A Prayer to the God of All Children

Before leaving for our respected countries, all of the YAGMs received a booklet full of readings, reflections and poems. The cover of the booklet says that these are to accompany us during our journey. Over the last few months in South Africa I have gone back to this booklet to re-read it’s contents. Each time I do this I find that the words written mean something new to me, particularly this one writing titled “A Prayer to the God of All Children” by Marian Wright Edelman. I hope to use this poem to share some of the experiences I have had in South Africa, express many of my struggles and heartaches, and tell why this prayer has helped to accompany me through out my journey.

O God of children of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India

Of Israel, Iraq, and Iran, Jerusalem, and Jericho

Of South and North Korea, Burundi, and Rwanda

Of South Africa, South Carolina, San Francisco, and San Antonio

Help us to love and respect and act now to protect them all.

Being a YAGM is so much more than what is going on around and in me in South Africa. Because of this program I have close friends all through out the world. Here in South Africa, in Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Jerusalem/West Bank and in Malaysia. These people are my friends and for the passed four months have continued to share with the others and myself their journey and what their part of the world has to say. It is an amazing thing to feel so connected to places, some that I have not even been to. I have been given awareness and an appreciation for these parts of the world. We are all children of God, in all the YAGM placement sites, all the areas mentioned in Edelman’s prayer and in every nation of this world.

O God of black and brown and white and albino children

And all those mixed together

Of children who speak English and Russian and Hmong and Spanish and

Chinese and Hebrew and Arabic and languages our ears cannot discern

Help us to love and respect and act now to protect them all.

Coming to live in South Africa I knew that I would gain an opportunity to learn more about Apartheid. What I didn’t realize was that the history of Apartheid and it’s continuing effects would be a part of my daily life. The area that my house is located in Kimberley was a neighborhood for colored people before 1994. Before that time, whites, coloreds and blacks all had their ‘designated’ areas. Though people are now legally able to reside in any neighborhood the racial segregation still exists due to affordability. I see and hear racism everyday. I see how the effects of Apartheid not only separate people into different neighborhoods, but also create a sense of being different, being better than one another, being separate. Racism exists everywhere but for me I am continuing to learn how viewpoints and beliefs are dictated by South Africa’s very recent history of Apartheid. I am seeing how the different generations (the grandparents, parents, teenagers, children) are changing, or not changing, in this struggle. I am learning why things are the way they are and how the younger generations plan to move forward in the future.

Foreign language has never been my forte. Never. I told the other MUD4’s here in South Africa that one of my hopes would be to learn the language spoken in Kimberley, which is Afrikaans. I haven’t got very far and probably won’t leave here with a strong sense for the language. Lucky for me a high percentage of people I come across speak English and quickly switch from Afrikaans the moment I say, “I’m sorry, I only speak English”. The response 90% of the time is, “You ONLY speak English?” For Americans that’s sort of a silly question. Of course I only speak English. Here in South Africa, however, there are 11 official national languages and in my experience everyone I meet speaks AT LEAST 2. Usually they speak between 5 and 6. It is something I admire and envy.

This section of Edelman’s prayer reminds me that God receives His children in every color, in every shape and form. God hears His children regardless of the language spoken. God hears me even though I ONLY speak English and He hears each of the 11 languages of South Africa the same.

O God of the child prodigy and the child prostitute,

Of the child of rapture and the child of rape

Of run or thrown away children who struggle every day

Without parent or place or friend or future

Help us to love and respect and act now to protect them all.

Since working at a children’s home in Kimberley I have met kids ages 8-18 with various backgrounds. The reason they become residents of Thusong vary for different reasons. Some of the kids are there because they are either orphaned or abandoned or have run away from home. Some have been found on the streets and taken to live at Thusong. Some of these children come from homes that simply cannot support them, or have been taken out because the home is stricken with drugs and alcohol. Most of the children have family in Kimberley but chose rather to live at Thusong themselves or are forced to stay there because their parents have decided they would rather have their kids stay at the children’s center than at home with them.

