My African Autumn

It's autumn here, but not like autumn in Missouri.  Every now and then, I get a glimpse of what fall looks like in the good old Midwest and today was one of those days...

The leaves here don't burst into color quite like they do in the States, but they do show a bit of evidence that the weather is changing.  The air however, screams the changing of the seasons.  I can see my breath as I make my way to the train station on the misty mornings.  The cool and cloudy days bring crisp breezes filled with the wafting scents of decomposing leaves and fires from the hearth.  On the days when the sun does decide to show its face, the yellow-y sunbeams pierce their way through the remaining leaves on the trees.  Those that have already shown their color and fallen to the ground make a satisfying crunch under my brown leather boots.  On the most brilliant of autumn days, the colors of the air seem to be a bit more orange and the sky a bit more blue.

Autumn is a time to whip out my heavy scarves and remember to bring my rain coat to work (it is the rainy season here, afterall).  It's a time for long walks through the parks on Sunday afternoons (thanks Lyss).  It's a time for Saturday afternoon football (or futbol) games in that old sweatshirt.  Fuzzy slippers, big mugs filled with coffee or tea, warm blankets, chili cook-offs, fresh baked bread and other sweet treats....that cold and runny nose when you walk through town and the early morning fog that the morning train must pierce through all accompany this season.  Nickel Creek or Imogen Heap fill my headphones and I can't seem to get enough of the aptly named Autumn Film Project.

I'm stuck in May, going on November.  Family meals and Thanksgiving should be coming up soon, right? It's days like these when I wish I was back in Columbia, about to hop on my bike and ride down the Katy Trail to the winery on the bluff with my bestie, Becca.  Days like this when I'm reminded of all the times we biked around campus and ended up at Flat Branch for some pumpkin ale to finish off the ride.  Days like this when I wish I could see the splendor of Missouri in fall....

But as I see the changing of the seasons around me here, I can't help but feel a renewed sense of self.  The last few months have been pretty tough in a lot of ways and I feel as though I'm finally pushing out of that season.  This new autumn has ushered in a new outlook on life and a renewed joy in the people and places around me.  And now as I plan for the next steps in my life, I'll sit on the porch with my green mug of apple cinnamon tea and take in the sights and sounds of my African autumn....

Cultural Conundrum

Hundreds of children and adults alike streamed into the building, almost as fast as the water streaming down the road outside.  A little rain wasn’t about to deter this crowd from attending the first ever Mr and Miss Sinako Beauty Pageant.  Masixole had been working on this event for over a month and today was the final product of his hard labor.  Kids chatted with excitement as the dj played their favorite songs to enhance the atmosphere for what was about to unfold.  Many of the guests, in tattered clothing, still wet from the rain outside and many without shoes; had never been to a beauty pageant before, let alone one with contestants from their own community.

I was thrilled that Masi asked me to judge the event.  He was so excited about it, that I couldn’t help but share in his excitement of the event.  In all the hubbub the day, he forgot to make a judging sheet for us to score the contestants---so he asked me to make one up as he was running out of the office to the venue.  I obliged and in true form, the event looked a little bit like controlled pandemonium when I arrived at the center with the two other judges.


The pageant was held in a community centre in the township of Nyanga and I was one of 2 white people in the entire building.  Now, this generally wouldn’t bother me as I’ve become quite comfortable in these situations, but today was different.  Today I was sitting at a table in front of everyone as a judge.  Masi had done a wonderful job of making sure everything was in order and 3 giant plates of food and a jug of juice were brought out for the sole purpose of feeding the judges.

Here’s where my conundrum comes in....

There I sat, in front of hundreds of people who probably didn’t have breakfast and many would go without lunch as well—with a whole plate of food just for me.  I felt guilty even eating one chip. I wasn’t even that hungry...I had a full nutritious breakfast, a great lunch and a coffee break already.  I knew I would go home to a hot meal and I knew there would be leftovers for the next day.  I could tell by the look in some of the kid’s eyes that they wished to have some of the food.  I just wanted to pull the group of little kiddos sitting to my left, over to my side and dish out the goodies to them.  I didn’t need it, they did.  I wasn’t hungry, they were.

On the other hand, if I didn’t eat the food, I would be considered rude for not consuming what I had been given.  Masi and the planning team had specifically prepared a full plate of food for each of the judges and it was his “gift” to say thanks.  It might have been different if there were more people of my own race in the audience...or it might not have made a difference at all.  Either way, I was stuck.  Eat the food that I didn’t need in front of people who did need it or be inconsiderate to the people who took the time to prepare it for us.  What was I to do??


