We are beginning to find our rhythm, waking up for breakfast at 7:30am, attending Arabic class, and then our seminar class after lunch with potential evening adventures. I have deeply enjoyed building new friendships and learning new things about amazing people in our group and locally in Beit Sahour.
The first excitement of the week was experiencing a sandstorm for the first time. Sandstorms are not like the movies, but they do kick up lots of dust and sand to where the air quality is much poorer. The same day, we welcomed the last three people of our group to Palestine. Afton, Iris, and Savannah were on tour with EMU Chamber Singers around Europe.
I am in the Arabic 1 class, and this week we learned the Arabic terms for the parts of the body, numbers, and identified alphabet letters within an Arabic word. I feel like I am learning a lot and faster than I normally would learn a language because I am so ingrained into the culture here and practicing Arabic daily.
The seminar topic for this week was connecting religion and the conflict of Palestine-Israel, specifically focusing on Christian Zionism. We enjoyed hearing from John Munayer, a professor at a nearby Bible college, and we enjoyed visiting WI’AM, a local organization known as the Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center. John provided insight into Christian Zionism and spoke about the struggle Christian Palestinians face between understanding what the Bible says and what the secular world says. Zoughbi Alzoughbi and Tarek Alzoughbi from WI’AM, on the other hand, provided each of us insight into peaceful conflict transformation within the local community we are living in for 6 weeks.
Last to mention, we recently have begun playing four-square in the front courtyard of our guest house. We have been engaged for hours!
-Karla H.
This Friday was probably my favorite day that we have had so far. I had a lovely breakfast with my roommate and host, Widad (who happens to also be my Arabic teacher). As we drove she waved to most people (it seems that she has taught at least 2/3 of the people in Beit Sahour). Next, we went on a hike in the Makhrour near Bethlehem. It was lovely. It was one of the few times on this trip in which I felt truly at peace. It was amazing to look at the terraces dressed with olive, pine, and oak trees and dusted with wildflowers and cacti. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Roman Watch tower and the small Roman Bath House along the way, since I took Latin for four years and generally have interest in all things Ancient Roman.
Next, we headed to our taxi driver’s house for tea, which I think is a fantastic example of how friendly the Palestinians are. His family was kind and welcoming, and the tea was great too. They also had a cat named Oscar! He was the first house cat we had come by, and he enjoyed being petted too, which is good because I consider petting cats one of my talents. Finally, we had a fantastic lunch, walked around Bethlehem, and then we rested.
I have come to the conclusion that Saturdays are going to be our emotionally taxing days, however, meaning full and worth it. We visited two amazing organizations, CPT (which documents the human rights violations Israeli soldiers commit, especially against children in Hebron) and Youth of Sumud (whose work includes building cave homes for Palestinians that would be difficult to destroy by Settlers and protecting Palestinian children on their way to school from them too). I have a lot of respect for them and the bravery and grit it must take to do this work.
On May 13th, at 10:33 pm we arrived at our guesthouse in Beit Sahour after 30 hours of traveling. We were immediately greeted with open arms by our hosts and a large array of Palestinian foods. The hospitality and welcome towards us has been a common theme during our time here.
Our first week in Palestine-Israel has been packed full of adventures, learning, and memorable experiences. On Sunday, our first day, we were introduced to the city of Bethlehem by our tour guide Edmond. We visited the Shepherd’s Field, Church of the Nativity, and the streets of both the Old and New cities. We also ate our first of many falafel sandwiches.
This first week has had it’s challenges as well. Through jet lag, covid impacting a few of our group members, and long days, this week has had its difficulties as we adjust to a new place and culture.
An ever-present topic throughout this trip in both the experiences and conversations we have is the occupation of Palestine by the Israeli government and military. Although we have been reading and talking about this in class, witnessing the effects of the occupation firsthand has been saddening and angering for many of the members of our group.
Despite this, the resilience and perseverance of the Palestinian people is ever-present. We saw this when we went to visit the Tent of Nations, where the Nassar family continues to fight a 33-year court battle for the rights to their land surrounded by Israeli settlements that are illegal under national law. Despite the Nassar family owning and having the papers for the land dating back to the Ottoman Empire, they are barred from building or creating waterlines on their own land. We were blessed with the opportunity to contribute to their fight by volunteering to weed around the newly planted olive trees that replace those destroyed by the Israeli military.