The time I have spent working with these kids has been some of the best and hardest times I’ve had in Kimberley. It can be difficult not to let the reality of these children’s lives weigh heavy on my shoulders. I see them every day and am constantly reminded of the hardships they struggle with each and everyday. At the same time, once you become friends with these individuals you begin to see them for who they are; amazing, talented, funny and kind, rather that seeing them as the ‘street children’ that they are labeled as.

These lines in Edelman’s prayer remind me that no matter where a child comes from, regardless if they have been thrown away or forgotten by people in the past, it will not prevent me from being able to love and respect for who they are.

O God of children who can walk and talk and hear

And see and sing and dance and jump and play and

Of children who wish they could but can’t

Of children who are loved and unloved, wanted and unwanted

Help us to love and respect and act now to protect them all.

Some of my time in Kimberley has been spent in a school for children with disabilities. The children I have spent most of my time with are deaf. Since they are unable to hear, our communication sometimes becomes a challenge considering the only sign language I know is what I have quickly picked up from watching them and their teachers. When trying to communicate something with one of the kids or when they are trying to tell me something we eventually hit this wall where we realize we’re just not getting each other. When this happens I sometimes think, “Man, if only they could hear my voice”. I imagine they are thinking something similar, “Man, why can’t this girl read my signs?” I wish I could read their signs and I imagine they wish they could hear my voice.

The most beautiful thing I have seen and realized in these classrooms is that the students, deaf, blind and physically challenged, do the exact same things I did when I was in the 1^st grade. They read and they add and subtract. They sing, dance and play. Sometimes it just looks a little bit different. Singing is singing whether it is a melody that comes from your voice or if it is a movement that comes from flowing arm movements that sign “Old McDonald”.

O God of beggar, beaten, abused, neglected, homeless,

AIDS-, drug-, violence-, and hunger-ravaged children,

Of children who are emotionally and physically and mentally fragile, and

Of children who rebel and ridicule, torment and taunt

Help us to love and respect and act now to protect them all.

HIV/AIDS is a serious reality all through out the world. However, since moving to South Africa it is an issue that has more commonly been on my mind. 30.2%. That is the percentage of individuals infected with HIV/AIDS in South Africa as of 2010. The percentage in the Northern Cape where I live is 18.4%. That’s about 1 out of every 5 people I meet.

Something that I have been much more aware of is the percentage of people not only infected, but affected. I work with many children at Thusong Children’s Center who are there because they have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS. I see how they have been affected.

It is a terrible reality but what’s also terrible are the reactions I see concerning HIV/AIDS due to myths and stereotypes. I have been apart of conversations where I hear people admit that they never use public restrooms because of a fear of HIV/AIDS transmission and others who say they are also careful who they share silverware and cups with. These are a few examples of ways HIV/AIDS is NOT transmitted. I believe that along with condom use and sex education the world needs to be educated on what is and isn’t true about individuals infected with HIV/AIDS.

O God of children of destiny and of despair, of war and of peace,

Of disfigured, diseased, and dying children,

Of children without hope and of children with hope to spare and to share

Help us to love and respect and act now to protect them all.

This line by Edelman, “spare and to share”, says a lot to me. Regardless of who we are, we all have something to spare and share. That may just be a smile. This reminds me of a phrase that has become important to my experience in MUD and YAGM, ‘Live simply so others may simply live’.

God has his hands on all of us whether we are old, young, black, white, colored, homeless, without parents, infected or affected with illness, deaf, blind, able. I know this because I see and feel it everyday. May God continue to help us to love, respect and act.

Christmas in the Summer

The following reflection is kind of a story that’s been told a lot- “The true meaning of Christmas”. I don’t mean to write this with the impression that it’s the first time this is occurring to me or that what I’m about to say is this whole new idea that no one has ever thought of. It’s just that experiencing this holiday season in a new setting and a different culture has allowed me to better grasp the concept of Christmas personally and I’d like to share how.

I thought that I would miss a white Christmas, outdoor Christmas lights, Advent services and familiar English hymns at MPLC, the tree, opening up the Christmas cards as they came, my Mom’s cooking, sitting around in the living room with my family while opening stockings and presents. I thought I’d miss all this, and I did.