As the event progressed, I battled to make a decision, but I gradually ate a chip here and a cookie there, trying my best to show my courtesy and gratefulness to the effort put before me. The two other judges and myself watched as these proud kids ‘strut their stuff’ across the stage.  Every kid had worked so hard on their costume and the girls, their hair and makeup.  It was such a proud moment for them--choosing the top three was much more of a challenge than I anticipated.

After announcing the winners, the boy who won Mr. Sinako of 2011 stood proudly as all the girls ran up to take a photo with him and flash their eyelashes in hopes of getting a personal smile.  Pushing through all the people, an older woman made her way to the front and wrapped her arms around the boy.  Hugging and kissing him, she started to cry---it was his mother who was extremely proud of him.  What a great experience for mother and son!

During all the craziness of announcing the winners, I was able to give a bit of my plate to some smaller kids hanging out by the judging table before the plates were whisked away.  I don’t know if I did the right thing or not, but at least a few kids had something to eat. As I left the event in my warm and dry car, I watched as others walked home in the rain and once again was hit with the stark reality of poverty and wealth. I hate feeling guilty about what I've been blessed with, but today, I just couldn't shake it. I won't be able to change the whole world, but I certainly will try my best to do what I can while I'm still living in this beautiful and challenging place.

Half Marathon? Check!

The air was chilly and damp.  4.30am came a little too early on this Saturday 'morning' but I awoke with excitement and a bit of nervousness.  Today was the day--the day that my friends and I had been waiting for since October of last year.  Today was the day that we were to conquer the Two Oceans Marathon, the 'most beautiful marathon in the world!'

Bellies full from the previous day's carb-loading with 10 other compadres, Maegan and I jumped up and down to stay warm as we waited for the starting cannon.  I never thought I would sing the South African national anthem with quite so much vigor just before 6am, in the dark, in the middle of Main Road with 14,000 other people...but I did.  And I loved every minute of it :)

The boom from the starting cannon shook the stage and we set off on our journey around the beautiful place that I have come to know as Cape Town.  Then first 45 minutes of the race took place before the sun woke up, but even still, there were supporters all along the route clapping, cheering, and blowing air horns to lift our spirits.  The first 2 kilometers were pretty rough, but after the 2.5 mark, I was good to go.  

Maybe this  is a good time to stop and let you know that I have never run more than 10 kilometers at a time in my entire life.  Most of those 10Ks happened to be on flat ground so attempting this hilly half marathon was certainly something a bit more difficult than previous done.  But as any runner will tell you, there's something about the vibe, the spirit of the runners alongside you, the epic beauty of Cape Town that keeps you pushing forward.

At 11K there's something that Cape Townians like to call, Southern Cross hill.  If there was ever an epic hill, this is it.  1.7 kilometers of straight uphill at the halfway point in the race took more than physical stamina to overcome.  As I tried to run "into and not up the hill" (thanks for that advice, Josh), all kinds of runners were encouraging and pushing each other up to make it to the top.  After reaching the summit, the runners high kicked in and I felt like I could do anything.

The rest of the race was a windy route through the 'redwood' forest of upper Cape Town.  Watching the sunlight rise on Table Mountain, changing from orange and pink to soft yellow and ultimately brilliant sunshine kept my mind off the fact that my feet were throbbing and knees were aching.  They weren't lying when they touted this race the most beautiful marathon.  IT WAS GORGEOUS!!!

As I rounded the last corner, the entire cityscape came in view and hundreds of people had come out to cheer on the last few kilometers.  Turning down the last stretch, I saw 8 of my good friends chanting my name which gave me the much needed push to finish strong.  I have to admit, I did get a bit emotional after crossing the finish line and I was congratulating my fellow runners left and right with, "We did it!!!  We did it!!!"

It's still hard to believe that I ran 21 kilometers last weekend...and that it was all over before 9 in the morning at that!  I had an amazing group of friends supporting at key points along the route and great girls to train and run with.  I can now cross this one off the bucket list, but I think I'll just have to sign up for the next one in Kysna in July....  :)

Note: Fret not, I'll have pictures up as soon as I get them.

A Little Gift Filled with Pride

The Little Giving Rascals

Every year, South Africa hosts an international jazz festival in Cape Town.  On the foothills of Table Mountain, music lovers come from all over to hear the wafting tunes of saxophones, bass guitars and soulful songs fill the southern suburbs as they sip their wine and enjoy their picnic baskets.  Unfortunately, for many South Africans the festival is only a dream as the majority of the population is confined to the informal settlements and townships surrounding the city.  The cruel reality of a first world/third world conundrum is evident on weekends such as this.  Unable to afford the ticket prices, transport, or even a full meal for their family the South African citizens of the townships are left to only imagine what it the jazz festival would be like.  

