Random Things That Happen in My Safrican Life

These are some notes on a few of the more random things I have experienced while being here in Cape Town.

In order to get into town we have to take really dodgy taxi vans. Mostly it’s just unfun because these guys yell at you from inside their white serial killer vans in words you can’t understand. Then if you decided to risk your life with them you hop into an over crowded van (I have had people practically sitting on my lap) and ride with them as they weave in and out of traffic picking up more people to take you into the sketchiest part of the city. No worries though, because where they drop you off is mostly unsafe and you stand out at a white girl. My strategy is to walk fast and not talk, lets they realize I am American too. One of my favorite taxi experiences thus far was the one where the driver kept turning off the main road to avoid traffic and at one point had to back out of a neighborhood because of a drug raid.

I have yet to use a restroom that would meet American standards, but a few of the sketchiest toilets included the pull a cord that comes through the top of the toilet to flush the toiliet toilet, the walk through the creepy door and down the dark alleyway and through the next creepy door toilet, and finally the window wide open so people in the alleyway can stare at you while you do your business toilet.

Our group including the pastor of the church here, JD, was walking through green market square a few weeks ago when a guy came running at us. 4 guys were following him and shouting in a language I could not understand. Right as he came running by he pulled out a gun and started waving it in the air moments before he pointed it behind him and fired a shot. JD hit the deck before any of us, mostly I just stood there thinking "wow, I feel like I am in a movie," but then Jon, in as calm a voice as he could muster, told me to get down... so I did. I think I should have been scared, but mostly I was fascinated. Just another day in Cape Town...

Really life here is not that unsafe, it's mostly just a bit, um, different than life in Minneapolis. Oh and not to mention a lot louder... I'm not sure what is worse the taxi drivers that constantly yell from their windows, or the vuvuzelas that never seem to stop.

Answered Prayers

Mostly this summer our goal is broad, go into the city, meet people and be light in dark places. For the past few weeks I have been discouraged by what this looks like practically because, honestly, this city is still a man's world...

So I have been meeting lots of men. Like the guy who didn't want me to leave his coffee shop so he wouldn't give me my change and spent the whole hour I was there hovering over me. Or like the guys in another cafe who when I ordered a muffin and not a drink asked me if I wanted to drink them, no thank you creepers.

Point being, I have had trouble meeting women in the city to spend my time with. Thus, I have been praying that the Lord would bring at least three women into my life that I could be light to.

Fast forward to Monday. I entered my gym and a lady walked up to me and literally started sharing some of her life story with me while crying. I would find this strange, but honestly things like this happen to me quite frequently. She then invited me over to her place for lunch this past Wednesday!

On Thursday I was meandering on a treadmill, the ellipticals were taken and let's be honest I'm not a runner. Anyway, I looked at the girl next to me and used the classic get to know you line, "what is your name?" At the end of our time in the gym we walked together to New Space Theatre so I could show her where VOX, our church, meets on Sundays. We then exchachaged contact details, a hug, and a "see ya Sunday."

On Friday, after having three bad expirences at a particular coffee shop, including an instance where they closed early and turned the lights off to say get out, I decided to go back. I had a three minute conversation with one of the ladies that worked there and before I left she handed me a note with her number and a message saying she would love to chat more with me.

All this has reminded me that the Lord does answer prayers and that his timing is perfect. Please pray that these women, Mansi, Marcia, and Chepo, would see and experiences God's glory.

Another Side of Cape Town

On Thursdays a team of us from VOX go to Scalabrini, one of the local food kitchens, to meet with some of the homeless people who eat there. Our goal is just to show these people love and to offer them hope.

Time and time again after talking to the women at the Scalabrini I see people with genuinely good hearts who for one reason or another have ended up on the streets. For some the streets are a way of life, the only way they know how to survive. For others the streets are a stopping ground and hopefully the low point on the way to something better.

Their stories are varied. Caroline and Ruana have been on the streets together for over 20 years. Marta is a women with a wonderful voice who dreams of being an opera singer. Bolina has a scattered past but hopes to find work and a way to provide for herself. Elsbie left home because of abusive guardians and at 52 has has made the streets her home.