Kimberley, South Africa is hot. It’s hot here at Christmas time. There are few Christmas decorations, hymns in Afrikaans, different Christmas meals, different traditions. Many things that are new and different. These were the things running through my mind before Christmas morning. Things that made me think that Christmas here is so different. However, on Christmas morning I was sitting there in church while embracing the many things that were familiar- a packed sanctuary, recognizable melodies, memorized Bible readings, and lots of straight up contentment because of the holiday season. It started to feel like Christmas. Christmas for me this year wasn’t the presents or the tree, and definitely not the snow. Christmas this year were those familiar hymns, the epic verses from the Gospels, the celebration of Christ’s birth, and that silly feeling when you’re just, you know, happy. Those things are present no matter where you are on Christmas. Who can take that away?

While watching the Grinch as he stole Christmas as a kid I was under the impression that without the trees, lights, and presents Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas. But none of this stuff was present on that very first Christmas. No glitter, glam or expensive presents. No tree, lights, reindeer or snow. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not one to think that the non-religious symbols of Christmas (Santa, toys, Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf) are anything bad. I mean, I still remember the exact details of the conversation that lead to me learning the [SPOILER ALERT] not so true existence of Santa…and the tears that followed. Though I am growing up, these symbols still remind me of the excitement of Christmas and they certainly put me in a good mood, however, I’m learning the importance of recognizing the distinction between these symbols and the real intention of our Christmas celebration. Jesus.

What happened in Bethlehem on Christmas day is like this earth-shattering event that has shaped my entire life. It is my faith and my belief, what helps me through difficult times and what is a part of me as I rejoice in triumphs and success. It is so much more than one day out of the year. Santa goes back to the North Pole and we forget about him for another 11 months, but that ‘little baby Jesus’ (another Will Ferrell reference?) is a year round celebration.

So next year when I’m home will I get rid of the tree, lights and 23 years worth of collected ornaments? No. The joy of giving presents, the excitement of opening them up and the desire for a white Christmas will remain. But there will be an understanding that if these things were lessened or completely taken away Christmas would continue to be complete and we would still be able to embrace all of it’s importance.

8 months ago at the YAGM DIP event I spoke to the others about an accompaniment moment I had while at Shepard’s Field in Israel. The group I was with crossed paths with another tour group from China. Somehow we ended up singing about 9 rounds of Silent Night. A few times in English and a few in Chinese. Who would have thought that 10 months from that moment in Israel I would be in South Africa singing the same song in Afrikaans.

Stille nag, Heilige nag! Alles rus; eensaam wag slegs Maria, geseende vrou, wat vol teerheid haar Kindjie aanskou. Slaap in hemelse rus, slaap in hemelse rus.

I hope that you all had an amazing Christmas. I was thinking about you all. I pray that aside from the presents and Christmas lights you were able to experience that true joy that can only be found through the wonderful gift of Christ’s birth.

…and Wisconsin didn’t have a white Christmas either, which makes me feel a little bit better.

Since coming to South Africa there have been a few times that I have made the mistake of thinking that I am someone coming to help. People at home sometimes think the same way- “Wow, how great of you to go help and volunteer”. I have noticed that this understanding has potential to cause some problems. After attending the We Have Faith rally for COP 17, MUD4 discussed a little about why there may have been low attendance. It was a good reminder to hear that many people in this world are not so concerned about climate justice when they do not even have dinner to serve or people in this area may not recycle because they do not even have proper trash pick up. I began to think about my own site and the way I think that I have been helping to ‘educate’ the children I am with each day.

Working at Thusong Children’s Center I have been able to come up with various programs for the children along with the other volunteers. We brainstorm with each other about what types of workshops or activities we can organize to benefit the different ages and genders. Normally what happens is that we decided based on what we each are familiar with. One volunteer knows how to sew, so she made beanbags with them. Another has knowledge on art history, another with South African history, another on sports, and myself with knowledge concerning sexual assault. These are the things that we try to base workshops and activities around for the kids when they have free afternoons.