We also see the fight against injustice present in the many Palestinian organizations that are focused on nonviolent resistance. We had both Omar Haramy from the Sabeel organization and George Rishmawi from the Rapprochement Center speak to our group. Hearing their stories and their fight against injustice was something that our class was highly appreciative of.
Our visit to Jerusalem on the 20th shared similar difficulties. The tension within the city was apparent. The touristic appearance and military presence within what is considered a holy city made many feel uncomfortable. Despite this, it was incredible to see historical religious sites. The beauty and tranquility of the Mount of Olives was an experience for many of comfort and connection.
Two of the last nights of this week have been spent with our host families. The amount of love and care Alexa, Greta, and I received staying with our host family was overwhelming. From taking us out to get kanafa, a traditional (and delicious!) Palestinian dessert, to inviting us to spend time with their extended family, the love was apparent. With the English our host family knew and what little Arabic we knew, as well as some help from trusty google translate, being able to get to know each other was a blessing. At the end of this week, my host mom referred to the three of us as their daughters and that we are always welcome in their home if we ever return. This welcome was not an uncommon one. Every member of our group shared similar stories of the welcome and love they received. One common experience that we smiled and laughed about was the continued insistence that we eat more. Even when we stated we were full, our host parents continued to put food on our plates and insisted we had more room in our stomachs. It was clear to all of us that this was an act of hospitality and love.
Our first week in Palestine has also been filled with an incredible amount of joy. From learning the traditional Palestinian dance to sharing food and laughter, the love for this place and each other is apparent. Although we have only been here a week, both myself and others have already grown to love both the country and people of Palestine. We all look forward to many more experiences of adventure and learning that we have yet to experience in the coming weeks.
As we began to conclude our time in South Africa we spent three days in St. Lucia, to have a time of reflection. During this time we had the chance to sit as a group and engage with one another about our time in South Africa and what that means for our lives upon returning to the United States. This time was filled with many questions. Some were answered, but many were left for us to sit with and ponder. What are we bringing back with us? How has this country changed us? How does a South African context reflect that of the United States? What do we wish to share with others about this experience? This time allowed us to think imaginatively as we reflected through the creation of images, while speaking our own truths through them. As a group, we laughed and cried in the presence of each other as we thought back on the past few months. If one thing was clear through this process it is that this country has deeply impacted our lives in one way or another.
-Molly Piwonka
April 15
On one of our nights in St Lucia, about 16 of us in the group trekked out into the night on the back of a truck through the iSimangaliso game reserve. We were taken through the park by an experienced tour guide from the area whose name escapes me now. We started off the tour guide with a bang as several hippos crossed the road in front of us in the town of St. Lucia as we were loading into the truck. Through the tour we saw a variety of different animals including chameleons, some bush buck, several kudu, and a rhino. We also finished the night with a bang as we had a close encounter with several elephants that approached our truck closely and seemed to give us a piece of their mind for being in their space. Overall it was an awesome experience with lots of great sightseeing and experiences that we will all remember well for some time to come.
-Ben Alderfer
April 18-19
We spent two days at Kruger National Park doing game drives Tuesday and Wednesday. The first day started at 4:00 in the morning, with breakfast on the bus as we drove to the game park. The highlights of what we saw during our first day were wild spotted dogs, hyenas, and a leopard. The second day was a later start as we only had to leave at 5:00 in the morning. This day was a little less exciting but we still saw elephants, hippos and crocodiles, as well as many other more common animals along the way. Some of these more common animals were impalas, giraffes and elephants. Spending two full days on the bus was exhausting but a great experience as we got to see so many wonderful animals we don’t normally get the chance to see. It was also a time of bonding as we took turns keeping watch in the front seats of the bus, yelling out whatever we saw so everyone could wake up in time to see it. These two days were a great experience and something we were all glad we got the opportunity to do.
-Grant Leichty
April 20-22
Our last days in South Africa were exactly where we started. St. Benedict’s in Johannesburg. Friday morning we had a last service with Anabaptist Network in South Africa, ANiSA, who shaped our very first three weeks. This service included communion with various types of breads, symbolizing different people of the world and several traditional South African drinks. We also were gifted beautiful graduation stoles with traditional African patterns. (Come to graduation and see them for yourselves on our senior classmates) This final service helped us reflect back on the trip and appreciate all we had done together. That evening we had the chance to go back to our original host families for one last meal. There were mixed emotions being able to see our families again while realizing the trip was finally coming to an end. The next day we packed, had one last shopping trip for souvenirs and said goodbye to the country we’d gotten to know the past three months.
