Finally. What we've all been waiting for. The South Africa service report....from Vietnam. I must warn you, the following post is rather lengthy, but hopefully it will capture the face and beauty of South African culture and peoples to its fullest extent. I love this country so much. Nothing can ever take that passion and love away.
Below is a detailed description of a three-day service project that myself and four fellow students organized in Cape Town. It is a portrayal of the challenges we faced and solutions we found to overcome those obstacles. For ease of reading, I have separated the days into separate sections. As we have found out by doing our project, organization is key, but you must have room to compromise and make adjustments. This is a fact of life.
Before reading, I want to preface this story by saying that this project was started initially because of an SAS class we're involved with called "Service Leadership," but it quickly grew to a project based on passion and a love for helping others. It was more than just a letter grade. It was a human mission. I take pride in what we did, and as much as words can tell a story, it will never truly reveal the feelings we had and the emotions we faced. I hope to describe it in the best of my ability.
Please enjoy and get lost in the human world of South Africa….
Monday October 4, 2010
This was the day I had been waiting two months for. The day we got to meet our friends at Youth For Christ (YFC), our service contacts in South Africa. That morning, we met up with Andre Harley, the volunteer coordinator at YFC. I had been in contact with Andre for about two months prior to the trip, trying to organize a service visit to a school, orphanage, and impoverished village.
And that's exactly what we did. That morning we met up with Andre. Dhara, Alexa, Jordan, and me. Only four of the five were there. Not knowing what Andre looked like, we were a little unclear as to how to find him. But as soon as the man walked through those doors at the Mug and Bean, it was clear who he was. A bright orange t-shirt and a large smile gave it all away. His presence comforting. His spirit true.
We talked with Andre for a good two hours about what we wanted to accomplish with YFC and our project. By the time our meeting was over, we had decided on three things. We'd do service work over the following three days at an elementary school, orphanage, and highly impoverished farm village. A farm village is a plot of land set-aside for the workers of various farms. It is their home, but their means are incredibly meager and hygiene is virtually non-existent. After discussing with Andre, we came up with the decision to do dental education with the children at the school and save general service for the village. The next morning Alexa, Jordan, and I would leave the comforts of the V & A Waterfront to check out our options at the school and the village. In the coming hours we would quickly realize these plans would need to change.
Tuesday October 5, 2010
Our crew left the ship (Jordan, Alexa, and myself) to meet up with Andre at 7:15 AM. Because it was such a small group, Andre drove us in his car. The ride to Vichershook Elementary was about half an hour away. That would be our first stop of the day. After talking about the truths and horrors of Apartheid, along with simple pleasures of life, such as South African soccer with Andre, we finally made it to the school. I couldn't believe my eyes upon first pulling up. It happened to be the same exact school that I had helped paint only four years prior! I was so excited be there again. Not much had changed. It is set in a beautiful landscape of flowing hills and miles of grassland waving in the wind- just as I had remembered. I was speechless, as I had no idea this was the school we'd be working in. Talk about total déjà vu!
Vicshershook Elementary has about 400 children, grades kindergarten through eight and is primarily an Afrikaans speaking-school. It is also enrolled primarily with children from various farming villages from the surrounding area. Because YFC worked out a deal to work with the fourth grade during the year, that's where we would focus our attention. This was perfect considering our (dental) resources could only support about one hundred children.
Upon arrival, we asked where we could help out. Class was still in session, so working with kids was out of the question. So we switched our attention to making the lunch for the school community, but there was one problem- the government supply of food had not arrived and there was no propane to cook the [missing] food. The majority of these children rely on these lunches for daily meals. For many, it is their only meal. A terrible reality. We had to do something. Jordan and I put our heads together. We concocted a number of ideas, from getting massive amounts of bread and peanut butter all the way to bringing huge bags of pasta to be cooked up.
Thankfully the government supply of food came. With were fresh vegetables, fruit, spices, rice, spices, salt, and other non-perishable items. It was a total relief, but it didn't solve the dilemma of having no gas to cook the food. The next shipment was not scheduled for another three days because of school budget. Once again, we put our minds together, and figured out that a rush-delivered propane tank would cost about 320 rand ($45 USD). That was virtually nothing (to us) in the grand scheme of things. So we pooled our money together and bought a tank. Because of that, the children were going to be able to eat for about two weeks. Each tank lasts about a week, and because another one was coming in a couple days from that point, they'd have two, thus a two-week supply. Andre helped us out with coordination as well.
The tank came just in the nick of time. In order for all 400 kids to have a meal that day, the ladies in the kitchen would have to start cooking by 10:30 a.m. The propane tank came at exactly 10:26. Meanwhile, to expedite the process, Alexa (mostly her) and I also helped with cutting and peeling the vegetables for the meals. It was good to be there, and know that these kids would have a meal. They'd be starving without it.