I mean, I think it somewhat resourceful. Myself and the other volunteers are using the knowledge we have to share and educate the children at Thusong. I think that my professors would be proud. Problem is I’m not sure that the kids at Thusong are truly that interested. For a ‘street kid’ who doesn’t attend school, it is hard to believe that he benefits much from zoning out while being informed about ‘important’ things. Spending my final semester at school studying sexual assault and facilitating workshops around campus was both eye opening and beneficial to me. But what does this mean for a child who may be currently experiencing this abuse or one having been taken from his or her home because of sexual assault? Not exactly the same as talking with a group of freshmen who joke about what may happen at a frat party. It’s been difficult thinking about what these children have faced or are currently facing. I want to help. How can I use my previous experiences or knowledge to do so?

During the first MUD retreat we went around the circle and each told about the walls we have been facing, the difficulties that we struggle with. Then we went around again and talked about the ways that we can conquer or deal with these struggles. Each of us came up with an answer or result for getting passed the struggle. It’s like we could come up with the biggest problems we face daily in South Africa and also somewhat of an answer to that problem or a way to cope within just a few minutes. If only everything could be worked out that quickly. It’s hard to wrap my head around.

The ELCA Global Mission did not appoint me to inform South Africa about what I learned in my favorite college courses. They definitely did not appoint me to come and feel sorry for my community and others around this part of the world. During the rest of the year it will be important for me to continue questioning why I’m here. Though I am comfortable and able to just ‘be’, IS there something I can ‘do’?

MUD4's First Retreat

During the last week in November myself and the rest of the South African YAGM’s got together for our first retreat. I remember leaving for Kimberley in the beginning of September thinking that three months seemed like a long time before we would all be back together. Time keeps on going pretty fast.

We all met back in Pietermaritzburg, home of our country coordinators Brian and Kristen. We spent our first few days here and celebrated Thanksgiving. Whoa- considering we’re in South Africa celebrating an American holiday it was an amazing Thanksgiving. Kristen cooked a delicious turkey, homemade stuffing, corn, mashed potatoes and pie. The rest of us also brought our contributions, which we prepared at the backpackers. We had way too much. Apart from the food, I also enjoyed a true feeling of thanksgiving. I realized how thankful I am for this group of people I have here in SA, as well as at home. During these first few days we really got into sharing what we’ve all been up to, what our struggles have been and how we may work on coping with these difficulties.

After a few nights we moved to a different backpackers located near the South African- Lesotho boarder. This place was pretty dope. Pool, hot tub, bar, fire pit, mini rick wall included. The first day we went on a hike lead by Brian through the Drakensburg Mountains. These mountains were second in the running for the filming of the Lord of the Rings movies. Stunning.

The following day we had the privilege to travel into Lesotho. Also stunning. Lesotho is basically an island in the middle of South Africa and is the third poorest country in the world. After passing through boarder control, we enjoyed the day learning about Lesotho’s history and about its people. We walked up to a beautiful look out point, saw old paintings on the side of cliff walls, tried some traditional beer in a small room completely packed with our group and village members, and met a Sangoma (traditional herbal doctor).

Finally, on our last day together we attended the “We Have Faith” rally in Durban for COP 17- Climate Justice. It was really a privilege to be there, to hear from important leaders about the importance of climate justice, and to see how this project is moving forward in South Africa. Among many speakers, Desmond Tutu was there. I didn’t know much about him before coming here, but this man is an incredible and inspirational religious leader. Huge honor to hear him speak.

We were only together for five days but were able to do a lot of great things. This year during Thanksgiving week I was reminded about everything I have to be thankful for. I was able to reconnect with my friends who informed me about issues and joys happening in their part of SA, I was able to hike and view the amazing beauty of this country and in Lesotho, and I was able to take part in a rally not only important for South Africans but for all of us.

Give Thanks.

During the week I spend the majority of my time at my two placement sites. The kids at Re Tlameleng School are finishing up their year and I won’t be back with them until January, after their summer holiday. During this time my other site, Thusong Children’s Center, will have a lot more going on since the kids will be home all day, everyday from school. I look forward to this change in routine for the Holiday season.