Until now…

The Amy Biehl Foundation has a strong passion for music and using music as a means to connect with children, to help them express their feelings and develop their skills.  This year, we wanted to bring the internationally acclaimed festival to the people through a fun and entertaining day of song and dance.

After much preparation, securing donations, a venue and catering, the festival was underway.  Guests streamed in to this FREE event as our very own Amy Biehl Foundation marimba band played away.  Their talent, energy and obvious joy of playing these instruments were absorbed into the crowd as they took their seats.  True to African time, the performances started over an hour after the initial start time, but no one seemed to mind at all.

The Milton Jazz Academy came all the way from Boston to provide an outstanding guest performance.  Local well-known jazz artists such as Thembi Mtshali-Jones and Yolanda Yawa graced the stage with their soulful afro-jazz sound.  Amy Biehl Foundation facilitators were given the opportunity to show off their incredible talent by way of an ensemble performance that wowed the crowd.

Even though the event was free, we decided to have a donations box at the entrance to the festival.  Not expecting many donations, I played with local kids while keeping an eye on the box next to me.  These kids were covered in dirt and smelled as if they hadn’t bathed in a while, but they had so much contagious joy and energy!  Making games out of an old soda can and 2 straws, we were entertained for hours as the musicians played away.  As soon as the children saw a few people put money in the donation box, they ran away.  

Confused and little disheartened now that my playmates had left, I sat down at my seat, holding the box.

As I sat, I tried to understand why these children had left so suddenly.  Did they see the time and realize they needed to be somewhere?  Did one child direct the others away?  Was it something I said?  Did a mother call from outside the festival, unknown to my ears?  Still confused, I wondered if I would even see these kids again.  They were so small and needed so much attention and love.

Just as I was getting lost in my thoughts, the group of laughing 7 year olds rounded the corner with smiles big enough to melt any heart of stone.  I watched as each one of them dropped a coin into the donations box.  I explained to them what the donation box meant and where the money was going and they all agreed that they wanted to still give.  These kids have next to nothing, yet they proudly gave the little they had to support.  They were proud to do their part and help the community.

After playing a bit more, the kids left to go home for the day, but I was left with the lasting impression of their gift.  It doesn’t matter how much one has, what matters is that you give what you can—and do so with pride and confidence.   Kind of puts perspective on the time and money we give towards things, doesn’t it?

ABF Facilitators ensemble performance at the Township Jazz Festival

RIP Mark Roux

On 21 March 2011, Human Rights Day in South Africa, my friend Mark Roux was tragically killed in a hiking accident.  Mark and Henry were hiking up Table Mountain (a usual occurance for the 2 of them) when tragedy befell their morning as the rocks gave way beneath Mark.  He fell approximately 40 meters.  Mark was 21 years old and is survived by his parents and 2 younger siblings.

I've known Mark since 2008 when I was studying here at UCT.  He was always in and out of the house where I stay and the family I'm living with treated him as if he were their son.  Mark LOVED the outdoors--climbing, hiking, surfing...anything that was in fresh air.  And Cape Town was perfect for that.  Always a cheery disposition, he never had anything mean or ugly to say about someone else.  He always had some goofy idea or funny comment to throw in under his breath that only a few people caught at a time.  He was very involved in his church and always had time for someone else.

Mark will be greatly missed and the loss of his presence has already weighed heavily on this community.  But, we press on with the promise of seeing Mark again in glory.  Although it doesn't take away from the fact that he is gone, it is such a comfort and joy to know that he will be waiting for us when the Father calls us home.  Mark just couldn't wait to get to the party before us...

We miss you, Mark.  Have fun in glory, dear friend.  We'll be there soon enough.

"I will turn their mourning into gladness, I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow." --Jer 31:13


"...we do not want you to grieve like those who have no hope.  We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him."  1 Thes. 4:13-14

Dignity and Value

Burning Question:  How do you instill in someone purpose, dignity and value into their work?  Into their life?

Without these things, people feel-----Helpless.  Hopeless.  Degraded.  Dis-empowered.

Think about it.

If you don't feel as though you or your work has any value, if you don't believe that you have dignity and purpose, then what is the point?  Without these attributes, people can't and won't take responsibility for their situations and actions.  As a result, we will not try very hard to make a difference, to rise above our situation or overcome hardships that come our way.  I see this happening all the time.  It's everywhere--the people I work with (inside and outside the office), the people I see at the stores, the conversations I overhear in coffee shops and on the trains, the people I hang out with, the people I try not to hang out with....it doesn't matter.  We all at some point or another have these tendencies in life to feel helpless and unable to rise to the occasion.

