I can't tell you how many times I have sat down to write my update to all of you. Right after I got back I really struggled with just how abundantly blessed I am, WE are, here in good ol' U.S. of A. When I use the word abundant I mean ABUN-DANT-LY!!!
The first few days of the trip felt a little more like a vacation-which was super enjoyable, and I got to see some of the most spectacular things ever (photos to come), like sunsets, and penguins, baboons, and colliding oceans meeting, stunning and picturesque visions everywhere I went. A quick Google search of Cape Town and those are exactly the visions that you expect to see, but that isn't what I'll remember about Cape Town. What I'll remember and cherish are the things that a tourism site aren't going to tell you about. What they didn't tell me was the extreme poverty I would experience firsthand, that the living conditions were deplorable, or that I'd see countless young faces left to their own devices. And they definitely didn't tell me that I would leave wishing I could have done more. In the days after, I found myself thinking two thoughts; my house is a palace, and the scripture, give me my daily bread (Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3; Proverbs 30:8), is something I ignorantly took for granted.
The Townships
Us seven "Americans" (as we were affectionately called) were teamed up with staff from Metro Kids and taken out into all of the different townships around Cape Town. Walking through the townships is where I got my first few ah ha! moments. They had told us that we'd be walking through the townships (developed under the old system of apartheid, living areas for non-whites), but I didn't really know what that meant, until I did it. What it meant was walking around to the houses (if you can call them that) of Metro Kids Africa's attendees of Sidewalk and making their presence known in each of the communities. Making weekly visits is probably one of the most important factors in their ministry. Even though apartheid ended about 20 years ago, the affects of it are still lingering today. It is not common that a white person would enter into the township communities offering goodwill to all. A white person is typically just seen as a "rich white man," that they go into the city to work for. Also, of notable mention is that the townships are primarily made up of the Xhosa (said, k-oh-za) people. Our first meeting with Metro Kids and we discovered that we weren’t going to master the language quickly. This is an African language that has clicking sounds in it. Thank goodness that all of the junior leaders can speak English fluently! They served as our translators and tour guides.
I was fortunate enough to get paired up with Ncedisa, a Junior Leader for Metro Kids (who also lives in the townships); Jackie, my fellow American friend, and partner in crime in my bible study group; Andy, from Switzerland; and most importantly James Senior, the founder of Metro Kids Africa. It is evident that James wholeheartedly cares about each and every single child that comes and participates in Sidewalk (their mobile Sunday school). He knows about each child's families, where each of them live, (which is a feat, because most of these townships don't have addresses, or street names), and if they're home when he visits, he gives them his undivided attention. For many of these kids, this might be the only attention they get for the day, or week! If anyone demonstrated God's love to me during my time in South Africa it was certainly him.
I really enjoyed this time, because it gave me an inside glimpse of what life is like for them, and my first taste of humble pie. What I learned is that my modest 1500 square foot home back in the states that I often fantasize of enlarging was a PALACE in comparison to the homes I would witness in the townships. Everywhere I turned there were shacks and shacks, made from makeshift found items of tin, steel, and plywood, all the size of just one room in my house back home. Many of which do not have running water, let-alone a bathroom with a shower, or a space any of the kids could call their own. As I walked the dirt streets, there were dozens of children, James is somewhat of a celebrity in the townships and they were all eager to greet him. As we entered into the homes, I was surprised to see that many of them despite their rough exterior were decorated to the best of their ability. The dirt floors sometimes covered with linoleum, make shift walls were adorned with family photos and pretty objects they found, and children were sitting in couches, while watching television. Not really what I expected to see. One man, who coincidentally was also named James, was sitting on the outside of his home, and was willing to share his story. Over and over again he said, “I am their father. These are my children. I want to give them a life better than what I had.” The townships are riveted with alcohol issues, and have many fatherless homes. He had recently lost his job, and could no longer pay for his eldest daughter to go to a better school. He seemed devastated. We prayed for him, and he was then kind enough to give us a little tour of his house. I learned later that that particular township was on top of an old landfill and that the government had come in and set up outdoor water spigots, and outdoor toilets. Could you imagine having to walk up the street or around the corner just to get clean water or to go to the bathroom? All of a sudden I feel like the most blessed person on the planet!