Besides my work at the school and center, a lot of my time has revolved around the Lutheran Church in Kimberley. I haven’t talked about it yet, so I thought I’d introduce you now to my church, St. Sylvesters.

Last year they celebrated 125 years.

The structure of the service is very similar to that of Mt. Pleasant, my church in Racine (The structure of the building is not). The biggest difference is that about 98% of the service is in Afrikaans, so I sort of don’t know what is being said. I mean- I don’t know what is being said. Dinah, my host mother, writes down the Bible readings each Saturday night for me so I can read along in English and come up with a makeshift sermon for myself. Actually, you’d be surprised how much you are able to understand during a church service in a different language. I may not understand the words, but I never feel lost.

The church is about a 5-minute walk from our house, so Dinah and I walk each Sunday joining up with other members as we go. St. Sylvesters has communion every first Sunday and if there are any baptisms they take place every third Sunday. Offering each week is different from what I’m used to at home. We all go up in rows as we sing and place our offering in the collection at the front of the church. Everyone goes up and everyone contributes.

One of my best purchases here has been my hymnbook. With it I am able to follow along with the service, the prayers and the hymns. There are also a few English hymns that the Dean sometimes includes- probably to humor me. My hymnbook is already full of notes I’ve made for myself- sit, stand, this part is sung, Psalm, 1^st reading, etc. I’ve been trying to learn the Lord’s Prayer:

Onse Vader wat in die hemel is, laat u Naam geheilig word; laat u koninkryk kom; laat u wil geskied, soos in die hemel net so ook op die aarde; gee ons daaglikse brood; en vergeef on sons skulde, soos ons ook ons skuldenaars vergewe; en lei ons nie in versoeking nie, maar verlos ons van die bose. Want aan u behoort die koninkryk en die krag en die heerlikheid tot in eqigheid. Amen.

Another great thing about my hymnbook is looking through Luther’s Small Catechism in the back. (Die Klein Kategismus) Anyone who has studied the small blue book or attended a Missouri Synod school like myself knows the repetition of memorizing it and the phrase that follows each commandment and creed- “What does this mean?” In Afrikaans you would say “Wat beteken dit?”

The elders sit in the pews to the left facing the aisle and the youth sit in the pews to the right facing the aisle. The rest of us sit in the middle facing the altar. Dinah is an elder so I usually sit with the two Omas (grandmothers) of the church. Sundays are good.

Besides Sunday service, I have also been able to attend various church gatherings. Attending funerals has been a big part of my Saturday morning schedule. I have doubled my funeral attendance since being here, I think. It has been something I’ve had to get used to, but also something that I am appreciative of. Attending these funerals has allowed me to witness how my community mourns and celebrates life at the same time. The most meaningful funeral I’ve attended was for Dinah’s brother-in-law. Vicky passed away a few hours after Dinah and I were visiting him at the hospital. The funeral took place on November 5^th. Six years ago, to the day, Dinah was in the same graveyard burying her husband. I was happy to be with Dinah on that day. Prayer meetings are another event that I attend with Dinah. The prayer meetings usually take place in or outside of someone’s home. They will be held after someone passes away or if someone is ill. It’s not a typical meeting, but rather a time for singing and praying. It’s pretty awesome to be sitting around someone’s backyard singing out loud surrounded by a group of woman all dressed in their black and white church uniforms.

Other church activities I have been apart of include joining the youth when they meet on Fridays for movies and games, going with the Dean as he serves communion and visits with the elderly and ill, attending National conventions with the Cape Orange Diocese Young Adult League and having fun and eating at the church Bazaar.

This is a picture of the Young Adult League form St. George Lutheran in Kimberley. My very first weekend here I traveled with them to Rustenburg for the YAL conference. There were about 400 people all there ready to sing and dance- for 10 hours straight.

As far as I could tell Halloween isn't celebrated in Kimberley. However, that weekend my church held a fantastic Bazaar. Candy apples included.

