New School Building

There are many who believe that education is the key to helping South Africa begin to solve the challenges the country now faces.  Unfortunately, The Department of Education in South Africa finds itself in a position where it is unable to provide quality education to many children in the system.  The majority of children in South Africa attend schools that are funded by the government and are usually found in the townships.  More often than not, these schools are deprived of resources, facilities, and quality teachers.  It makes one wonder what this will mean for the lives of the children who are losing out on education and what it means for the future of the country.   

The Holy Cross School that was founded by Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery was established in order to provide for the children living on the outskirts of Grahamstown who would normally fall through the cracks of the Department of Education.  The Anglican (Episcopal) Benedictine monks of the Order of the Holy Cross who established The Holy Cross School made it their goal to see that these children received the proper resources, facilities, and quality teaching they would need in order to establish a solid educational foundation that would help them later on in life.  This past week the monks took a major step towards their goal as The Holy Cross School opened up its doors to start the new school year in a brand new school building.

The new school building is comprised of 5 classrooms, an assembly room, a kitchen, bathrooms, a principal’s office and has all the teaching resources needed to provide these children with the education they deserve. It is an exciting time at the school and monastery to have a brand new building and to have new faces present as we start the New Year.  It may seem like a small step when compared to the overall challenges the country faces in terms of education, but small steps can make amazing changes. 

To learn more about the Order of the Holy Cross and the lives and ministry of the monks in Grahamstown, please visit their website at www.umaria.co.za.  The Order was founded in 1884 on the lower East Side of New York City where the monks worked with German immigrants.  Two American schools, Kent School in Kent, CT and St. Andrew’s in Sewanee, TN were founded by the Order. 

New School building 

Grade 1 classroom

Hallway leading to a few of the classrooms

New faces at the school!

Grade 1 on the left and brand new Grade R class on the right!

Instruction in the new Grade 1 classroom

A Day at The Holy Cross School

A few clips of the last day of school before the holiday break.

COP-17

I haven’t quite figured out the weather patterns in Grahamstown.  Even if it’s hot and sunny outside in the morning, there is always the possibility for dark clouds and rain in the afternoon.  I have especially bad luck trying to predict when to do my laundry.  It seems that every time I hang my laundry out to dry it always finds a way to rain.  The intern and assistant teacher at the Holy Cross School, Bongisani, likes to tease me and says that I smell bad and God doesn’t think I wash my clothes good enough, so God decides to wash my clothes again with the rain.  Despite my bad luck with laundry and my inability to figure out South Africa’s weather patterns there is no denying the changes that are happening to our climate and environment.

I recently took the bus up to Durban to join thousands of others from all over the world for COP-17 (Conference of the Parties), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.  I traveled to meet up with Mike Schut, the Economic and Environmental Officer for the Episcopal Church, who flew into Durban to be present for the negotiations.  Although I wasn’t actually able to get into the UN negotiations, I was able to attend a number of interesting side events and workshops ranging from nuclear energy, environmentally friendly products, re-usable energy, South Africa’s stance on climate change, etc. 

It was interesting to see organizations from all over the world lobby and strategize in attempts to influence the delegates who will be making the decisions regarding the earth’s future.  I also experienced the frustration and anger that results from selfish agendas that stymie progress in creating a cleaner earth. “We only have one home…” Archbishop Desmond Tutu said in a rally before the conference, “If we destroy this home, we’ve had it!” 

(clockwise from top: Mike Schut describing what the Episcopal Church is doing about climate change, Archbishop Tutu addressing a crowd before the conference, presentation on re-usable energy)

Living the Faith

I went with friends to visit an Anglican church called St. Augustine’s.  The church is located in a township neighborhood that suffers from poverty, high levels of violence and crime, and high HIV/AIDs rates.  In response to the hardships that surround the church, St. Augustine’s runs a feeding program five days a week in which they provide meals for vulnerable children and those living with HIV/AIDs.  On top of this, members from the congregation make home visits around the township to identify those suffering and at-risk.

St. Augustine’s is by no means a wealthy parish.  In fact, compared to many of the churches in the United States, it would look as if St. Augustine’s were in need of help.  Yet, during the week, St. Augustine’s functions almost as a non-profit social service center for the neighborhood.

During our visit, I leaned into my friend to try and describe St. Augustine’s commitment and devotion to helping the poor, sick, and those who truly are in need.  As I struggled to find words, my friend looked at me and simply said, “They are living the faith.”

Something to Sing About

A couple of weeks ago the Minister General for the Society of Saint Francis stayed at the monastery.  After his stay he wrote a reflection in which he described the work the brothers at the Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery are doing:

“I’m staying with some friends, the monks of the Order of the Holy Cross at Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery. They sing all the time. The songs get in your brain: antiphons, hymns, choruses. Moreover, these song-filled men live courageously. They are building a school for 60 local children in Grahamstown, South Africa. Sunday Mass is full of neighbors, black and white. They are creating a community based on justice; Gospel values of hospitality, care for the poor and following the way of St. Benedict.  As Gandhi advised, they are being the change they want to see in the society around them. It’s their answer to the corruption and violence around them, and I think it is something to sing about!”

Here is the link for the most recent issue of Uxolo, the monastery newsletter:

http://www.umaria.co.za/Uxolo_Oct2011.pdf 

Isibindi Camp

Boys from the camp holding the banner they created

School was on a holiday break this past week which gave me the opportunity to branch out from the work at the monastery and help with another project.  I was able to spend the time as a chaperone/counselor for a camp put on by an organization called the Isibindi Project.  The Isibindi Project works with some of South Africa’s most vulnerable and at-risk children, including those living in poverty and those affected by HIV/AIDS where children are orphaned.  During school breaks, Isibindi runs camps for the at-risk youth in order to keep them busy while school is out and to give them the opportunity to travel outside of their current living situations. 

This particular camp was for teenage boys who live in the townships in the cities of Alice and Grahamstown.  The camp was held at an outdoor education center called Hobbiton at Hogsback located in the Amatola Mountains.  During the camp, we went on a variety of hikes, did a few different ropes courses, went on the zip wire, played games, and had a big BBQ (they are called Braais in South Africa). 

It was a wonderful experience, and the youth and the Isibindi staff were a joy to be around.  Despite the many obstacles these boys face in their daily lives, their sense of hope, humor, and determination was amazing.  I found it hard to be around them without smiling. 

Playing soccer at the Hobbiton at Hogsback field

Madonna Waterfall

Hanging out at the destination of one our hikes

Hogsback Mountains in background

Sunday Eucharist

The Eucharist at the Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery on Sunday is a joyous occasion.  On Sunday mornings the church at the monastery is full of drumming, the singing of Xhosa hymns and songs, dancing, community communion, the Lord’s prayer said in whatever your native tongue is (so far I’ve heard Xhosa, Zulu, English, Afrikaans, Sotho), and much more.  People of all ages and from all different backgrounds come to the monastery on Sunday mornings to worship. 

The daily offices at the monastery (there are 5 per day starting a 6:00 am) are a bit more quiet and meditative in comparison.  The regular offices are very nice and offer a great opportunity for prayer and reflection, but lack some of the energy the Sunday Eucharist seems to have.

On Sundays, whether it be watching the children and youth drum and dance to a piece of music, or seeing the older folks who experienced the hardships and horrors of apartheid embrace at The Peace, or joining in the singing of hymns in Xhosa, one begins to sense the beauty of relationship and community. 

A few clips I took from a Sunday Eucharist.  Please forgive the poor camera work!