But that's not all we did that morning. On top of sorting out the food situation, Jordan and I talked with each of the fourth grade teachers at the school and laid out our options. At first we discussed the idea of dental hygiene education, but after talking with one of the teachers, our ideas were quickly driven into the ground. The teacher said that dental education was all good and well for the children, but he emphasized the need to make these children remember us; to make what we say stick with them forever. He wanted us to share our lives with them, and "make the world a smaller place" by bring the world to them.
That was a huge challenge. According to the teacher, these children have never been inside a library, let alone visit a beach that is literally fifteen minutes from their house. They have no concept of what's outside their village. Jordan and I knew that we had to do something more. Something that these kids would remember, or least a message that these children would keep with them. That would be our mission. But how? Changing plans is a hard thing to do, especially when it involved a shift of this magnitude.
Upon hearing the teachers requests, we were inspired to truly influence these children, but had no idea where to begin. Jordan, Alexa, Andre, and I held an emergency meeting. How do we inspire these eighty children? How do we make the worlds smaller to them? Not an easy task by any means.
So, like the food situation, we started brainstorming in front of the school- under the shelter of trees and sitting on the little school steps. After about five minutes, Jordan had a brilliant idea. Her idea was literally too good to be true- but we were determined to go for it. Taking the fact that school had an old (yet operable) bus, she questioned the ability to bring all 80 children to beach and have a picnic. Granted it was not necessarily inspire them to do something greater, it would still give them a new idea of the world. They'd get an idea of something different. Like I said before, most of these children had never been to the beach before, though it's right down the road from their homes. They'd remember that day probably for the rest of their lives. It's almost like the first time you see snow… if you're from San Jose, California of course. Quite a memorable event.
We were determined to do this. As the clock kept spinning in our heads, we envisioned the whole thing working out perfectly. The kids would all be able to go. The bus firmly fitting eighty (yeah, pretty fricken big bus) and us chaperones would ride separately. We'd make the standard PB and J the night before, get juice boxes, buy oranges, and other snacks. We'd also get a couple soccer balls for the whole event. It all clicked together flawlessly within our heads. It was going to happen. Andre loved the idea, and was hopeful it'd work out.
But with every good idea, there is a counter idea.
Unfortunately, South African law would not allow something of this magnitude to be arranged within two days. Our plan was to make this happen Thursday, October 7. After speaking with the principal, we were told that we were two months to late for this. Literally within the past few months, the South African government has cracked down on last-minute school fieldtrips. The reason being the legitimacy of transport services. According to the principal, a number of students have been killed over the past few years because of illegitimate transportation methods. A horrific reality.
So that was out of the question. Move on to plan b? There was no plan b. So what the hell do we do now? That was something that picked at our brains for the next couple hours. Andre rationalized that we should leave the school, reflect on what he had just seen and heard, and make a decision within the coming hours. And that's exactly what we did. Our next stop was the farm village.
Driving about twenty minutes from the school, and down a long dirt road lie a small community composed mostly of young mothers, children, and a few day-working fathers. The community was composed of about 90 people, most of which were children. When we got there the settlement didn't look like much of a village at all, in fact it looked like a continuation of the Danoon Township that we passed getting there. The only things that gave these people shelter were corrugated metal roofs and aluminum walls, all built around one small concrete building. The village was a mess. Trash littered the ground everywhere along shacks and the only source of water came from a single tap on the outer edge of the village. Even that was questionable. The water less than desirable.
The first life form we saw was a dog, waiting at the village's edge and barking as our car strolled through. Our second sign of life was a mother and her young child. The mother had nearly all of her teeth missing. Her baby, filthy. A terrible sight to witness. It was at that point we new our hygiene and dental education efforts needed to be thrown in the village's direction. They needed help. That much was clear, but they also needed to know how to help themselves. That would soon become our mission.
Going from home to home, we saw similar images. Mothers holding their babies, dogs running rampant, young children playing barefoot, and even naked. This was our introduction. Heart-breaking.
But of course we were viewed with as much intrigue as we did them. The entire village seemed to make subtle efforts to see our presence. Though we did not speak directly to a number of the community members, it was clear that our visit was viewed with interest. At the time of our visit, we met this incredibly interesting (to say the least) man named Gary. Gary is a man from England who moved to South Africa to form a community soccer league for the village. Knowing the director of YFC in South Africa, Gary got his "in" that way.