As we weaved our way in and out of the three separate townships, there definitely was not a dull moment, and I inevitably created a moment of complete embarrassment for myself as we walked by a food vendor. Sometimes my curiosity gets the best of me and this moment took the cake! Attached to the food vendors shack was a sign, or a menu with the items available for purchase along with how many Rand it would cost. I read several items such as, fish and chips, livers, and the first menu choice, which I thought read Iguana...ya know like the lizard. I asked James, “Did that sign say you could order Iguana?” Ncedisa busted out with laughter, and in an instant I knew I had just made a fool out of myself. She then explained that the word “igwinya,” is said Ig-ween-ya. I’m thinking, oh, I thought maybe they had just misspelled the word iguana. James walked us back to the food shop and ordered us each an Igwinya. Which, again, I’m thinking, what in the heck did I just get myself into?! To my pleasant surprise it was fried bread, similar to a Sopaipilla. As we continue walking and talking about the communities around us, Jackie and I had decided not to eat all of the bread, so that we could bring some back to share with the rest of the team. I found myself trying to hide the bread, kids came out of the wood work to get hugs from us, a few of them, once they saw the bread wanted me to give it to them, some of them grabbing at my hands. In hindsight, I wish I would have just given the bread, it was clear that a fresh batch of bread was a real treat, and here I was hoarding it to share it with my team. I know, I’m being hard on myself, but things are typically clearer in hindsight, and as I reminisce about my trip, that moment is hard for me to swallow. And if I’m perfectly honest, we didn’t even finish the bread, so it makes me feel worse, that some child could have benefited from something I ended up throwing in the trash. My second slice of humble pie doesn’t taste so good.
The Camp
We traveled about an hour and a half southeast of Cape Town to get to the camp location. It was a stunning drive, where we got to pass through the beautiful town of Hermanus, and try to get to see a whale. We did get to see the tail of a whale, but it was the wrong season to get to see one breach the surface of the water.
The camp was a time to give some pampering to the hard working junior leaders of Metro Kids and it was everything you would expect from a camp; activities, such as, rock climbing, archery, kayaking, sleepless nights, and tons of laughter! Some of the more poignant moments for me were the quality time we got to spend with the junior leaders and getting to know their stories. Sadly, almost every single one of them has a heart breaking life to go home to, and it was such a pleasure being a part of giving them a worry free weekend. I especially enjoyed a few of the guest speakers’ discussions on forgiveness and how we view our Earthly Father influences how we view our Heavenly Father. After the forgiveness talk the speaker asked if any of the kids would like prayer and if so they could stay behind and we’d pray for them. This is where faith can be of such a benefit to them and where they can be a resource and blessing to one another. In their culture they don’t talk about how they feel, or open up, but God really provided some special moments and I believe spoke to some hearts about the love He has for them.
My absolute most favorite moments from this camp was getting to experience the joy they have for singing! I wasn’t really sure what to expect from a musical standpoint going to the southern end of Africa, but they surely did not disappoint! In those moments I yearned I could understand their language so I could sing along with them, instead I danced. It was fun. Beautiful. And unforgettable.
Sadly, the camp did not go without its tragedy. A boy who attended the camp, Tespho, lost his life the very day he arrived home. He tried to break up a fight that his cousin was in, but instead wound up in a hospital bed, pleading for his life. However, Tespho’s last words demonstrated God’s light and love and reminded us all, “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). As he lay dying he was able to tell his mom what he learned at the camp about forgiveness and tell her that he forgave the person who stabbed him. Unbelievable! I pray that his mom will take heart in Tespho’s words because God instructs us to, “Above all else, guard [our] hearts, for everything [we] do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23).
The Mama’s Tea
The week was wrapping up and rapidly coming to an end with the last event, The Mama’s Tea. We walked around the township of Khayelitsha (the largest township in Cape Town, some estimating as many as 1 million people. Cape Town had just finished their first ever census of the townships, so exact population will be much more accurate) the morning before the tea to remind all of the mama’s to meet us at the local church for some pampering. One thing we learned during our time there was to be flexible and not to have too many expectations. It was sometimes difficult to loosen the reigns and grasp the concept Janet affectionately called, “Africa style.” In America if we know someone who is consistently “late” we’ll humorously (or maybe not) tell that person to meet us 10 or 15 minutes prior to the actual meeting time. In South Africa, especially the townships, time isn’t really a concept; it’s all very laid back. But just to be sure all the yummy cake, and tea would be devoured we offered a reminder. It was a great opportunity to get another glimpse into their community and to spend some more one-on-one time with the Junior Leaders. Mowanga instantly captured my heart that morning. He’s one Junior Leader, Metro Kids is very fortunate to have. He said, “These kids see me as a super hero. I have to be a good example for them.” After spending the afternoon with him, I better understood why he was so insightful and such a well-spoken young adult. He’s also quite talented with magic. He’s gone all the way to Las Vegas, Nevada to compete. He has such an open heart and I knew he didn’t take his job as a role model in his community lightly. He could easily abandon Metro Kids and be a successful magician.
