate in three weeks, and am preparing for a trip to the states for my ordination!!!

On the last day of January I moved out of the Bellville apartment I had been sharing with my colleague Maropeng. Due to complications between the apartment complex and the person Maro was subletting from, we were informed that we were being evicted. With less than a week to relocate, Maro moved in with one of his friends and I moved in with my friend/colleague Richenda who graciously welcomed me into her apartment. I am staying with Richenda until about mid-March at which point I will relocate into another apartment where I will be through May. Then June through August, I will move in with another friend and colleague, Mari and her husband Ari. Though not a huge fan of relocating numerous times, I have been truly humbled by my friends’ willingness to open their homes to me and welcome me with true hospitality.

In addition to providing me with housing, my friends have been exceedingly supportive and accommodating with my recent car issues. Bobbie Beyonce has bitten the dust. The engine is shot, so I must either replace the engine or sell her for parts. I am leaning towards the second of these options, as it will at least leave me with some money instead of being $1,000+ in the hole. My friends here have been fantastically supportive with talking me through my options, offering advice, rides, and smiling faces.

My control freak tendencies have had to take a back seat over the past few weeks with these and other shifts in the daily fabric of life. And yet, in the midst of being in an uncomfortable place (because of my lack of control), I have realized how blessed I am to be surrounded with a strong local support network! Being forced to loosen my death grip on the need for control has allowed me to be the recipient of kindness, compassion, and love.

A Thomas Merton Moment

I strive to peer between elbows and shoulders out the window of the train. The compartment I’m in is filled to overflowing. Young men are literally hanging out the open train doors clinging to the passengers inside the train, their fingers grasping for purchase. A tendril of wind curls through the compartment from the doors and windows. It stirs the collective smell of body order and chips. A woman near me munches on a packet of Nik Naks (South African equivalent of Cheetos) smacking cheesy remnants off her long dark fingers. A press of moist limbs squashes against me. Suddenly a new smell enters the compartment. Smoke.

Looking out the window I see that the grass we are passing is scorched black and wisps of smoke issue from the parched ground. The land was recently on fire. This is not uncommon during the summer. Grass fires are frequent, their choking reek commonplace.

My train reaches Bellville Station where I disembark. “Fresh fish! Fresh fiiiiiiiish!” comes the cry that greets me upon exiting the train. A man with a large crate of fish stands beckoning to passerby enticingly waving one of the creatures in question in front of them as they extract themselves from the overcrowded train compartment. The fish’s bulbous eyes stare liquidly at potential customers, its limp body jerking with the movement of the vender’s arm.

The summer heat is oppressive but the wind offers some relief. It stirs a strand of sweaty hair from my neck and breaks the stifling heat for a moment or two. As I make my way to the taxi that will take me home to my shared apartment a woman approaches me with cries of, “Suckers, 2 Rand. Sucker sisi?” I glance into a box supported by her sinuous arms and see orange popsicles. As tempting as something cold is, I turn down her offer and seek my taxi.

I crowd into the minivan with 15 other adults and 2 children (the taxi is only supposed to hold 12 individuals) and we speed off. The taxi driver impatiently honks (or as they say here, “hoots”) his horn at pedestrians and vehicles alike vehemently exclaiming and shaking his fists. The sooner he drops us at our destinations the sooner he will be able to solicit more costumers and make more money. This is rush hour after all… best get the getting while the getting is good!

We stop at a traffic light (known as “robots” in SA). While stopped I glance at one of my fellow passengers. He is sitting two rows of seats ahead of me, in the passenger side of the front seat. His nearly baldhead is sparsely covered with stubbly bristles and a single drop of sweat runs down the back of his neck. And in that moment, watching the sweat dribble down his neck I had the surest feeling that he was beloved by God. I turned to look at the other passengers and knew that they too are precious to God.

Thomas Merton once shared a similar experience he had. "In Louisville, at the corner of Fourth and Walnut, in the center of the shopping district, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that I loved all those people, that they were mine and I theirs, that we could not be alien to one another even though we were total strangers…. There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun."

In the muggy cab of that taxi after an afternoon of cramped travel, I felt incredibly connected to my fellow human beings and knew beyond a doubt that each one of us is precious to God. The men hanging out of the train compartment, the woman with the cheesy fingers, the fish vender, the popsicle pusher, my taxi companions, and me… each precious, each valued, each loved. I left the taxi feeling more at peace than I have in a long time.

Feelings As Indicators

It has been some time since my last post. The reason for that… there has been A LOT going on! In the hopes of producing a broad picture of my recent activities, this post will highlight some of the myriad feelings I’ve experienced over the past month and the events that occasioned those feelings.

Feeling #1 - Excitement
Two of my fellow YASCers joined Ann and I in Cape Town for Christmas and New Years. Jessie (stationed in Maseno, Kenya) and Sarah (stationed in Mthatha, South Africa) journeyed to the Mother City to celebrate the season with us. I was super excited to see these two lovely ladies and welcome them to my city for a few weeks. It was especially nice to have them here during the holiday season. Their presence helped to ward off deep homesickness.