Gary talked with us for a good twenty minutes about his mission, his goals, and view on life. On top of that we got his life story. The man was originally a drug and alcohol addict and went to rehab for some time before realizing that his life should be about improving that of others. He claims that this is where God put him now, and this was his mission. He wouldn't be in the position he was today if it wasn't for God. Though parts of Gary were questionable, but I did get this idea from him- a very simple yet powerful truth of the world. Gary said that people from the Western world tends to come into these areas and label them as "sad or tragic," but Gary's point is that this is the reality of life. This is simply how people live elsewhere in the world. It's just a different reality, and people have adjusted and simply figured out how to make it work. It's the diversity of human life. Don't judge it. Just see it for what it is.
I think this is a great way of looking at the world. People live the way they live. Good or bad, it simply is. That's all there is to it.
That same day, the village community slaughtered a cow. Luckily we were there in time to see it butchered and hacked to pieces. I've never seen anything that up-close and personal. But as brutal as it was, the story behind the cow is a hopeful one. Whenever a cow (belonging to the farm owner) dies during birthing, the village community receives the cow for consumption. On top of this, the farm owner gives the community one cow per month. It's a pretty solid deal, and the community utilizes every last part of the cow. It goes a long, long way.
Shortly after the butchering experience, we left the village, still pondering what we were going to do for our project at the school. Andre treated us to a late lunch at a place in downtown Cape Town. We experience that which are "Gatsbys." Gatsbys are gigantic sandwiches (usually meant to feed about 4 people wholesomely) filled with egg, steak, french-fries, cheese, and a special sauce. The thing is literally served on a baguette. I've never had anything more delicious in my life, and my heart had never felt so good. It was delicious. Something only God could have only created. It seriously was. An act of God.
But that's just a miniscule part of our entire experience in South Africa. Following the feast, Andre drove the three of us back to the MV. We said good-bye and wished him well until we saw him the next day. We all knew that we had to think of something fast. It was our mission to make the world smaller for these children.
So Jordan and I got to thinking. We met poolside, Deck 7. What was there to do other than dental education? How could be deviate entirely from that to make the world smaller, and these kids' dreams bigger? Well, Jordan thought for a little while and eventually came up with a fantastic idea.
A leadership clinic! For a number of these kids, all hope was lost. There was virtually little to nothing worth living for. For them, nothing really mattered. Self-worth was gone. So that's where Jordan felt we could make a difference- through individual leadership training. That was the name of our class, was it not? It's our specialty. It's our goal.
So we went with it. From team building to organizing small group discussions, we ran with it. But part of our project should also deal with sustainability. How can we truly make what do stick with these kids and last for a while?
Well that's where handy-dandy technology comes into play. I proposed the idea of filming our meeting with the children and then sending the footage (and eventually a completed film) of the event. If you know anything about children, they love seeing themselves on camera- especially these children. The camera is so foreign to them, but video is out of this world. That's how we could make a difference. Because we could make a digital copy of our activities and time with the children, they could view their faces and actions for years to come. It would be field day for may of the children.
Well. That was the idea we were going to work with. Leadership and video- almost like a bus to the beach. But not quite. We both proposed this to the group, and all was a go. Everyone approved.
That night was just one more night at Mitchell's and a couple Ol' Wobblies later, and I was ready to hit the next day running.
Wednesday October 6, 2010
Now this was our fun day. Our group had absolutely no obligations until around 2 that day. So what did I do? I searched for internet in the mall. Found it. Bought stuff. The usual.
But finally 2:00 PM rolled around. This is honestly what I have been waiting for ever since I found out we were going back to South Africa. SOS Children's Village. The orphanage where I fell in love with 90 children four years ago.
Knowing that we were going back, and knowing the greatness of this orphanage, I arranged to bring a large group to the orphanage for just a simple service visit. Nothing special. Just playing with the kids. Andre picked us all up in a minibus, which essentially a large van that can carry about 13 people. And that's what we had. Thirteen individuals from the MV Explorer, all ready to play with the kids. I was very excited to get this many people going to SOS Children's Village.
But before getting to the village, Andre brought us through a township- something not a lot of outsiders ever get to experience. Though we could not exit the vehicle, we still saw the reality of the situation from the van. The streets within the townships are narrow and designed in such a way to keep the city within a grade. On either side of the road lie the shacks- miles and miles of them. Stores. Shops. Garages. Homes. Everything a city has to offer, except each structure is in a 7 X 7 plot of land. And in these structures are human beings having to deal with the harsh realities of no running water and little to no sanitation. Children run unattended. Shop keepers struggle to keep afloat. It's a tough. There is no doubt about that.
And the literal structure and grid of the streets? It was designed that way. According to Andre, the townships formed during apartheid were created with only one or two exits. This was a key part of control. It gave the whites the upper hand. A visual reminder of the horrors that consumed this beautiful country less than twenty years ago.