On Monday, we had an “Easter egg hunt” similar to the one we had when we met together at the Suderman’s before this intercultural semester. The scavenger hunt includes six clues and we had to solve one to get to the next. The final clue that awaited us was to look for our Easter eggs also known as our candy bags the Sudermans put together for us. We split off into our committee groups and worked together to solve the clues. Each group got a reward also to go out to dinner with their committees when we got to St. Lucia.
On Wednesday morning, we wrapped up our time in Pietermaritzburg with a debrief session led by Graham of CLP. He asked us to think about three S’s that we observed in our last three weeks in PMB. What did we notice about soil, also thought of as land, society, and soul, otherwise thought of as the people? In thinking about this, we were tasked to think of these in “I no longer doubt…” statements. A few examples from the group were:
“I no longer doubt that there can be justice without land reform.”
“I no longer doubt that power is always corrupt.”
“I no longer doubt that the soul can only thrive in the presence of beauty.”
“I no longer doubt that communities can change the world.”
“I no longer doubt that all humanity is deeply intertwined.”
We had the opportunity to spend one night in the Drakensberg mountains on Wednesday. We left Pietermaritzburg in the morning and arrived at the backpacker that afternoon. A group of us then went for an evening hike up the mountain. We enjoyed some gorgeous views together and had fun watching a group of baboons play from afar. After a wonderful 3 course dinner provided by our backpacker, we went to bed only for half of us to wake up at 6:00 am to do the same hike, but at sunrise. Although the trail was the same, the sun and sky made it all the more beautiful. The one downfall of our stay consisted of freezing cold showers accompanied by much cooler weather. Despite this, we left the mountains with a greater appreciation of the natural beauty in South Africa, a feeling of rejuvenation, and for those of us who didn’t dare face the showers, a slight feeling of grunge.
Spring break on the coasts of South Africa was a blast. We started off the week at Jeffreys Bay where we stayed at the Island Vibes backpacker just a stone’s throw away from the beach. The waves were wild but fun. We celebrated two birthdays there and had some time to relax and enjoy the beauty of South Africa. Early Friday morning we loaded up the bus. We drove through winding mountain roads till the asphalt turned to dirt. Then that dirt road disappeared and we had made it to Mdumbi. Mdumbi took some getting used to, especially for those who found Gecko droppings on their beds. Eventually, we all began to see the beauty of the space. It was there that we began to dig into and debrief all that we had learned and experienced so far. The mornings were a time of reflection and discussion. The evenings were a time to enjoy the beautiful rolling hills and sandy beaches.
Taken seconds before the frisbee’s fatal final flight. This hill overlooks African Enterprises, our home for the duration of our stay in PMB. Ben was the one who lost the frisbee but he didn’t pay for a new one.
We have two hosts here in Pietermaritzburg. Our “little while home” is at African Enterprise’s beautiful campus of cabins, chalets, forests, and waterfalls, while Church Land Program (CLP) coordinates and guides our time in the Pietermaritzburg/Durban area. An NGO dedicated to accompanying the landless poor in their struggle for justice and dignity, CLP created our schedule and is guiding us through our time in Pietermaritzburg. CLP welcomed us warmly and led us in reflecting on the journey we’ve been on so far. We received booklets with a collection of essays, reflections, encouragements, and tributes, part CLP’s “padkos” (“food for the journey”) program. This program also includes gatherings of the CLP community, one of which we were able to attend the following week. We enjoyed a lovely evening of tasty food, wonderful conversation, and an inspiring though a poignant film about the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969 entitled, “Summer of Soul.”
So far, we have journeyed with CLP to Edendale/Georgetown, Bombayi, and eKhenana (eKhanani?). Georgetown is one of the many communities which make up Edendale, Pietermaritzburg’s black township. At the Georgetown Library we were introduced to members of the Georgetown History Project, which seeks to research and preserve the history of the community. Unfortunately, much of this history—especially pre-colonial history—has been erased or forgotten, but this amazing group is determined to reverse the world’s stubborn amnesia about their home.
