Having Fun

On top of being a wonderful place for children to learn and grow, the Holy Cross School is also a place where kids can be themselves and have fun.  Often I find it’s the songs, the laughs, and all the silly times we’ve had at the school that help me to realize why it is I chose to come back for another year.  Below is a video clip of some of the Holy Cross Students over the last few weeks.

Thank You!

This past month I was fortunate enough to have a short 3-week visit back home to the Bay Area.  It was a wonderful time to see my family, to laugh and spend time with good friends, to have my goofy brother constantly beat me in whiffle ball and racquet ball (I swear he’s been training non-stop awaiting my return), to eat some of my favorite American foods, to drink some good Pacific Northwest Micro Brews, to go to a Giant’s game, to hike around Yosemite, and to do all sorts of other fun stuff I’ve missed about home before I’m headed back to South Africa for another year.  For those of you who may not know, I’ve decided to continue on with the mission work at the Holy Cross School that’s run by the monks at the Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery.  I’ve enjoyed being a part of the monastery community so much, and the school does such a good job at providing a foundation level education to children who would otherwise not be receiving one, that even despite all the great things about home, it was almost a no brainer to stick around for another year. 

Before continuing on with this second year, I want to acknowledge all of you who make this mission effort possible.  Your continued support and your prayers mean so much to me and also to the Holy Cross School.  Thank you especially to everyone at Church of the Resurrection for the Olympic Themed Wine Tasting fundraiser!  It was such a fun event and it was so great to see so many familiar faces!  Thank you all so much for your wonderful support!

Pictures from the Wine Tasting Fundraiser:  

(The fundraiser not only benefitted the mission work in South Africa, but also the Contra Costa Interfaith Housing Community, and the Contra Costa Crisis Center) 

Dennis Erokan with a tasty plate of hors d'oeuvres.

The Old Man on the left (wearing his new African shirt) and my friend Adam on the right. 

Kathy Repp at the Italy table. 

Relationships

So much of what we are called to do as people and as Christians centers on relationship.  Relationship with our family and friends, with the poor and those in need, with ourselves, with our environment, with God, etc.  Now that I have spent close to 10 months in South Africa, I find I am constantly reminded of the importance of relationship through my interactions with the students, teachers, and monks I am surrounded by on a daily basis.  These relationships have grown to be a part of me, and me a part of them.  One of the beauties of being thrust into a new experience and culture is realizing that the people we saw as different or less privileged than us actually have strengths and gifts where we ourselves may be weak or less privileged in our own lives.  Thomas Merton, a Trappist Monk, wrote, “’God’s will’ is certainly found in anything that is required of us in order that we may be united with one another in love.”

We are called to relationship not merely to do good deeds for the people and things around us, but because it is through our relationships that we come closer God.   

Hanging out with Thembelanie, Br. Josias, and Bongisani

Nyangayethu, Siphosiso, Masixole, Simamkele, Xolisa

Simamkele and Siviwe

The Brothers

Itipini

Karen Langley, my friend and fellow YASC volunteer, has spent the past year volunteering at a medical clinic in Mthatha, South Africa.  The clinic where Karen works serves a shantytown community called Itipini, which was built on an abandoned landfill.  The word “itipini” actually means “dump” in isiXhosa.  Last month the municipality demolished the shacks of those who were living in the community leaving hundreds of people homeless.  You can follow more of what is happening at Itipini on Karen’s blog.  Please keep Karen and the Itipini community in your prayers.

Karen with some boys from the community

A Few Aspects of Life

Most of my time during this YASC year has been devoted to the work at the school and life at the monastery.  However, there are other aspects of my life here that may seem much smaller compared to the actual work I was sent here to do but that I find just as important in deepening my relationship with the people around me and in helping to keep me motivated. Here are a few of those aspects:

Themba

Learning South African Slang – Ask any of my friends back in the States and they’ll tell you that I love repeating nonsensical sayings and phrases throughout the day.  Well, I’ve been able to keep to my old ways thanks primarily to one of the workers at the monastery named Themba.  Themba works on the grounds crew at the monastery and he also drives the combi (bus) for the school.  He is one of those people who always has a smile on his face, and I have never once found him in a bad mood.  One of my favorite things about Themba, besides his many nicknames (Tata Sima, Umfundisi, Tata Umfundisi, Bhuti, Mr. Fix It), is the pleasure he gets out of teaching me all sorts of South African and Xhosa slang.  I have a great time practicing all the many different greetings and sayings with him and the rest of the grounds crew at the monastery.  I love yelling Xhosa slang at Themba and crew across the monastery grounds as I make my way up to school in the morning. 