But as bad as it all looks, it's not necessarily what you make it out to be. One would think that everyone didn't not choose to be there. But that's not necessarily the case. According to Andre a number of people choose to live in the townships today because it was cheap. You would never see a white person living in the townships, but a wealthy black man might still be living there. A number of higher-end vehicles could be found within the townships simply because the cost of living was so cheap. Public housing existed, but the stipulations with that were greater than the cost of living in a tin shack. A plot of land within the township costs $300. After that, no other property fees or taxes are to be paid. Once initial costs are handed over to the government, the land is free to do as you please. That's what makes living in a township so (surprisingly) attractive.
So it's not all bad, but it's definitely not good. Segregation is still very much alive, and townships are a living reminder of that.
After seeing the realities of South African poverty on a grander scale, Andre drove us to SOS Children's Village. The closer we got to the orphanage, the more familiar the surrounding area became. SOS Children's Village is an orphanage set within a fairly nice area, so I knew that we were getting close as houses transformed from tin shacks to pretty white walls and roofs. The security systems long the edge of the houses' fences didn't give it way either. Just kidding.
It was blast from the past when we strolled into the orphanage. I remember everything as if it was yesterday. The main gate was opened, a community center lie to right and SOS homes to the right. In the middle lie a playground and small elementary school. My heart leapt with joy.
As soon as we rolled in, the kids in the playground realized our presence. At first timid, these kids screamed with joy as Cody ran at them and pretended to be a big scary monster. Elation crossed all of their faces. There were thirty of them and thirteen of us. Slightly over 2 to 1, not bad. I liked those odds.
For nearly an hour our group played with these children. Soccer, tag, and even wrestling. We did it all. Everyone joined in the fun. But most of these kids were daycare students though. Their parents picked them up at night. We still had yet to meet the orphanage children- the one thing I had been waiting most to do. I wondered if I would recognize any of them.
And sure enough, I did.
When we got done playing with the daycare children, it was time to head into the actual orphanage. As we made our way to the village, we were immediately swarmed by children. I looked around, hugged each of them one by one. I didn't put much mind to it. But then I saw him.
Amongst all the children, one stood out from the rest. It was Roger, the child that I had met and become friends with four years ago. I couldn't believe my eyes. This child had made it into at least half of my photos of the SOS Children's Village the last time around. I had practically become his older brother in a period of two days. I never forgot that face. Now, he was in front of me again. It was too good to be true it seemed. But it wasn't. It was true.
Upon first sight I looked at him, and exclaimed, "Roger?!" He looked up. I knew it was him, but he didn't know it was me. You could tell there was some confusion in his eyes. He wasn't sure who I was at first, but then I explained who I was. I said that I was at SOS Children's Village four years ago, and that he and I played soccer together. I told him of the picture we took with him on my shoulders. I told him about all our adventures on the jungle gym. And most importantly, I told him of my good high school friend Talia and her relationship with his sister Kathleen. Like Roger and I, Kathleen and Talia formed a special bond. As soon as I mentioned Kathleen, he immediately knew what I was talking about, and he rushed into my arms.
It was like a scene out of a movie; a priceless moment usually captured only in storybooks. I didn't imagine that happening. I was not prepared for that at all. I was blown away. I still am.
But our little gang couldn't have been complete without the help of Kathleen, Roger's house sister. After inquiring about Kathleen's whereabouts, Roger got a gigantic grin and dragged me to Village House #14. The SOS Children's Village is just that. A small, gated village composed of sixteen houses, where each house is home to roughly nine orphaned children, all acting as each other's siblings. The children range from anywhere from age two to eighteen. There is also a volunteer housemother that takes the responsibilities of a "real" mother. She feeds them, she clothes them, she raises them. It is a family of different backgrounds and stories, but a family still connected by love and compassion.
Roger dragged me through House #14. I chose to stop at one point. I didn't want to seem as the intruder. Behind doorway and wall stood the housemother. Roger explained the situation to her (that I was a distant friend), and that I wished to see Kathleen. After hearing Roger's testimony, the housemother came out and greeted me. She mentioned that Kathleen was in the house, but not feeling too well. She had a stomach bug- or so they thought. Bless her heart.
I told the housemother that I wouldn't stay long and that I only wanted to peak my head in to see my long-lost 8-year-old friend. Granting my wish, the housemother brought me into the other room, and sure enough, there she was. Kathleen. Looking just as she did four years ago. She was sitting on the couch and watching some TV program. I immediately went into the room to explain who I was. Like Roger, a large grin soon spread across her face. She remembered me, but most of all, she remembered us.
The only person missing from this equation was Talia. At that moment, I would've given anything for Talia to have been there. The four of us. Back again and ready to take down the world. Kathleen and Talia had a tight bond, especially since it was formed over two days. It was exactly like Roger and me.