We also visited Bombayi, a community within the city of Durban, with CLP. There we meet GOLDCO (“Glory of the Last Days Community Organization”), a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting the vulnerable and feeding the hungry within their neighborhood.
In addition to the learning experiences we had this week we also did some fun activities. Our first Saturday in Pietermaritzburg we went to an aquarium and waterpark. We saw a large variety of fish, from seahorses to sharks, to eels. Then we had the opportunity to go to the waterpark. There were all sorts of slides and a lazy river. The day was a big highlight for the group.
On our second Saturday, we went zip lining at Karkloof Canopy Tours. We flew over rivers and dodged rocks and trees as we made our way through ten zip lines to the bottom of the mountain.
Week 12 (PMB)
Scene from the toxic tour. Oil is piped into the refineries from the ocean.
On Monday, April 3rd, our group went on a toxic waste tour around Durban. The tour was led by the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA). The work of SDCEA deals with the intersectionality of environmental justice and social justice in oppressed communities. We drove around Durban looking at different oil refineries and storage units, noticing how proximate they are to residential communities. The development of the areas surrounding the refineries and plants (or lack thereof) connects directly to the legacy of apartheid, which included the forced relocation and separation of Black people, Colored people, and Indian people. These people were forced to live extremely close to the oil refineries, and the following generations are now direct recipients of an array of health implications caused by the chemicals that the plants leak underground as well as into the air. SDCEA helps surrounding communities to resist and actively fight against the toxic living environment that the refineries and pipelines create. SDCEA advocates for disparaged communities and empowers community members by educating them on hazardous chemicals and how to identify them with specialized equipment. The alliance has a vast network of people from different communities around Durban that notify leadership when something is wrong with the air or water in certain communities. The people work together to collect evidence of the toxic chemicals that were dumped into their living spaces, and they put pressure on authorities through the media and other forms of communication to hold the oil companies accountable in their waste management. SDCEA has been incredibly helpful in improving the living conditions of South Africans inside of Durban. The tour was a good opportunity for us EMU students to see some of the detrimental effects of oil plants on the surrounding land and its people, especially whenever there is a leak in the underground pipes. It was also a chance to witness some community organizing and environmental justice in action.
On Wednesday we paid a visit to CLP (Church Land Programs) at their offices and got a tour of their facilities in addition to the opportunity to meet and have conversations with all of their employees. After hearing about how individuals contributed to CLP as a whole, we came together as a full group for a processing session where we processed some of the questions that had arisen for us during our time with CLP, which covered a broad range of topics including funding for nonprofits, inequality, race, and gender.
On Thursday we attended our second contextual Bible study which was sponsored by CLP at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. We focused on 1 Kings 21, which is about King Ahab and Queen Jezebel killing Naboth in order to gain his vineyard. We unpacked the text by engaging with a series of questions, and then concluded with a discussion on the difference between racial inequality in the United States and South Africa.
On Friday our group took advantage of an extended weekend and went down to Durban for a beach day. After stocking up with some goggles we were excited to explore the ocean and the tidal pool that bordered it at the beach. Some of the group headed out to the beach to lay in the sand, while others went to the tidal pool to swim around. In the tidal pool, there were schools of fish, ranging in sizes, and some tropical. There were also coral, urchins, and many other types of sea life. Unfortunately, the coral was sharp enough that a handful of us went home with small battle scars. As the tide came in, waves would hit against the walls of the tidal pool causing huge sprays of water which was fun to play in as well. Others played in the ocean, although there was only a small flagged area that was safe, as the current and waves were pretty strong as they came into shore. After the day was over, we headed back to Pietermaritzburg to clean up, and have dinner together.
After worshiping throughout Lent with a variety of churches, we celebrated Easter this Sunday with Calvary Community Church in Pietermaritzburg. We got to be part of a joyful and creative worship service, including both English and Zulu songs that we’ve become familiar with in our time here and some familiar songs from home. The church youth put on an Easter play focusing on Jesus’ grace and healing power, which was appropriately reverent but still very joyful and funny! A small but stalwart group of us also braved the chilly fall morning to hold our own brief outdoor sunrise service. We spent the afternoon with new friends, the Philpots, learning to cook a proper South African Easter braai (cookout) and enjoying good fellowship and discussion.