Baboons and Puff Adders – These two are a little more serious because these animals can be quite dangerous, and I’ve seen both of them on the monastery grounds.  In fact, I had an encounter with a snake in the chapel at the monastery and it took me nearly 30 minutes the get the creature out of the church!  I’ve been told to especially keep an eye out for these animals when I go for runs around the monastery.  I just think there’s something exciting about living in an area where you’ll see baboons on the side of the road and never know where a Puff Adder may be lurking.

Makhulu

Watching Wrestling with Makhulu – Nomhamhasi, also known to many as Makhulu (grandmother in Xhosa), has been like a second mother to me since I have been in South Africa.  She works at the Holy Cross School, has helped raise more than 10 children (most of whom aren’t her own), and is a strong presence at the monastery.  She is a warm person to be around and she loves to give big hugs. When not at school, I often like to make trips to here home in order to sit, chat and drink tea.  Makhulu is also a huge WWE wrestling fan, and lately I’ve had a great time sipping tea at her home as we watch wrestling. 

Practicing Xhosa – I’ve been taking lessons with a teacher in town and my Xhosa is still terrible.  But, I’m always picking up on new sayings and commands working at a school where the language is predominately spoken.  The students and the teachers enjoy trying to teach me the language.  The teachers especially get a kick out of hearing me struggle through pronunciation of the language and we always have a good time in between class working on my Xhosa.   

There are certain aspects of life that we often tend to overlook but help to deepen our relationships with the people and things around us and help make us who we are.  

First Additional Language

Most South Africans can speak 2 often 3 different languages, and Grade 1 is when a second language is officially introduced in the classroom.  Now that I’ve been around the class for 6 or so months, Ms. Ntombekaya Myeki, the teacher I work with at the Holy Cross School, has given me more opportunities to do all the planning and instruction of what the Grade 1 curriculum calls First Additional Language.  The First Additional Language is often English, although it can be one of the many other official languages of South Africa: Afrikans, Zulu, Xhosa, Sesotho, Swati, Setswana, etc.

The home language of the Holy Cross students is Xhosa, and now they are just starting to learn English form the lesson plans I put together.  Most of the instruction is simple and aimed at exposing the children to auditory learning through simple greetings, songs, days of the week, months of the year, Simon Says (which is by far the kids favorite), commands, etc.  They are also starting to learn to ask simple questions, and the kid’s love practicing their knowledge of simple questions on me and the other native English speakers: “Bhuti, may I go to the toilet?”  Although, one little girl hasn’t quite got this question down and still asks, “Bhuti, may I play in the toilet?”

On top of the First Additional Language, I sometimes help lead simple writing and spelling exercises when Ntombekaya is working individually with students.  All the words the kids are learning are in Xhosa (imela, isele, amasi, etc) so half of the time I don’t even know the word I’m teaching the children, but rest assured Ntombekaya is the one who actually generates the list of words I help the kids learn to write, so I’m not teaching the kids anything too wild!

It’s been a lot of fun and it’s always so awesome to see the process of learning unfold with the kids.  

Working on English with Thembilihle.

Phonics instruction. 

School Blessing

We so often take comfort in knowing that there are people in our lives who love and care for us.  It gives us a sense of stability and reassurance knowing that there are others who support us and take interest in our well-being.  This past Saturday, in an effort to show the Holy Cross students that they are loved, cared for, and supported, hundreds of people from the Grahamstown community and from different parts of the world came to be a part of the blessing and celebration of the new Holy Cross School building.

The Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, and the Bishop of Grahamstown, Ebenezer Ntlali, came to offer their blessing over the school and to preside over the blessing service that was held in a huge marquee right outside of the school.  It was a grand event with speeches, beautiful singing, a delicious meal (that was cooked by the students’ mothers starting at the crack of dawn), hugging, laughter, and tears of joy.  The Holy Cross Students were seated in front for the entire service and were the center of the celebration.

My favorite part of the whole event was when the children lead the procession into the service.  Hand in hand, the children marched/danced down the isle singing a song they had practiced for weeks in preparation for the event.  After the procession was done and everyone was seated, Archbishop Makgoba paused before he started into the liturgy of the service and asked the children to stand and re-sing the song.  However, this time he also invited the entire crowd of around 300 people to join in.  Everyone present stood and sang to the tune of the song the children had practiced for weeks prior to the event.  It was a fun and heart-warming way of letting the kids know there are people who love and support them.  

Photos courtesy of Br. Roger Stewart

Getting ready for the procession in.

The students practicing their song.

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba blessing part of the new building.

The Peace.

The Mama's cooking in the early hours of the morning.  It's a lot of work to feed 300 people!

Mothers of the Holy Cross Students.

Holy Cross students and staff.

A little tired after the event!