As weird as it sounds- we rolled together in 2006. For two days. Just the four of us. I remember it as if it was yesterday.
Kathleen's housemother said that Kathleen could play only when Kathleen felt that she was feeling better. Kathleen had the choice, and of course, she was quickly "feeling much better" to play at that point. So Kathleen's housemother gave her permission to play. After that, it was off to the races for Kathleen, Roger, and myself. The whole situation was unreal. Once again, we all had an instant connection. The kids were all over me, wanting me to play with them in every game imaginable. Jungle gym adventures, soccer mayhem, tag, chase, and even wrestling. We did it all. Just the three of us.
But then it was time to join the rest of the SAS group. I should have bee on a tour of the village with them, but Roger brought me away to see things behind the scene, and most of all to go see Kathleen. It was a blast from the past. The houses. The soccer fields. The playgrounds. The basketball courts. Even the community center. I remembered all of it. In the terrible and hypothetical circumstance of me being an orphan, this is where I would want to be. It is an incredible organization that ensures the safety of the community and the lifetime enrichment of the individual child.
Roger, Kathleen, and I rejoined the group, and it was clear the entire village had taken notice of our visit. The kids were out of their houses playing and engaging with our groups. Smiles were all around. The spirit was lifted and at its max. It was good to be back there again, and I'm happy we brought the large group. It was a simple visit, but it meant the world to the children.
The entire group played together for a while and then we were all corralled into the community center. There we played a number of community building activities. We played the lifeboat game, Simon Says, and even a "community beat" game where everyone had to contribute to a musical rap by rhyming with the words of the person next to them. That was really tough. It took some real work to remember that "Joe" also rhymes with "toe." It was pretty pathetic on my part, but the kids were great at it! That was pretty cool to watch, and listen to for that matter.
On top of the games, the community leaders (one of which was only fifteen), led a discussion on the concept of leadership and monuments. I was touched by this. In many ways it gave the kids a chance to see outside the box, to truly dive into their beliefs. I like that. You could tell the wheels were spinning in the heads of the these children when we discussed the topics.
After that whole session, it was about time head back to the ship. It was pretty hard to say goodbye to Roger and Kathleen. Like last time, they were pretty bummed that we were leaving. But I promised them I'd be back. I made a promise last time, and that promise was made good. I will be back again. One way or another, I'll be back. And I hope it will be soon.
It is refreshing to fully realize that the world is small after all. Seeing Roger and Kathleen helped me with that.
…
The thirteen of us got back in the van, and of course, luck would have it that the van would not start. Andre tried and tried for twenty minutes, but the engine would not turn over. So we sat in the SOS parking lot quietly, pondering our options. Andre still trying to start the car, but to no avail. Then someone had the idea to push start it. As crazy as it sounded, that idea could possibly work. The van had manual transmission. It worked in the seventies, so why not give it a try in the new millennium?
So Cody, Dallas, Drew, I, and a couple of the other guys got out to attempt the push. Sure enough, it worked. The engine turned right over. It was a sound for soar ears. That's for sure. We were extatic that the car was working again- but not for long.
As we were flying down the free way at 70 MPH the van decided to stop working. The engine shut right off. Luckily Andre was able to safely bring us to the side of the freeway. Flashers were on, but the van was not. For about an hour the thirteen of us sat on the side of the road waiting for the mechanic. Meanwhile, about four police officers came to our assistance to direct traffic. They were perhaps the most kind and understanding officers I had ever meant. They were there to keep us safe, and that they did. We were grateful they came to our aid.
At this point, the sun had already fallen below the horizon and darkness was quickly pouring in. It was about 7:30 PM. Finally the mechanic arrived and did something to the electrical system to make it start again. Though it was a relief, we were all hoping to get back to the ship as soon as possible. The reliability of this van was questionable to say the least. I could tell Andre was feeling the same. Nervous and anxiety-ridden. He also had a wife one-week-old baby at home to get back to. This was the last place he wanted to be.
By 8 PM we finally reached the ship. It was a total relief. We were all happy to be back. We said goodbye to Andre and wished him the best. We boarded the Explorer and set sights for the next morning. The day we had all been waiting for. It was the "big game" or our project. This is where it all came together.
Leadership. That was the name of the game.
Thursday October 7, 2010
Alexa, Meg, Jordan, Dhara and I were all set to go. Our bags packed, gear ready. We were at the pick-up spot at exactly 8:00 AM, awaiting Andre's arrival. Then five minutes turned into fifteen, then fifteen into thirty, and thirty into forty-five. Andre was nowhere to be found, and we didn't have a cell phone to reach him. Cody had it because he was helping to organize the service group in the afternoon.
