Preschool Graduation and more from iTipini

'Tis the season for all things that give us a break at Tipini. Tomorrow I head off to Durban to enjoy over a week there, plus more time off while in Mthatha. The build up to this break has been quite something. One of the big events pre-break has been the preschool graduation, which is a really really big deal for the whole community here. It's hard to describe if you haven't witnessed it first hand, but imagine organized chaos that is filled with dancing, laughing and children with big big grins on their faces and you've got a decent idea of what went on. Here are some pictures:

 

Aside from this, we've had our Community Project Staff dinner, a big Christmas celebration at Bedford hospital, where I reside, and other fun and similar get-togethers  around Mthatha.

I've gotten more used to the rhythm of other volunteers coming and going a month and-a-half or so at a time. I must admit that it is difficult to lay down the solid roots of friendship and then have to wave goodbye at a plane speeding away with a months worth of relationship building on it. Se la vi. Nonetheless, each of these people have been blessings, and I continue to learn and (hopefully) grow each day. Where God is leading me, I do not know, and when I'll get wherever this place is is even foggier. But as the Advent meditation guide put out by the national church for young adults points out, Abraham had less of a clue than anyone, and he dropped all at God's mere words to discover what lies beyond for him. Here's hoping I continue to feel God holding my hand as each day seems to fly by.

I promise to be a bit more regular with the New Year. Thank you for reading, and as you go into the Christmas mode after this Advent, may you see that the mysteries of God always end in a love for you and for all of us for whom his son was sent.

The blessings of Christ be upon each of you always.

Trip to Grahamstown

Well, after nearly 6 hours of driving I arrived in Grahamstown. The first leg of the trip was a complete haze, I couldn't see more than 30ft (9.144m) at any time, with cows running around in some places in traffic jams in small towns National highways go right through towns here, no bypassing. But we got through that first leg, and things were ok. The sun came out, we had gotten through most of the towns. God provided a lit path. The picture to the right was taken at around 6.30pm on Friday.

The next day was a little surreal, I woke up to the sounds of the monks doing vespers at 6am on Saturday. I took Mkusele, the leader of the iTipini choir among other things, into Grahamstown for some music session, then I went and hung out on the street with hobos who I got to play guitar with. I asked if I could play ones guitar and he let me, and there was sat, jammin' out (he did most of the music playing, relief there). A lot of folks looked at us funny, but it was pretty cool. After this I went to a coffee shop where I ended up talking to the owner of the place about Biblical and theological issues over coffee on the house. We disagreed about quite a bit, especially over issues of homosexuality and women in the priesthood, as well as a few others, but Tinnis said that "it was still good because it was so congenial and God centered." Then I saw Rob, a fellow Yascer, for a little while. It was good to see someone doing something similar to me.

Once Sunday rolled around I got to head back to Mthatha after church was finished at the monastery, and that little place was packed. They said good-bye to one of the other YASC volunteers here, and it was rather touching. At one point, Brother Timothy of the Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery said that "you don't need to like doing the work of God, you just have to do it." That struck me as true, as every once and a while things get a bit stressful here. But you do it, it gets done, and hopefully things will be better because of it.

I got home Sunday at around 1pm and things have gone back to normal.

Blessings to all.

Mthatha, I can call you home...

Well, I had a good weekend away in a rural coastal village called Mdumbi where there is a backpacker's lodge that has been established by a group of folks who aim to bring the community, not necessarily development as Westerners might think of it, but sustainable growth through giving the folks in the local area occupations and businesses. I was helping teach a small business class (I'm not sure I was quite qualified to do this, but I felt confident about the help I gave) to a group of 19 people who all plan on receiving grants from the non-profit Transcape. It was wonderful to fall asleep to the sound of the Indian ocean and to breathe fresh ocean air again.

However, when the time came to go back to Mthatha, I actually thought of it as home, which took me aback for a minute. I've really dug in here, and while I doubt my recapitulation for another year (any real thought of that decision seems a long way off) as my predecessors did, I certainly feel I've cut something of a niche out for myself. It was something of a joy to get back to the clinic and get back to work as usual.

That's all I really wish to say for now, and please, as always, stay tuned.

God bless.

The lazy blogger returns!

So, one of the most amusing anecdotes I have from the past few weeks is this:

There's a woman with a child waiting in the queue at the clinic. I ask her for her baby's card number (we number the new borns, believe me, it makes it a lot easier to find their number rather than their name), and she says "571." I look through the baby files, no 571. I look at the chart that has all of the numbers, it stops in the 550s. I explain to her in a mixture of hand signals and broken Xhosa that no such file exists. "What's your baby's name," I ask, ready to write down whatever I hear. She looks at me for a moment, just a slight pause, but it's too long. She shrugs, and walks out.