Last week, after I commented on how lovely Ruana's bracelet was, she took it off and gave it to me. It's crazy how someone with so little is still willing to give so graciously. I told her the bracelet would remind me to pray for her.

Please pray for these women. Pray for their safety. Pray that they would be provided with food, clothing and shelter. Above all pray that they would find hope in Christ and that they would find a way off the streets.

Random Story:

Today at the shelter Marta asked how old I was. I told her 25 and then all around me there were quite gasping noises and a loud, "I told you so." Turns out there was an argument between Marta and a few others about whether or not I was a child.

Prayer Requests

1) Please pray for our safety as we travel in and around the city.

2)Please pray that God would guide our time here and that we would meet people who are open to the Gospel. Much of our time is spent in the city just building relationships. Pray that we would meet people of influence and that we would be people of influence.

3) Pray as we seek to reach out to the homeless people in the city. Pray that we would be listeners and well as bearers of hope. Pray that these people would take steps to get off the streets and that in the mean time they would be safe from theft and violence.

Thank you!

Mzolies and Life

First of all I have to say that I love all the English influence in this culture. A bit because it makes me feel smart compared to John and Shannon who are sometimes confused by the language, but mostly because all the British words I hear are like a warm comfy blanket that make me feel like I am at home with my people. I love word blankets!

Right now I am sitting in a coffee shop while the US vs Australia soccer game is on. It’s a bit confusing, I don’t know who to cheer for and people keep screaming and startling me… it’s sort of the opposite of a word blanket.

In other news:

On Thursday night a whole group of us went into a Township for dinner. It’s literally a 5 minute drive from paradise into third world culture. The divide between rich and poor here is second only to Brazil.

Our welcome to the township was seeing a little boy doing a squaty potty on the side of the road… he didn’t really seemed phased by it, so I guess we weren’t either. Most of the houses were no bigger than a typical bedroom and were made of corrugated steel. There were thousands of these little shacks that stretched on for miles. Occasionally you would see a business, which was just a home with a spray painted sign for “spiritual healing” or ‘hair cuts” or something similar.

We ate at Mzolies, a little dive on the side of the road where we literally all shared a big bowl of meet, while eating with just our hands. This may have been the least sanitary meal I have ever eaten, but it was also one of the most fun and tasty.

In the end I am faced with the reality of how small and powerless I really am. At the same time I have to remember that we serve a God who cares much more than I am able. Though we look poverty, death, homelessness and disease in the face, God has seen the issue and he has sent the answer. We wait and do what we can with the knowledge that one day God will heal our pains and take away our sufferings; we need only to place our trust in him.

Tuesday June 1, 2010

In the past 4 days I have commented maybe 100 times on God’s creativity, splendor and majesty. Cape Town is a magnificent city surrounded on one side by ocean and the other by mountains.

As we’ve gotten accustom to our surrounding we have had the opportunity to climb boulders for a view of the ocean, touch sea enemies (I think it’s funny when they curl up in a ball) not touch sea urchins because they will sting you, touch giant star fish, stand just feet from ostriches, peer out over Cape Point (the southern most tip of Africa) as we look at both the Atlantic and the Indian ocean... and maybe my favorite part, save two Holland vacationers a from wild baboon attack.

Today we got a bird’s eye view of the city and the people who live in it. We drove from some of the wealthiest neighborhoods, think celebrity homes, to some of the poorest, think tin roofed homes. The divide between the wealthy and the poor is truly heart breaking.

As part of our work with VOX city church we will be spending one day a week helping at a soup kitchen and one night a week building a relationship with people who live on the street near the church building. VOX truly has a vision of helping the city, not just starting a church.

This coming week we will be working on our vision and plan for the next seven weeks. Please pray that our vision would be the Lord’s vision.

Moments From My Life:

There was a point during our bolder climb where we had to crawl into a cave and then hoist ourselves up out of it. As I climbed into the cave I noticed a dead bird and a did a little “oh that’s so gross dance,” but then I looked around and noticed tons of little bird bones. It was pretty much like a bird cemetery, which reminded me of the elephant cemetery in the Lion King. It felt like I was living the movie as we climbed up out of the cave and onto Pride Rock!