Tables were set up selling cakes, cookies and candy. Each church group had there own table to manage- the elders, the Sunday School, the Men's League, the Sisters.

Famous South African Braai

This is called Potjiekos. It's sort of like pot roast but cooked over a fire.

When people ask me what I’ve been up to here in Kimberley I start talking about the school and children’s center right away. However, my church and the Lutheran community in Kimberley have also become a major part of my experience. The relationships I’ve built have been so strong and meaningful and I get to learn and experience something new every week. Sundays are good.

South African travel

This month I’ve had the great opportunity to visit two other YAGM volunteers at their placement sites in South Africa. From the communication I’ve had with the others, it had seemed as if our sites vary in many ways. After spending time at these two different sites, I know now for sure that they vary in many ways! My week long trip allowed me to experience these differences while observing a lot more of South Africa. I started my journey in Kimberley and traveled 6 hours by bus to Johannesburg. The skyline of Johannesburg and the busy bus transit was much different from the small information center where I began earlier that morning in Kimberley. Traveling the half hour by car from the bus stop to Soweto also allowed me to see more of the city life and finally reach one of the volunteer sites at the Central Diocese center. The next leg of my journey continued north on a 4 hour bus ride from Soweto to Polokwane and then on to a small village named Masealama by taxi. From the bus window I saw the beautiful countryside and watched as the landscape become less flat. The hills and ranges in South Africa are absolutely amazing. During these bus rides I would get caught up in the movies being played or listening to music and then all of a sudden look out the window and realize where exactly I was.

Like I said before, each of our sites differ in their own unique ways and during my visits I was able to experience many new things. One of my favorite parts was being able to hang out with people who spoke the other languages of South Africa. If you didn’t know, South Africa claims 11 national languages and each time the bus stopped, or when I would reach a new destination, the people would be speaking a different language. For instance, the people in Kimberley and those who live in the two other sites I visited each speak a different language. It would be like Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa each having a different primary language. Other new experiences included fetching water since there is no running water in Masealama, eating chicken feet and mopane worms, volunteering at a crèche, worshiping in the language of Sotho and attending my first South African soccer game. Knowing now how different the settings we all reside in are, I have a greater appreciation for the time and effort put into selecting where each of the twelve of us volunteers would be placed all over South Africa. In a way it was satisfying to see how well my friends fit into their new homes and at the same time realize the great fit Kimberley is for me.

The mileage between myself and the other volunteers has at times been difficult, especially after getting to know them all so well and becoming such great friends. Then again, I’m starting to realize the great opportunity we as MUD4 have, given our different locations and unique volunteer work. For one, we have the awesome chance to travel around South Africa and visit and volunteer alongside one another. More importantly, however, is the opportunity we have to learn from one another. The different sites mean different learning experiences that would not be available if we were not spread out as much as we are. Through out the year I will be able to share my personal experience in Kimberley and take with me the experiences I learn from my friends living all through out South Africa.

Most of my travel was spent in Masealama. The landscape in the Limpopo province is different from the flat terrain in the Northern Cape where Kimberley is located. It was great walking around with this scenery surrounding me.

The crèche I was able to volunteer at was in Masealama. The children and youth I am with in Kimberley are mostly over the age of 8 so it was nice to spend time with these little ones.

The soccer game was ridiculous. It felt great partaking in an exciting sporting event on a Sunday afternoon. We cheered on the Kaizer Chiefs as they beat the Black Leopards 2-1. The game was held in Polokwane at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, one of the stadiums used during the 2010 World Cup.

I was saying before that while on the bus I would at times forget that I was actually traveling around South Africa. Even when pulling into Johannesburg I thought for a second that I was back in Milwaukee! This bridge looks extremely familiar, right?!

Finally, I thought I’d share with you what I watch for two hours on the bus-- jazz flute. I’m Ron Burgundy?

What's a meatball?

Before leaving for South Africa people would ask me what types of food I would miss the most. I would normally say mini corndogs, meatballs, appetizers in general. Well, take a look at what I’ve been eating in South Africa…

Mini corndogs, meatballs, appetizers in general.