Feel the Beat with Mama Africa
We started a beautiful Saturday in Capetown with a nice drive through the mountains. We then went to StreetWire, a former social entrepreneurship organization which gives jobs to local South African’s to make some amazing wired and beaded art. We all enjoyed looking at amazing African animals as well as a huge statue of Nelson Mandela, and I'm sure some of you will enjoy your souvenirs from here as well.
Later our guide, Antony, showed us some sights and then told us to wait until the market place was about to close before we began shopping because this would help us to get the best deals. We then took a tour of District Six Museum where we learned more of the cruel history that has taken place here in Capetown. The government underwent a huge mass relocation and demolition of District Six, an area just minutes from downtown where mostly black and colored people where living. The government's treatment of these people was so very inhumane and we we're saddened and touched by the stories we read about.
Learning and Exploring
Today we visited an organization called Learn to Earn which operates out of one of the local townships. The main set up involves adults from the community taking classes which teach them a specific skill such as sewing or woodworking. They have also just added classes for basic computer skills and graphic design. The real beauty of this organization is that they do not simply teach these students some random skill and then send them into the world to possibly find a job. All students are taught business management skills so they could potentially start and run their own business. A part of the course also requires students to set personal goals for themselves. While the business part is very practical, it is really the personal goal setting that is most intriguing to me.
Flavor of Africa
Today while exploring the scenic waterfront of Capetown, a small group of us enjoyed lunch at City Grille. We feasted on a nice array of snoek, crocodile, ostrich steaks, calamari, and springbok. We all enjoyed the rich veal-like flavor of the ostrich and many favored the tender and juicy springbok. However, most felt the crocodile was a bit chewy, and Meghan said she had a nice jaw workout. Since we enjoyed our South African dishes so much we decided to head to Ferryman’s Tavern, which also featured local cuisine, for dinner. Here, a larger group of us indulged in a longer, two hour, four course meal. The tasty shrimp spring rolls and spanakopida appetizers left us anxiously awaiting a main course of our earlier lunch favorites. This time instead of tasting like filet, the springbok was served differently and displayed more of a roast beef flavor, and the ostrich revealed more of a steak flavor rather than a veal one. Along with our courses we had butternut, a fruit which tasted like butternut squash but looked more like a smooth avocado. At the end of the meal we enjoyed a local favorite for dessert, Traditional Cape Malva Pudding. It was absolutely succulent and left us craving more.
Matthew P, Tyler S., Meghan, Sarah and Amanda
Guava…mmmm!
(Click images to enlarge) We started off the day painting the eaves of the administration building at Living Hope Health Care Center while part of the group helped to organize the library at King of King’s church, and others visited with patients in the Health Center. By the time my group arrived to Living Hope we noticed the stain we applied to the back porch yesterday must have dried just in time to block the rain we got last night. We finished painting the eaves pretty early, so we broke for lunch. Some of us ran across the street to get ice cream again, and when we got back we realized we had some time to kill before our rides showed up. We spent the early afternoon hanging out with Mike, Washington, and Brighton, the three guys from Zimbabwe we temporarily employed to help us do the painting. Some played cards and others napped while Mike showed Travis and I how to eat guavas. We picked them straight off the tree and enjoyed their sweet strawberry-watermelon flavor.
Just People Helping People
Today was a very busy, but good day. The morning was spent at Living Hope and the afternoon was spent at the children’s clubs. Some painted, some sorted clothing, and others spent time with the patients inside.
Meghan talked with a lady who came to Living Hope for many reasons. Besides needing medical attention, she needed a way out of her environment. She needed someone to encourage her and love on her. Ashley and Sarah hung out with some of the ladies for a long time. Ashley read some scripture and Sarah massaged their hands. One lady, Maria, had the entire group laughing. She told some crazy stories about her husband.
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The group ate lunch at the center and then things got really funny. We all went across the road to get some really cheap and really good ice cream cones. The sight of a bunch of American college students trying to cross the busy road in South Africa was hilarious. There was a man giving donkey rides next door to the ice cream shop, and two of the students decided to get donkey rides, a sight which those watching thoroughly enjoyed. Two little girls came up and started drinking Amanda’s milkshake while she was riding the donkey, and all of this was caught on videotape!
New Friends
Today our group started with a tour of the Living Hope facilities. It was very encouraging to hear that Living Hope has grown from being a hospice to being a health center. This may seem like only a slight name change, but it is a much more significant change than this. Not too many years ago the center was only able to help fifteen percent of their patients return to their homes, while over eighty percent of the patients were dying. Today those numbers are completely reversed. Due to an increase in support for anti-retroviral treatments as well as HIV/AIDS prevention, the center is now able to greatly extend the lives of their patients. (click images below to view larger versions)
We’ve Arrived Safely in Cape Town!
We're so happy to report that we ALL arrived safely at the Team House about half an hour ago. We're so grateful to all the people who helped make our journey possible. Some of us had our load lightened a bit when our luggage didn't arrive -- how's that for optimism? -- but we're hopeful all the luggage will arrive tomorrow. As for tonight, the Atlantic Ocean will probably lull us all into a deep sleep, and we'll be ready to do some touring and service work tomorrow morning. We'll report more soon!
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