From Left to Right: Ann, Me, and Jessie
Decorating the tree on Christmas Eve

Feeling #2 - Homesickness
Though my friends’ company did help curtail extreme holiday gloominess, it couldn’t stem it completely. This was my first Christmas away from home and Christmas in my family is a BIG event! For the most part, the homesickness was bearable, but… A most exasperating wave of homesickness struck during midnight mass on Christmas Eve. My friends and I went to the cathedral for this service during which images from past Christmases spent with my family paraded through my mind. I saw my sister leaning towards me with her lit tapper smiling at me as she lit my candle with the symbolic light of Christ. I heard my mom singing “Angels We Have Heard on High.” I smelt my dad’s cologne. It was rough! But Jessie, Sarah, and Ann came to my rescue with hugs that signified they knew what I was experiencing and expressed that though we weren’t with our families, we did have each other.

Feeling #3 - Gratitude
I have been permeated by waves of gratitude throughout the past month. I am extremely thankful that Jessie and Sarah came to Cape Town. Words can’t express how revitalizing their visit was! It was phenomenal to share and compare our experiences as missionaries in very different placements. I found comfort and happiness in their company. Additionally, it was fun to explore the city and surrounding areas together!

From Left to Right: Me, Ann, Jessie, and Sarah
At Boulder's Beach

I am also appreciative of my South African friends and coworkers who opened their arms and hearts to us. My friend Mari had us over to her place for a traditional Finnish dinner on Christmas Eve. It was an evening of warmth, laughter, and amazing food!

Partygoers from Left to Right:
Sarah, Jessie, Mari, Me, Ann, Gillian, and Richenda

Traditional Finnish Fare at Mari’s Christmas Eve

We spent time with other friends/coworkers when we went out for drinks the night before New Year’s Eve. The evening was not complete until we went to the beach at midnight, drank champagne, and went for a night swim in the icy Atlantic waters, constellations blazing above us!

Feeling #4 - Frustration
The week between Christmas and New Years my car, Bobbie Beyoncé, started acting up. She was having problems starting and so I thought it was the starter. I took her into the garage and got a call a few hours later telling me it was not the starter but a blown head gasket that was causing water to be in my engine. Unfortunately, this is quite serious and quite expensive to fix (upwards of $1,000). Since I don’t have the money to fix her, she has been sitting in my garage undriven for the past three weeks. Sarah, Jessie, Ann, and I had to rely on public transportation for the remainder of their stay. We did A LOT of walking! And now, I am back to taking the train to work every day. What makes this particularly unenjoyable is that we are smack dab in the middle of summer! And it is hot! Most places do not have AC. The temperatures have gotten into the 90’s at which point it’s too hot even to sleep at night. I will leave my commute on packed trains and taxis to your imagination…

Feeling #5 - Joy
The sun and heat are not the only things I have been basking in lately… I have been basking in joy as well! Whether it’s the happiness evoked by cooking Christmas dinner with my fellow YASCers, hearing one of Sarah’s jokes, Ann’s stories, or seeing Jessie’s smile; I have enjoyed the simple pleasures of the season. The past month has been filled with laughter, dancing, sharing, sightseeing, good food, good wine, good friends, and general merriment. I felt the Incarnate One’s presence living authentically in and through each of us and I take great joy in that!

From Left to Right: Sarah, Jessie, Me, and Ann
Wine tasting at Spier, South Africa’s oldest wine estate.

I hope that your Christmas and New Years were equally enjoyable! If you’d like to read more perspectives on our Cape Town holiday adventure check out Ann's blog, Sarah's blog, and/or Jessie's blog. For an especially well done chronological order of events see Ann's blog! Happy 2011 friends! If the way the year started is any reflection of the year to come, this promises to be an exciting one. Blessings to you and yours as the year unfolds!

Advent Night in the Mother City

When I was a kid my family had a weekly “ritual” during the four weeks of Advent. We referred to this ritual as Advent night. Each Sunday of Advent we would participate in a family activity. First, my mom, dad, sister, brother and I would gather around the kitchen table. Once gathered, we would read the scripture passages from the lectionary that we had heard earlier that day in church. After this we would light the respective candles on the Advent wreath and say a prayer. Then we participated in a family activity.

The first week of Advent we would usually make individual Advent calendars by gluing 25 pieces of Hersey’s Kisses, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and York Peppermint Patties to plastic plates. These candies would be eaten successively over the next 25 days until Christmas. Some of our other Advent night activities included decorating our house for Christmas and piling into the car to go look at Christmas lights. I remember eating Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes, drinking wassail, and celebrating Advent with my family during the chilly December nights of my childhood.

My worship space decked out for Advent

Now, years latter I found myself celebrating Advent in the steamy Cape Town heat, the sun streaming through my open window at 8:00pm basking my Advent wreath in its summery radiance. Nibbling a Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake (sent compliments of my mom), I opened and read an Advent reflection book by Edward Hays called Meeting Christ at Broadway & Bethlehem.

Hays’ Advent Devotional

I highly recommend this devotional in which Hays writes of the incarnation as God’s continual unfolding in the world. Reading this book and doing my own Advent night activities helped me connect with God and with my family who I knew were doing similar activities at home. This connection to God and family helped stifle some of the homesickness I felt spending my first Christmas away from home. Additionally, it helped me to keep a holy Advent, which is key for me to have a “spiritual” Christmas - one in which I can authentically welcome the Incarnate One who was, and is, and is to come.