That was surreal.

I ask myself why that would happen, knowing that I will never get the answer and that I don't want to know it. There are a lot of things that go on over here and I feel that way, a lot of questions to be asked. Why is the free condom container always filled, no one ever taking them out. Why don't some of the TB patients come in as regularly as they should, if at all, especially for free medical aid. Why are the fatality folders so thick. Why this, why that. These questions, let alone the possible answers, can drive one to total disillusionment quickly.

My solution? Thick skin and the knowledge what little bit that does get done to help people around here really does count for something. The pre-school allows me to hear the songs of happy and confident children and this lets me know that things do get better, and that God doesn't ignore any of his children.

In happier news, I've become popular with some of the local dogs, as I've provided them with dog treats. At first they just sniffed them, or thought I was going to hit them as I approached them with an outstretched arm with some weird looking small thing that doesn't smell like garbage, and thus couldn't have been food. Some learned quickly, others must think that I'm poisoning their canine comrades as they avoid me and the treats I throw at them with such stern rigour.

Also, I got to head to Coffee Bay, on the Wild Coast this weekend. Spectacular, you see the images above. It's pretty undeveloped, quiet, and small. It seemed like the last place on earth in some ways, though it certainly isn't.

Well, I feel I've said enough for now, expect another entry this week though, as I try to get better at doing this whole blogging thing consistently.

T.I.A., for sure.

So, I've been here a week, and things have been interesting. When I arrived in Mthatha, at just about 8AM local time last Monday, I got to meet my host and new boss, Mrs. Jenny McConnachie, who quickly whisked me away to Itipini, and the clinic (shown left), where I began working. However, after 2 days of flights and little sleep (I've never slept well on planes) I crashed within an hour.
Fortunately, I got over jet lag over the next day-day-and-a-half, and was then driving about in what must be described as the most terrifying experience ever. No horror film, roller coaster ride, or other experience could have prepared me for this sort of driving, on the wrong side of the road (from my perspective) and the total lack of regulation, and blatant ignorance of what there is. I must say, that by far has been the most frustrating thing so far.

Xhosa lessons will be starting next week, so maybe I'll be able to say more than "molo" (hello) and the typical quick phrases one learns so quickly. Again, fortunately, I'm able to get most anywhere with the use of English, but it quickly gives me away as a total foreigner. No one seems to mind though, and fortunately, most people I've come across so far have been quite pleasant and friendly. There have been exceptions, but it's been mostly on the road, as I eluded to above.

The job I do at the clinic mostly involves filling prescriptions and registering patients, so far. I'm well aware that I will be doing more and more as times goes on. There's a small class of young folk I get to help with English a couple of nights a week, and I've promised them a movie night in the not too distant future. I have yet to start micro-loan work, and have only had to drive people home so far, thankfully.

There has been one incredibly distressful experience so far, on my first full day of work, last Tuesday, when a woman brought in a very young baby who'd been given traditional medicine. Very soon the baby and its mother were taken to the hospital, but as we found out the next day, it was to no avail. For what I hope would be obvious reasons, this has been stuck in my mind. That same day, a 17 year old boy was brought in, and it was revealed to him that he needs testing for HIV/AIDS. The poor guy was shaking when he left.

More places on earth have much worse problems than Itipini, but still, having come here from a very happy and healthy America, by comparison, I've stepped into the third world, but not just for a week or a month, but far at least a year. I spent the rest of that week happily going about what now seem fairly mundane tasks in life at the clinic in Itipini, but that first full day set the frame for the rest of my time here. Reality, I'm afraid, is much more real than one anticipates or envisions from afar. Sounds daft, I know, but I've found that to be true all too quickly.

But, I've really been enjoying myself so far, and I'll tell you more and more in coming days and weeks and months. For now, though, I think I'm ready for dinner!

Have a blessed day.

One more day to go...

Well, the time is nigh. I've managed to finally get a camera, so this whole thing will look a bit more appealing once I hit the ground Monday. I'm doing my last minute packing, the last good-byes have been done at church, and I'm mostly ready.

I apologize for never having written much so far, that's due mostly to the fact that I'm very very busy, even on break at home. When I do find time to do this I'm being pushed to get going usually, and on top of that I have dial-up at home. So, soon, I hope that there will be a blossoming of my posts, both more (a few at least) and longer, and again, with picture.

I get to spend two days in a plane or airport soon. Pray that I get through that with my sanity.

Stay tuned.

Two weeks until I'm still in the air...

Two weeks from today I'll be in the middle of a 18 hour flight from Washington Dulles to South Africa. Wow time flew by, it's almost time to go. Now I've got to get a few last things in order, and then I'll be all set.

More to come, as usual.