This past week we spent our time in Hermanus, with homestays in the neighboring township Zwelilhe. We were split up among 8 host families, where we spent our evenings and early mornings. We spent the majority of our weekdays at Volmoed – an intentional community and retreat center. During that time, we took part in a contextual Bible study alongside youth from Zwelilhe who were involved in the Volmoed Youth Program, a program that cultivates youth leadership. The contextual Bible study focused on the Triumphant Entry passage found in Matthew 21. We explored themes of violence and peacebuilding through historical study, scripture re-enactment, and group discussion. We navigated how to apply these themes in our current contexts, both in South Africa and the United States.
An Ode To A Contextual Bible Study
By Molly Piwonka
Journeying towards new understanding Collectively working to disassemble peace and violence Cloudy concepts Concepts of complexity Questions arise Is one black and the other white? No This dissection leaves not two, but many tiny fragments Can one exist without the other? Not within human understanding, but maybe beyond those limits
Did the Prince of Peace cause disruption? Tables turned over An act of violence? Ideas turned on their heads An upside-down kingdom Human acts might need disruption Society might need shaken If you’re to “be woke” don’t fall into passivity’s sleepy spell
Is peace inherently good; while the other bad? Try again Is violence inherently bad; while the other good? Try again Don’t you see? These are difficult distinctions They depend on perception Good; bad All is relative
Don’t lose hope This all takes time Do feed on this feast of ideas Do quench your thirst on this stream of thoughts In time points might be woven together Or more questions might be produced Either way this journey is filled with much interest and support Don’t be discouraged
Other activities this week included a drum circle where we were taught the basics of Djembe drumming by an animated veteran of the instrument named Bevel. He employed various teaching strategies including having us drum on our neighbors, scream as loud as possible, and showing us the basics of how to visually identify a good drum.
Later we were also graced with a chance to meet John DeGrutchy, prominent South African theologian, and author of two of the books our group had been reading. Our conversation felt brief but included such weighty themes as the relationship between faith and politics, who God is, and who humans are in relationship to him.
On Friday, we took a road trip to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa. We played in the waters where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. A place of natural beauty, we were awed by jellyfish, snails, sea-urchins, crabs, rocks, and sting rays. The rest of the weekend was spent soaking up our final moments with our host families. Some of the EMU students were able to experience a traditional Xhosa umgidi ceremony, where the community celebrates the homecoming of young men from the bush. Virtually every Xhosa boy will travel to an initiation camp and undergo various challenges in order to earn their manhood. Umgidi attracts the entire community and includes lots of dancing, eating, and drinking. Other Saturday plans included walks along the harbor and a classic braai. After church on Sunday, we said our goodbyes to our dear friends and families from Zwelilhe. From Hermanus, we rode the bus to Jeffrey’s Bay where we had plans for rest, rejuvenation, and a debrief surrounding the events of our intercultural semester so far.
We spent Monday and Tuesday with Oscar Siwali, the head of the Southern Africa Development and Reconstruction Agency (SADRA). Oscar welcomed us warmly and introduced us to SADRA’s mission: to intervene in conflict and to teach others to intervene in conflict. Despite having only three full-time staff members, the organization partners with a wide variety of community groups and leads trainings and workshops across Southern Africa. The project we
spent the most time learning about was the Peer Mediation Trainings, a program in which the most at-risk students in high schools with high levels of gang involvement and violence are trained in mediation and conflict de-escalation and positioned as peer mediators within their school. We were amazed to learn how well this project works; the average violent conflicts per week have dropped from 15 to 3 across the schools SADRA has partnered with!
On Monday, we had lunch with a variety of community leaders who work with SADRA and heard more about the changes they are creating, as well as enjoying live musicians who called several of us up to play along! On Tuesday, we got to know a group that runs reading clubs for kids to work against illiteracy, which is a huge problem in this area of South Africa. Also on Tuesday, we met with one school’s peer mediators and talked with them in small groups about their experience with SADRA trainings and acting as mediators in their schools as well as how their lives have been different after attending training camps.