However, this is a HUGE problem that I see in poverty stricken areas in South Africa (which I guess could be applied to other 3rd world nations as well).  In South Africa, the initial lot of the displaced population was a product of a cruel political regime and thus could not do anything about their situation outright without risk of certain danger and even death.

BUT, times have changed.  Constitutionally, there are now more freedoms, more rights, more opportunities to break the cycle of poverty and improve society as a united country.  Just because the legislation has changed, doesn't mean the people have changed though.  Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of improvements and strides being taken to develop and sustain a growing economy.  After all, that's a huge part of why I'm drawn to this place--the potential for growth and development.  But people don't just change overnight...

Because of the cruel apartheid regime and now broken or time consuming promises from the government lead people to start playing the blame game.  Here again, we find a lack of responsibility as people wait for handouts.  They become reliant on the somewhat random influx of resources and find ways to survive from one to the next.  If you can sit around all day and not have to work--why strive to make a change?  Where is the incentive?

So this brings me back to my initial burning question--How do you instill dignity and value in a person and empower them in such a way so that they, in turn, take charge of their situation and rise to overcome.  Community development isn't about coming showing up for a short period of time and leaving.  It's about instilling a sense of longevity and sustainability in the lives of other people that is contagious.

If a person has dignity, they realize that their life and work have value.  If we then have value, we will have respect for ourselves and thus a desire to improve.  If a person sees that the people around them have the same dignity and value as they themselves have, the respect goes beyond oneself.  The beggars, the trash-pickers, the shop sales people, executives, parliamentarians, the ticket checker....they all hold the same value.  While it is up to them to take responsibility for their actions and discover their own value and self-worth, we shouldn't hold back on showing every single person the respect that they deserve.

At the end of the day, we are all human beings with a desire to be loved and treated with respect.

So the answer to my burning question??  Well, the verdict is still out there.  I'm miles away from figuring it out so any and all ideas, suggestions, comments are welcome.  These are just things that have been on my mind and I thought I'd share.

Longevity, Sustainability, and Human Relationships

Some of you may know that I applied for a grant to fund the next 4 months of my time here in Cape Town through an organization called Omprakash.  Omprakash is an organization that 'builds partnerships with grassroots health, education, and environmental projects around the world, and connects them with volunteers, donors, and classrooms that can learn from and support their work.'  One of their main goals is sustainability--something most non-profits lack.  In fact, the average life span of a non-profit organization in South Africa is only 3 years.  New ones are formed all the time, but almost as often as baby organizations close.  The key to long term success in a community development organization is longevity and that can only be accomplished by sustainable funding and resources.

Here's a bit of back story on the organization, one I really believe in...

While volunteering at a hospice center where six nuns care for three-hundred physically and mentally disabled residents, the co-founders met Omprakash: an old gentleman who had been living at the center ever since suffering a severe stroke thirty years earlier. The conditions at the center were far from what most people would call ideal, but Omprakash said that he felt like he lived in paradise, simply because the nuns treated him with such kindness. This comment sparked everything that our organization has become. With a new appreciation for the power of human relationships, we began working to connect our communities in the United States with a handful of organizations in India. Today, this same effort links over a hundred organizations in more than twenty-five countries with classrooms and communities around the world.

The Amy Biehl Foundation has been around for 14 years now and thus it's programs are well established.  But, as with any organization, there is ALWAYS room for improvement and growth.  I think that's what makes my job so exciting--the potential development in a community so dear to my heart.

I have been blessed beyond belief in raising funds to support my stay at the Amy Biehl Foundation up until now and Omprakash has allowed me continue my efforts for the next 4 months.  That's right, I am an official Omprakash Volunteer Grant Recipient of 2011!!!

My proposal included several different roles at the organization, but my main focus will now be on creating and implementing a computer competency course for a group of grade 8 students.  I hope to connect my classroom with a classroom in St. Louis by giving both students the same project and swapping stories.  If all goes well, the kids will be able to learn the differences and similarities of learners their age who live a continent away!  In addition to this, I will still be helping with web development, social media, and marketing and fundraising event coordination.

The registration process is almost done and I hope to hand in my papers by the end of the week and begin my computer class in a week and a half.  Stay tuned for updates, pictures, and hopefully some video coverage of the whole process.  I'll have a profile on Omprakash for those of you wanting to follow more specifics there.

Here's to another round of adventures and learning!