Fearing the worst, we hoped for the best and waited. I got a coffee and muffin in the meantime. Finally, after about an hour of waiting, two cars flew into the taxi area. They clearly had their sights set on us. As they pulled up, they said they were from Youth For Christ and looking for a group about our size. These were our people.
We threw our gear into the cars and drove off. Our driver, Edmond, explained the whole situation to us. Of course, the van was inoperable as of this morning and Andre could not come get us, so he rushed the two YFC volunteers to pick us up. Because it was so late, Edmond warned that we might not be able to get to Vicshershook Elementary in time to make our presentation. Because of the circumstances, we would have to go to the YFC office first, and then proceed to the school. All hope was not lost though. Edmond was hopeful we could still make it in time.
And sure enough, we did. We ended up going to the office and picking up some of the other volunteers. They would going with us to the school. Thankfully traffic was not too bad and we were able to get there just in the nick of time. So did Andre! HE got to the school with the bus right around the same time we did. It was fate.
There were about six of the YFC volunteers with us that day. All were from different parts of the world. There were a couple local South Africans, and some from the UK and Germany. IT was cool to be able to work with them. I love interacting with people from other countries.
After two hours of freak out time, we were finally ready to do our thing. With school supplies in hand, we walked through the school's gate into the small courtyard. From there you could access almost half of the classes. After giving the school supplies to the principal our group went into the first fourth-grade classroom. There were about forty kids in the room. The room was very modest, much smaller than what we have in the United States. I was relieved to see that kids had basic supplies such as pencils and notebooks, but the other essentials were lacking. The posters on the wall were dated, the windows old and smudgy, and a single quarter-inch piece of chalk lay on the tray below the board. To give you some perspective, I had thirty-six kids in my fourth grade class. This class had forty, and the classroom's size was about a quarter of the size of mine. It was cramped. It was stuffy. But it was also alive it was spirit.
Who are these strangers? What do they want? You could tell that was the question being asked in every one of their heads. That's where Trevor comes in handy. Trevor is a YFC volunteer who is frequent in Afrikaans and also works with these children on a regular basis. So he gave them the lowdown as to what we were doing there. He said our mission was leadership. To instill in them an idea of something greater. A picture of the world.
Before we started the presentation, Trevor had the class sing to us. To me, that is one of the most beautiful experiences on the planet. Hearing children sing out of joy. I can never get enough of it. It brings laughter and a smile to my face every time.
WRITNG BREAK
I'd like to take this time to describe the scene where I'm writing right now. I currently sit on the seventh deck of the MV Explorer, directly in front of the Glazer Lounge. It is located near the bow of the ship, it's as close to the front as I can get. I am completely secluded. No other humans around.
The air is warm and moist, and the wind blows briskly across my face. I can hear it whistle as it blows through the different nooks and crannies of the equipment above. The ocean laps up against the ship. I feel like I am in Hawaii. It is the sound of the beacue, but I am really in the middle of nowhere. We have our coordinates set on Vietnam.
I sit on the deck and my back is against the wall. The only that separates me from falling into the deep blue water is ten feet of floor and a three foot tall railing. Like Jack, I am the king of the world. I am the (young) man of the sea.
WRITING CONTINUED
After the children sang to our group, it was time for us begin our lesson. To start things off, we each prepared a slide about ourselves. We wanted to connect to them by showing us who we were, where we came from, and where we've been. We showed them pictures of our lives. I showed pictures of my family and my adventures to different parts of the world. The children particularly liked seeing pictures of our fishing adventures in Alaska. That was something completely new to them. A halibut was out of this world to them.
That went over quite well, and the kids were truly interested in what our lives were like. When Jordan said she was from Kentucky in the United States the children immediately leapt for joy and started laughing. We knew immediately why. Kentucky Fried Chicken. All the kids wanted to know if she had anything to do with that. It lightened the mood a bit. It was nice to have broken the ice like that.
Once we were done with giving the kids a look into our lives, it was time for the fun begin. We talked with the children about leadership and teamwork. What was it? Who was a leader in their lives? How do they work together on things? We went over all of it. Then we went outside, broke into four groups of ten and did team building activities. Each of us SAS students took a group. We worked with them on defining on what leadership was, did inter-group games that involved teamwork (such as the trust fall), and ended with the ultimate game of intellect and group coordination.
Two nights before our project at the school, Jordan and I found a website that detailed different team building activities. I feel we hit the jackpot. Please read on!
THE GAME (TEAM BUILDING)
1) The game involved four teams (perfect for us), and it was competition based. In the game, each team was given on hula hoops. Imagining a basketball court, each team and their hula-hoops were in each of the four corners of the court. Each team had its own corner. At center court was a lone hula-hoop; within the center hula-hoop lie twelve balls.
