Maybe Bacause It's All So Normal

It's been a bit since I have typed anything here and mostly I think that is because life has become so normal here that I have stopped noticing all the things that make this place unique.

Taxis don't freak me out any more. In fact, I have become picky when it comes to what taxis I will and won't take. I mean there is just no need for me to squeeze into an over crowded dodgy van when a less crowded, nice van could be coming at any moment.

The taxi bay is still a little sketch, but there are guys there constantly selling Lunch Bars... a type of chocolate bar that I love so much. Hence my taxi bay experience has become more enjoyable.

I am trying to remember to enjoy the view of the mountain. It's incredible! So incredible that this Saturday we are going to take a 7 hour hike of the mountain. I have yet to inform my friends that because of my inability to love hiking, and my love of the word and the action of meandering, that this voyage might take more like 9 hours...

Shannon and I start most of our mornings off at the gym. We have met a ton of great people there, but one of my favorite ladies is Cecilia. She is in her 40s and from Zimbabwe. I particularly enjoy how she notices everything I do: "Rachel, why such a short work out today?" "Rachel, you get in the shower before your friend and come out after." "Rachel, why have you not worked out in several days." Um, thanks for keeping tabs on me Cecilia...

Sinse we are here to meet people in the City I spend a fair amount of my time talking to people in coffee shops. One of my favorites is U & Me. They have great apple cinnamon muffins, vanilla lates, and an amazing staff. Tambourai is a barista there, but she is also into fashion and wants to be a lawyer. On several occasions I have even been able to share the Gospel or Biblical principals with her. If you think of it please pray that she would get connected with Christian community, maybe even VOX.

Mostly I have ceased encountering creepy men. Although last week I encountered a rather nice theif who after running in front of me and saying "my lady, my lady," stopped me, showed me his knife and threated to stab me while asking for my phone. Mostly I was just confused because my phone here is pretty crap, so I had to clarify that my phone was indeed all he wanted. As I was trying to find my phone a security guard came up to us (I'm pretty sure that was Jesus watching over me) and the boy (he was probably 17) decided to leave the scene. I think I should have been more afraid, but I was just confused and slightly irritated.

I would like to assure you that indeed there are some great guys in Cape Town. Siya, Swige, Mr. T, and Jomo are some of my favorites. They are a few of the black and colored guys that we have been hanging out with. Mostly it's just really fun because we are so different, I mean I don't speak Xhosa, have never experienced apartheid and didn't grow up in black culture, but am able to laugh so hard with these guys. Jomo the other day said, "Rachel, you are one of the most awkward people I know." I took it as a high compliment. Oh and Siya taught me some Xhosa words, molo, enkosi!

Every Tuesday I hang out with my Indian friend Mansi. It's amazing because she likes going to all the random places I have wanted to see in the city. Today we went to the gardens, which I like to call the secret gardens because it took me so long to find them. The birds there are super use to people, so I spent about 20 minutes running through the birds because it's fun. I pray a lot for Mansi, she told me today I am her closest friend here. I so value her friendship, but it's hard because I want her to understand the truth of Jesus and his love for her. However, when we talk about "my God," for her, it's no different than talking about my culture. Please pray for her.

Well this is my life. I'll be home in just 9 days to go back to my new, old, life!

It's all so exciting

In life I like to get excited about all the things that happen. This is a top 8 list of some of the things I have gotten excited about in Safrica.

1) A few weeks ago I got excited about a really creepy portly man who came up to me and tried to sell me a gold chain hidden in his sleeve. Mostly it was something I just never thought I would experience. My friend Jon had to pull me away, don't worry I wouldn't have actually purchased anything.

2) This past week we got to visit and HIV clinic for babies. The great news is that with the proper care over 90 percent of theses little ones go on to live full and healthy lives. The exciting part was that I got to hold lots of little babies. One of the babies took great joy in pulling on my hair and another baby took great joy in just staring at me like I was a strange creature.

3) Today we visited African penguins! We didn't so much visit them as look at them because they actually don't talk to you... incase you were confused. However one came within inches of me and I'm pretty sure we are now best friends.

4) On Thursdays we go out at night on Long street (a popular street in the city) to talk to homeless people and prostitutes. This week we had one person come up to us and ask, "Hey are you sent by Jesus?" Um... yes... why do you ask?

5) Peanut butter is my number one food choice, although it has found a close rival, Oaties. It's a breakfast cereal that is more magically delicious than Lucky Charms. Every night when I go to sleep I anxiously anticipate the moment when I can get out of bed and eat a bowl of Oaties. I will probably go through withdraw when I come back to America.

6) Coffee, coffee, coffee. In life I never use to drink coffee, but recently I have become aware of the error of my ways. First of all, I have met a lot of amazing people in the coffee shops I've frequented over the past few weeks. Second of all, I have met a lot of great coffees. The only coffee I was not excited to meet was the americano that came complete with a bug spice that was only noticed once ingested...

7) Soccer... lots and lots of soccer. The thing I like most about soccer is that even though I don't fully understand the rules I still get to be really excited when people make goals!!! Oh and I like that the goalies are called keepers. The sad part is that I no longer know who to cheer for... maybe go Holland! I wish I had a vuvuzela. Ayoba!

8) Sweet as! It's an Australian saying of joy, but when you say it not in Australia people think you are saying something different. Last week I got excited and exclaimed, "sweet as!!" The people around me were mostly confused and bewildered.

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.