– Laurel Evans
Robben Island
As mentioned in the previous blog post, we had anticipated visiting Robben Island on Friday of last week, but due to traffic from a sporting event downtown we had to reschedule our tour for Wednesday, March 1. With a tour departure time of 1 pm, we left our backpacker by 9 am so that we wouldn’t risk losing our tickets. Once we arrived at the V&A Waterfront, we spent some time reflecting on the books that we have been reading and having space to debrief our time in Cape Town thus far. Eventually, we headed over to where we would load onto the ferry for our ride to the island. Personally, I was feeling a little nervous about how rocky the boat might be and potentially feeling a little seasick, but all of us made it through with our health intact. Once we landed on the island, we walked to the prison where our tour guide met us and showed us around the group prison cells and individual cells. This included the cell that Nelson Mandela lived in for 19 years. We then hopped on a bus to tour the rest of the island, seeing some of the houses that guards and wardens lived in while the prison was in use. Now the island is inhabited by those who work for the museum.
– Anya Kauffman
Dion and Stellenbosch
We visited Stellenbosch on Thursday and met Dion Forster. Stellenbosch is a beautiful city full of wineries that we could see from the mountaintops. However, Stellenbosch is also the most economically unequal city in South Africa. We began our time at the University of Stellenbosch with Dion Forster. Dion is a professor at this university with a focus on public theology. He explores the differences and ties between secular and religious beliefs.
Apartheid theology was birthed and developed within the University of Stellenbosch. As a result, the Seminary of this University focuses its studies on two things: Constructual Engagement and Critical Deconstruction. Constructual Engagement has a recognition of black consciousness, exploring what it means to recognize the blackness of South Africa and what it was designed to be. Critical Deconstruction, however, explores the internalization of lies about race (and gender) that lives within South Africa or even the world itself.
Engaging with Dion was a great time of listening and learning. He gave us an opportunity to ponder and share how we could use our fields of focus (nursing, business, photography, etc.) to change the world until “that day comes”; reference to Revelation 21. After, we explored the little town of Stellenbosch with eateries and shops. Our group had a great time eating lunch together and learning about the cultural significance of wine in South Africa.
– Natallie Brown
Table Mountain and Rugby
On Friday we hiked up table mountain which was much more exhausting than I thought it would be. The trail was composed of stairs and switchbacks, with climbing almost straight up for two-plus hours. The view from the top was hidden by clouds which was very disappointing. We took the gondola down the mountain so a few of us could get back in time to surf for an hour before dinner. On Saturday the majority of us went surfing one last time before heading to a rugby game in the afternoon. The game was the Durban Sharks against the Cape Town Stormers, and it was quite exciting even if we didn’t know what was going on. It ended up being a close game with a final score of 29-23 in favor of the Stormers.
We departed from Jo’burg on the morning of Saturday the 18th. We woke up, said our goodbyes to our hosts at St. Benedict’s, and hit the road. That day was a nearly 9-hour day on the road with a stop for lunch. We occupied ourselves with some games, music, conversation and a lot of procrastination of reading. We finally arrived at our destination in Colesberg that evening. Soon after arrival, we trekked about a mile to downtown Colesberg to eat dinner at a little restaurant in the area. The next morning, about 6-7 of us in the group decided we wanted to hike the little mountain beside our backpacker before church.
We woke up early and started the hike up the mountain. We sort of had to pave our own way as there was not really a definitive path. We eventually made it to the summit and spent a couple of minutes admiring the view before starting the trek back down. We made it down the mountain almost unscathed and showered before church. That morning we worshiped at Grace Community Church in Colesberg. Right after church we enjoyed a braii at one of the churchgoer’s homes, and then hit the road once again. This day we only traveled for about 3 hours and then arrived at our backpacker in Beaufort West. That night we grabbed dinner at our backpacker and went to sleep right after as most of us were pretty exhausted from our days of travel. The next morning we woke up early, grabbed a quick breakfast, and got on the bus to complete our last day of travel. After about 6 hours of travel through the Western Cape we saw the ocean, indicating we had made it to our destination.
Tuesday: Today was our first full day in Muizenberg and we had a free day so we could transition into a new place. The most exciting part of the day came after lunch. As a big group, we walked to the surf emporium, rented wet suits and boards, and got a one-hour surfing lesson! There was a lot of falling, splashing, and spluttering, but by the end, a few of us were able to stand up and are very much looking forward to surfing again.