2) At the start of the game, each team waits at their own hula-hoop (at the corner of the court). When the ref gives the signal, the teams rush to the center to grab the beanbags.
3) The objective of the game is to get all of the beanbags into all of the hula-hoops.
As can be expected, complete pandemonium erupts and kids push, pull, run, and grab to get all the balls into their own hula-hoop. It's complete chaos, but also complete fun. The kids had a blast! Strategies were formed and alliances made against other teams.
But this was not the objective of the game.
Of course, the kids misunderstood the instructions. The instructions were to get ALL of the beanbags into ALL of the hula-hoops. Easily confusing when the kids are amped on adrenaline. So after five minutes of craziness, we brought the group into the center to explain what we wanted to accomplish. We proposed the question to them again. How do we get all of the beanbags into all the hula-hoops? It was a tough question. Hard to think about. Many kids offered solutions, but none that involved every team winning. We were looking for a "win-win" solution for everyone. How can everyone get the beanbags in their hula-hoops? This is where you need to think outside the box… or hoop in this case.
The solution, though seemingly complicated is very simple. The instructions never mentioned that you could not move your own hula-hoop. Reader, before I give you the answer, do you know how you can do it?
PAUSE FOR SOLUTION FORMATION IN READER'S HEAD.
Well, you simply stack the hula-hoops on top of each other and place the beanbags within all the hula-hoops.
It's as simple as that.
ALLOW TIME FOR READER'S MIND TO BE BLOWN.
So what does this teach? Well it is an example of a lot of things. First of all, it's an example of strategy. You must use your brain to come to this solution. Also, it inspires teamwork and coordination because you are forced to include everyone for a "win-win" situation. Everyone is a part of the solution.
Our goal was to exemplify leadership and show that everyone has a role. It is possible for more than one leader to be formed. After the session, we came in and talked about leadership. We also discussed the concept of self-confidence and how important it is when following your dreams.
That was just the first group. We had another forty children coming our way after the thirty-minute "interval" period. We learned a lot from our first group and changed a number of things during our second presentation. Our biggest change came in splitting into groups. We did that off the back, and made an effort to engage the children on an individual level. We found out who their leaders were. For many, it was their mother. She was their leader. She was their caregiver. She was their hero.
Most of these children lack a bright future. For most, township life is the only thing ahead of them. We wanted to change that, and give them hope and confidence that they really can achieve their dreams. After speaking with the children, it seemed that a number of them wanted to be doctors, teachers, and even police officers. And you know why they answered this way? Because they wanted to help people. That was their answer. These are children who literally live on the edge of starvation every day, and they want to give back to help others in the future.
That is so profound to me. We come from a country where everything is served to us on a silver platter, and the only thing we can think of is money, sex, nice cars, and large houses. These children get it. They want to live a life dedicated to the service of others, not solely dedicated to the service of themselves.
I wish I could have half of that mentality. It's beautiful. That's what humanity should strive for.
So that's what we worked on. Personal empowerment. I feel that we did get these children thinking about the possibility of a brighter future. They can live their dream if they work at it. They have the power. A number of South Africans are making their dreams a reality.
Soon after our presentation, we left the school and headed back to the ship to pick up students for round 2 of the day. As I mentioned before, I filmed all of our activities at the school, so they will be able to watch themselves for years to come.
The six of us (Andre included) were feeling hungry prior to getting to ship, so we decided to pick up something quick. And what does every American eat when they're hungry? McDonald's of course. So that's what we did. We stopped at McDonald's. I ordered a McFeast (whatever that is) and the rest of the ladies ordered fries and chicken McNuggets. I couldn't have felt prouder. Talk about personal empowerment. Not.
Finally, we picked our group at 2:30 PM. The van was repaired and the second group was ready to go. We were set. Piling fourteen (in total) people into the van, we made our way to the village. The plan was to meet Gary, the soccer coach for 3:00 PM practice. Our hope was to have our group scrimmage the village boys.
Arriving a bit early, we had time interact with the people from the village. Like our first visit two days prior, there were a number of children who wanted to check us out. One boy in particular struck a particular fancy with us, practically playing pika-boo with Jen, Cameron, and me. I sweet child. Bless his heart.
Other children ran amongst us. Most looked as if they hadn't had a bath in weeks. Their hair knotted and their skin pressed with dirt. Their mothers watched from a distance but were reluctant to come meet with us. A bit later, my friend Cameron and I decided to break from the pack and go into the back of the village. There we found one of the most beautiful babies on earth. A sweet child who did not make a sound. A butterfly would be jealous of her tranquility and grace. She was gorgeous. The baby's mother was quiet, yet seemed remarkably comforted by our presence. She knew we meant no harm. I will never forget how mother and her child both looked into our eyes. It was a defining moment of our time there.