The tea was such a delightful time to spend with the mama’s. They were all referred to and called Mama’s, but in actuality many of them were caregivers, maybe a Grandma, or an Aunt looking after the young children because their biological mom died of AIDS, or was a victim of violence, etc. As they walked into the hall, some of them put on their nicest clothes and wore fancy hats. We had tables set up with white tablecloths and colorful cakes, as they sat we offered them coffee and tea. For almost all of them this would be the first time they had ever allowed someone or had been offered for someone else to lovingly serve them. We gave each and every single mama a manicure, only a few of them declined. They all loved how soft the lotion made their hands feel. As I massaged I took note of their hands, they were rough, and tense. I was saddened to see that several of them had fingers that were missing. I didn’t ask why, but my imagination ran wild with explanations and assumed that maybe that’s why some of them had declined a manicure. Jen, who was my roommate for the duration of the trip, said one of the mama’s expressed her gratitude for Metro Kids and the Sidewalk program that her children get to attend. She was grateful that because of that opportunity, she was also being blessed with the tea. I found many of them to be shy, but ever so appreciative, some of them paying compliments to me, when I was supposed to be the one paying compliments to them. We played games, handed out prizes and prayed. Again, I was able to delight in the joy of their music as the mama’s broke out twice into perfectly harmonized song. Fortunately, as I was busily working on manicures, Neil walked around with my camera and took photos and videos of them enjoying their morning.
Here’s where I tell you what I got out of this trip, the big picture. The answer is as cliché as it gets (cue the harp and singing angels). It was life changing. A real eye opener. Told you it was cliché. Truthfully, I’m the one that was lifted up and inspired by my going there. The goodbyes were difficult. When you meet someone in need and you walk away feeling like you did nothing for them, the goodbye becomes even harder. I didn’t travel there with my magic wand waving it around, although; believe me I wish I had. They gave me more than I gave them. I feel like my cup got filled up and I left theirs nearly empty. I am beginning to not like humble pie. Then I realized yes, I went there to pray for people, and all of YOUR fundraising and support helped provide some amazing experiences that those kids will be able to look back on and have a few memories that will hopefully encourage them and lift them up in the inevitable future dark moments to come. But what if I went there so I could tell you all about it? Maybe God opened my eyes to the people of Cape Town and what He is doing there so that I could somehow open someone else’s eyes. What I experienced went beyond cultural awareness. What if this trip was supposed to go beyond telling you about the warm fuzzies I received or the kudos from all of you? I know I just went weird and that might make some of you uncomfortable, but just sit with me for a minute. I really want this letter to reach someone somehow, not to go on a trip, but to experience God and the love He has to offer. Now I’m really making some of you uncomfortable. I sat in those shoes before. I didn’t know this letter would even turn all evangelical on you. Sorry. I am trying to keep this lighthearted. But let’s be honest here, it’s not like it was a secret that I went on a mission trip. The bottom line here is that I experienced a ministry that has an enormous heart for spreading the love of Jesus. And in my simple and probably ineffective way I’d like to convey that to all of you. The whole experience from top to bottom wasn’t easy and certainly came with a number of challenges. The first one was asking all of you for money and that the money would be used so I could spread the love of Jesus overseas (and that included asking many of my friends who aren’t “believers”). It was about being able to help one person and that I wasn’t naive enough to believe I could help everyone. Before we left Cape Town we met with James and Janet and James had asked us to hold on to the “high” we are feeling from this trip and that our moment to do something with it was now. God gave us this moment and it’s up to us how we use it. Then we went around the room and prayed for them and their ministry. I prayed that although James and Janet may not see the seed they had planted inside of me, or how it grows, but that I would go home and plant one inside of someone else. I didn’t really know what or how I would do that until now. I pray that this isn’t the only seed I plant, but I mostly pray that if any of you are feeling that tug at your heart right now, just stop for a moment and listen to it. That’s God speaking to you. What is it asking you to do? Help the elderly neighbor up the street? Cook dinner for a single mom or a new mom? Maybe it’s something more complex like letting go of fear and asking God for help? Whatever it is, once you figure it out, I pray that you will go and plant a seed in someone else. Being a Christian is so much more than being a bible thumper or an overly critical judgmental perfectionist. James and Janet felt that tug at their heart several years ago, listened to it, and then acted on it.
If I take away anything from this trip it’s to be on a lifelong pursuit to remember the less fortunate, wherever they live in the world, and to keep my eyes open for where God can use me to help someone else besides myself. If I get too wrapped up in me, me, me, that’s probably when God will attempt to give me another aha! moment. I just hope I see it when it’s in front of me.
I’m ending this letter with a great deal of gratitude for all of you and your willingness to pray for me, and support this trip financially. Thank you. Please join me in continual prayers for Metro Kids, for their ministry to be blessed spiritually and financially. Metro Kids has a One by One penpal program that allows you to bless one of the children living in the townships, and also financially assist Metro Kids with a $20/month donation to their ministry. If you are interested in doing this, please contact me and I will get you the information you need. Again, seriously, thank you for sending me to Cape Town, and allowing God to change my heart.
I am currently working on getting my photos uploaded to share with you.
Love,
Aubrey ☼
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