Wednesday: This morning we met with Caroline from The Warehouse. She gave us a lot of background on Cape Town and took us on a driving tour. A lot of the driving tour consisted of observing our surroundings and noticing the stark contrasts between the informal settlements/townships and the wealthier areas of Cape Town. We drove through luxurious Bishopscourt with wineries and lush greenery to overcrowded and condensed townships with countless small iron corrugated shacks shoved into a small area. Seeing these differences really didn’t sit well with me and it left a lot of us wondering how such poverty and wealth can be in such close and obvious proximity to each other. We had the opportunity to eat at Mama Nox’s house found in a local township for lunch. She gave us wonderful food and company before we continued on our way to the township of Langa. There we toured the Dompas Museum and learned about the struggles of black movement during apartheid. During apartheid, the government forced black people to carry passes (the dompas) that cleared them for traveling out of their township, into their township, and within their township. If they left home without it, they were subject to arrest. It was a very educational day and a great introduction to our “home” for the next few weeks.Continue reading →
For the past few Sundays, we’ve been worshipping with different local churches in South Africa. On February 12th, we went to Orlando Baptist Church. On February 19th, we went to Grace Community Church, where we worshipped with congregants from both Colesburg and Cradock. At the different churches, we are regularly called upon to sing a song or share an encouragement with the church. Andrew Suderman has already been asked and successfully delivered two sermons. As an EMU group, we have performed a couple of renditions of the song Siyahamba. The church services have been a jubilant and energetic gathering time for us; a time to clap, dance, and hold one another, both as strangers and family.
This week we began volunteering at Soweto Kilptown Youth (SKY). The purpose of going was to experience the community and be present with children as help was needed for things such as homework. So each afternoon, we ventured off to Kilptown and many children who were joyful to be with us. We struggled with the concept of relating with these children for a week, only to leave and never return again. Therefore, we had several conversations about this with one another, but our questions did not stop us from having an amazing time at SKY.
Monday, we met Bob and got to know him as he shared about himself with us. After, we took a tour around the community in which these children come from. The rest of the week, as mentioned before, we got to know Bob, Thando, and all the children that make up SKY. We had moments where we helped with homework, stood in a circle to sing songs, and lots of laughter and hugs. Each day ended with singing “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers and reciting two prayers on being the Lord’s Prayer mentioned in Matthew 6:9-13. We left Friday, truly challenged by our experience and cherishing the moments we did have. Yet, I am happy to say a fire was sparked in most of us to continue to learn and be changed while changing others!
This week we spent our evenings at host families. We were divided into four groups and had dinner every night with a family. During this time, we had the opportunity to try new foods like chicken feet and samp. This time together gave us a chance to get to know each other better. On Friday, the final night with our host families, three groups had a braai together having the opportunity to meet different host families. The fourth host family spent supper also having a braai at their home cherishing the last night they had together with each other.
Friday we celebrated the ending of our time in Johannesburg. As a group, we reflected on the sites of struggle we had visited over the past three weeks and the knowledge gained from these sites. Throughout this time, the idea of pilgrimage was emphasized, specifically when thinking about our own journey through South Africa. To further this reflection, each individual in the group wrote a word on a rock that they felt encapsulated their time in Johannesburg. These rocks were placed on an altar in the middle of the room.
One of the key parts of this reflection time was communion. For this communion, there was an assortment of breads and fermented drinks placed on the altar. These breads and fermented drinks represented the different people and cultures of the world. For example, saltine crackers represented the elderly and disabled. After the description for each bread and fermented drink were read out loud, the group was able to taste the breads and drinks.
After communion, we had the opportunity to listen to two poem readings. The first poem was inspired by one of the sites of struggle we visited, the site of the Marikana massacre. The second poem explored the dynamic between bones, breath, and blessings.
Between the reflections on the sites of struggle, communion, and listening to the poems, we were able to celebrate and reflect on our time in Johannesburg. While we are sad to be leaving Johannesburg and the connections we made, we are excited to travel to and experience time in Cape Town.
Last to mention, we recently have begun playing four-square in the front courtyard of our guest house. We have been engaged for hours!
Youth of Sumud (whose work includes building cave homes for Palestinians that would be difficult to destroy by Settlers and protecting Palestinian children on their way to school from them too). I have a lot of respect for them and the bravery and grit it must take to do this work.