Meanwhile, the boys started to get practice rolling. Gary had shown and it was time to get the party started. Gary first wanted us to sit back and watch his coaching style, but it quickly turned into a pick-up game between twenty incredibly gifted South Africans and ten terrible American tourists. They ran us up and down the field.
But I shouldn't cut ourselves short. Our guys did a hell of a job. And when I say guys, I also mean women! Cameron and Liz, two girls who traveled with us that day gave the South African boys a run for their money. They were good, and by the end of it, the boys wanted them on their village team. It was a very cool thing to watch. Total skill! I was impressed. We all were. (There are pictures of Facebook documenting this)
At this point, you're probably wondering how this community had a field. Well, amazingly, Gary actually organized to get this basic plot of grassland cleaned up and prepared for regulation soccer. At each end he nailed three wooden poles together to create goal posts. On the field, he used chalk to make the field lines. It looked rough, but it had character. The field was located just in front of the village less than twenty yards. A perfect location for the community.
I tried my chances with the game. No chance in hell I was going to make it through in one piece. Those kids were vicious! And soccer has never been my thing. So I went back to my photography and snapped some pics of the kids playing soccer. It was a great way to end the day.
As time went on, we knew it was time to call it a day. The sun was beginning to set and the children were due at supper. It was at that time we presented the One World Football to Andre and Gary. These soccer balls were designed for the One World Soccer Project, a project headed by the creator of Crocs Shoes and Sting. Made out of Crocs material, the balls are regulation size, and they are indestructible. That's right. Indestructible. The idea behind the project is a buy one give one. People in the States and elsewhere buy one of these balls, and one is given to an impoverished community in the rest of the world. The idea is that these balls will last within the communities for years to come, and trash and deflated balls will never have to be used as soccer balls again. It's a remarkable program that has brought joy to hundreds of people, and it's only getting better.
Rocky and Shawn Rohwedder (both passengers on the ship) heard of the project on television and knew they had to be a part of it. Seizing the opportunity to go around the world with Semester at Sea, they capitalized on the experience by signing up with One World to help distribute the balls on the voyage. So far, thirty balls have been handed out on the voyage by different service groups. There are about ten more to be distributed.
When handing over the ball, the presentation was ceremonial. Shawn and Rocky made me promise to give it to the "head" of the village. The point is that it is for the community, and not for a young child to claim it as his own. And that's what we did. Andre was the man to keep the ball. He would be its protector, its faithful guardian.
Soon after, it was time to do what we had initiated long before. Dental education. This is where all of our hard work and donations would pay off. Gathering the community (at least of those who wanted to show up), we brought group to the local water tap. It was a spickit located at the back of the village. Its quality was questionable, but it's what they used. We had to make the most of it.
While there, we handed out the dental supplies, almost one hundred toothbrushes and fifty toothpaste tubes in total to the village. Our group of fourteen SAS students and YFC volunteers also grabbed some toothbrushes and demonstrated the proper way of brushing teeth. We did it with the community. Over sixty people (at that time) brushing their teeth together. I've never scene such a hygienic event. It was cool, and the best part was, the children were excited to be doing it. We laughed all they way through the two-minute brush sesh. I couldn't stop laughing. We had a blast doing it.
And what was even more rewarding was to see how thankful these people were to be given the supplies. It was like Christmas morning for them. Even the mothers were ecstatic to be given the supplies. I never thought I'd see the day where someone would be that excited over a toothbrush. I felt good to do what we did. It's one of the best feelings in the world.
Even the YFC volunteers were excited to receive the items. There was just enough for the village. We couldn't have done it without the help of all the great students who donated supplies to our cause. We owe all of it to them.
As the day slowly slipped into night, our group said our goodbyes and got our gear together with our bags much lighter than when we came. It was time to go home. Thankfully we got home safely. No car troubles. No wild escapades this time. It was a great way to end a crazy three days. Everything went off better than expected. We did work, but we did good work.
I was proud of us, but most of all, I was proud of Andre. We couldn't have done it without him. He was our guiding light and made everything possible. I wish him the best as his father years unfold.
For the sake of letting you guys taking a break from my blog, I will end with this paragraph. For as long as I live, South Africa will remain one of my favorite countries in the world. I said that in 2006, and I say that now. In fact, that conviction is even stronger now. I will go back. I have made that commitment. I hope to see my new friends again. Until then, I wish them the best.
Thanks so much for dealing with my tardiness (as it is literally one month late), and thanks for dealing with my long writing. I hope you enjoyed it.
Peace, love, and happiness to all. Go Giants. That'a way G-MEN!
