Amanda: Living Grace

On Tuesday my dear friend, Amanda, returned back home to the United States. We have been on this journey together for the past two months, beginning in Mozambique and ending in South Africa. In fact, she's the reason that I came to Cape Town. Amanda is a school teacher and has the summer off of work. We were both committed to going to Mozambique but Amanda decided to extend her stay in Africa and travel to Cape Town afterwards. I was excited for her and wished her well. Three weeks before our departure to Mozambique, I was talking to Amanda about her trip to South Africa when it dawned on me - I had to go too! So long story short, Amanda paved the path to bring me here to Cape Town and now she has returned home... and here I stay. ;)

I joined Amanda on her last day at Living Hope. Her work assignment is much different than mine so I was super excited to experience "a day in the life of Amanda". And boy oh boy, was it a great day!

For the past 5 weeks Amanda has been volunteering her time at Living Grace, which is a division of Living Hope. Living Grace is a homeless shelter/soup kitchen that provides lockers for belongings, a shower and place to wash and dry clothes, food parcels, social services, pensions, etc.

Here is what our day looked like:

We arrived at Living Grace around 8:15 am and immediately joined in for the morning worship music. Our friend, Rob the Rockstar, jammed out on his guitar while Amanda did the motions to the songs and the rest of us participated with our voices. Every morning after worship music there's a devotional; this is usually given by one of the volunteers (Amanda and friends). The "clients" that show up for breakfast must be present for the devotional in order to recieve coffee. Otherwise, they are treated only to bread. This provides an incentive for them to get to the shelter early. There were about 20+ people that showed up for breakfast this morning (Monday mornings are usually less busy b/c of the weekend - binges, paychecks, etc.).

After breakfast we cleaned up and started preparing the meal for lunch (which is always some kind of soup or stew). This was a great time of story telling, laughs and deep conversation. Amanda and I worked alongside other volunteers as well as the homeless people that came to the shelter. I really enjoyed getting to know the unique personalities of the "regulars" and was surprised at their openness towards me. We served about 50 or so people that day.

As the afternoon progressed, I could really see the light in Amanda as she interacted with the people at Living Grace. She fit in so well in the environment and really connected with the people. She not only "ministered" to them, but she loved on them, befriended them, and became "one of them" during her time here in Cape Town. It was really amazing to see Amanda move in her giftings. She truely has a burden for the brokenhearted and I believe God will use her to do great things for these people.

I don't want to make this blog too long, but the day included many other memorable moments. If you run into Amanda, please feel free to ask her about:

*Alastaire bringing us to the abandoned building where he used to live - drugs, prostitution, and rubbish galore...
*Amanda and I being mistaken as homeless (which I enjoyed)
*Claire (that says enough...)
*Leading Gail to the Lord
*Amanda getting bit on the nose
*The list goes on.....

www.livinggrace.co.za

Themes

The last week or so has been a bit challenging, emotionally. I have been so overwhelmed with thoughts, emotions, life lessons, etc. It’s been difficult enough to process through everything in my own brain, let alone put my thoughts into words. The Lord has been teaching me so much and stretching me beyond my undefined limits. Sometimes I just need to take time to stop, breathe, and reflect.

With that said, I've spent some time being "still" and reflecting upon my trip thus far. These are the reoccuring themes that keep popping up:

Obedience
Humility
Purity
Earnestly seeking/desiring the Lord
Understanding who I am in Christ

How about YOU? What is He teaching you during this season of YOUR life?

Shark Cage Diving

You are never going to believe this, but I went Shark Cage Diving this weekend!!! AAaaaaahhhh. It was sooooo amazing! For those who don't realize what a big deal this is for me, let me break it down right quick. I failed swimming lessons... twice! That is how much I am NOT a water person. So to have a great white shark staring me right in the face was probably one the most fearful things I could have faced. But I did it!! Whooo hooooo! (okay, I may have peed my wet suit a time or two, but who's gonna know...)

My Role

A typical work day for me begins at 7:30 am and ends around 4:30 pm.

In the mornings, I work at the Living Hope health care center. This is a 22 bed facility that provides in-patient care, respite care and counseling to individuals infected with HIV/AIDS as well as other chronic diseases. I have the opportunity to visit and minister with the patients in the clinic. However, my primary responsibility is to work with the internal staff. During my five month stay here, I will be focused on boosting the morale of the health care team. I am quite excited for this task and hope to use my past experiences at Inetium to support my efforts. That’s right, I’m talking about a Raving Fans Committee here – Africa style!! :)

In the near future I will also be working with Living Way, the job creation program. This ministry empowers local individuals (many of whom are past patients from the health care center or attendees of the support groups) to financially sustain themselves and their families. A sewing program has resulted from this ministry. Last week I attended a launch event for a new line of hand bags. Ten people graduated from the sewing training program and received microloans in order to “jump start” their new business. This is a very exciting time for the people involved in the program as it may be their first time earning a source of income. My involvement will be in sales and marketing. I will be partnering with a Living Way member and together we will promote awareness and sales opportunities of the bags. Again, I look forward to using my past work experience and applying it to this ministry. I’m also excited to see how the Lord will use me in this position as I trust and lean on Him.

In the afternoons, I participate in a children’s club located in a township called Red Hill. There are nine branches of children’s clubs in Living Hope. Four days a week, children come to the clubs to participate in a Bible and craft lesson, play games, sings songs, partake in an environmental activity, and receive a nutritious meal. This is a chance for a child to have a positive role model and to learn more about the love of Jesus Christ. I will be assisting Stanton, the life skills educator who runs the Red Hill club. There are approximately 60 or so kids in our club. The need for this program is so great. I pray that the Lord equips us to minister to these children.

Living Hope and ACTS

Living Hope

King of Kings Church began Fish Hoek Baptist Church Trust, a non-governmental, non-profit organization as a vehicle to minister to those in the local area infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. In the years since the formation in 1999, the Trust has grown into three separate ministries.

Living Hope – Living Hope encompasses a variety of programs aimed at prevention, care and treatment of HIV/AIDS. These programs include: a health care center, home-based carers, support groups, social workers, lay counselors, and life skill educators.

Living Way – Living Way is a job creation and poverty alleviation program that offers assistance in skills training, job creation, business development and mentoring. Living Way is a vehicle to improve and increase employment.

Living Grace – Living Grace is a homeless shelter that serves breakfast and lunch. This shelter also offers skills training, activities, mentoring and ministry to those who visit.

www.livinghope.co.za

ACTS - African Christian Tours & Safaris

Living Hope is in partnership with ACTS, an African-based organization that serves international Christian groups or individual volunteers. ACTS takes care of all aspects of travel, accomodations and catering required during our visit to Africa.

www.actsoverland.com
www.africanencounter.org (secular counterpart to ACTS)

South Africa Overview

South Africa is so much different than Mozambique (the first country that I visited). Mozambique is a third world country. The place where I stayed was unlike my home back in the United States. Houses were made of wood and termite mud, the nationals spoke tribal languages, and many people that I met had never seen a white person before. It was definitely “different” and exciting. However, to my surprise, I was more culture shocked when I arrived in Cape Town, South Africa. South Africa is a first world country that is very modern and English is one of the primarly languages. Overall, it is quite similar to the United States and at times I have to remind myself that I’m in Africa. It’s been a bit of a struggle for me to fully understand the “culture” of this place.

Here’s a bit of insight into South Africa. South Africa is located on the southern tip of the African continent with the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the Indian Ocean on the east, and independent mountain ranges sprinkled throughout the land. Equally beautiful to this amazing backdrop is the human tapestry of the city, where dozens of ethnicities blend together. Here is a breakdown of the different ethnic groups. “Blacks” represent the African people that encompass 9 different tribes (about 75% of population). “Whites” represent European decedents, mainly English and Dutch people (13%), “Coloureds” represent people of mixed decent (9%), and Indian (3%). It’s uncomfortable for me to distinguish people based on their skin color. But to understand South Africa, it’s important to learn about its history and appreciate its ethnic diversity.

South Africa was colonized by the English and Dutch in the seventeenth century. English domination of Dutch descendents (Boers/Afrikaners) resulted in the Dutch establishing new colonies. The discovery of diamonds in these lands around 1900 resulted in an English invasion which sparked the Boer War. Following independence from England, there was an uneasy “power-sharing” between the two groups until the 1940’s, when the Afrikaner National Party was able to gain a strong majority. This National Party invented apartheid as a means to control the economic and social systems. The aim of the apartheid (separate development) was to maintain white majority rule while extending racial separation. Apartheid laws were enacted in 1948 and racial discrimination was institutionalized. In 1950 all South Africans were required to be racially classified into one of three categories: white, black or coloured. Apartheid was finally abandoned in 1993. In 1994 South Africa had its first fully democratic election and elected Nelson Mandela as the country’s first black president. This is the beginning of a new era for South Africa, however there is still much pain felt in this country.

If I were to sum up South Africa in one sentence I would explain it as a contrast between immense beauty, racial inequality, and poverty. I’ve included pictures to paint my picture.

Cape Town Weather

I cannot believe how COLD it is here! I came to Africa expecting to perfect my tan as I frolicked along the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. Boy, was I in for a treat! The seasons here are opposite of the United States; so winter has just begun. And I know what you're thinking... "Geez Becky, you wimp. How cold can it get in Africa?!?" Well my friend, I tell you what... it gets cold!

The temperature during the day has been around 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit (give or take). Cool breeze blows from the coast which adds a chill factor to the day. Not to mention the average rainfall is highest during the winter months. Sooo, the cute little dresses and sandals that I've brought for my trip are pretty much useless. In fact, I packed them away and have replaced them with a down winter jacket that I bought at the mall today. Ugh... and here I thought I left the cold weather back in Minnesnowta.