Nkosi's Haven

http://www.nkosishaven.org/

One of the first days in South Africa, we drove over to Joburg to visit Nkosi's Haven. We were fortunate to meet the founder of this incredible home for kids and their mothers who are infected with HIV. Gail is quite the woman- such an inspiring leader.

In the early 90s, Gail Johnson became foster parent to Nkosi, HIV positive and 3 years old. She fought to get him in a good school after much resistance, and through this effort led educational workshops re: AIDS for parents, children, and teachers. Her work led to the government passing a law prohibiting children from being banned from school because of having HIV. Soon after Gail took Nkosi in, his mother passed away. This troubled little Nkosi, who told Gail two things: 1) Does everyone with AIDS die? and 2) My mom never said goodbye. He also asked about other kids with AIDS.

This inspired Gail to begin the haven in 1999, for moms infected with the virus, and their children. In the beginning there were 9 mothers and 47 children. Now there are over 300 residents. In 2000, when Nkosi was 11 years old, he was asked to speak at the World AIDS conference. This garnered international attention for Gail & Nkosi's project, greater awareness of the virus worldwide, and finally when Nkosi went into a coma, the world was indeed watching.

Now, Gail's project is changing lives. The Haven is currently working to become self-sustainable through a chicken farm, vegetable farm, and a bakery. Here are some of the things Nkosi's Haven provides:

• a ballroom where the kids dance once a week
• baby daycare center
• parenting classes (as many of the moms are young teens)
• a library
• a Therapy center, staffed with psychologists, play therapists, and counselors who recognize and counter the damaging emotional trauma many children and moms have been through.
• a Sick Bay unit, for residents who need to get on ARVs, and who are very ill
• Sports field
• laundry 
• industrial kitchen
• 12 acre farm
• jobs for mothers, who are employed internally as well as childcare providers from outside the haven.

If you haven't already guessed, this visit was completely inspiring, helpfully informative, and truly incredible. Gail is very tight with her budget and gives her entire life to this project and to the conviction to care for those who have no hope. She is a beacon of light in South Africa. If you feel led please donate! While her ministry is not religiously-affiliated I know she welcomes our prayers and support. Until next time,
Anna

thank you to Nkosi's Haven website for the green pictures, and to Eduan Kitching for the group shot.

thoughts thus far...

Despite sparse access top internet, our time thus far in South Africa has been anything but dull.  I find it hard to separate event by event or day by day.  My reflection on our time thus far can best be categorized by redemption, challenges and discernment.  

Redemption: Out of the land of South Africa seeps redemption.  January 11^th we went to the Robbin Island.  On this island that was once the home to a leper colony and later home to a prison that house Nelson Mandela, sits a redeemed land.  The island now hosts boat loads of tourists daily and serves as the permanent home to a community which consists of ex prisoners and ex prison wardens living together.  It also boasts the best view of Cape Town and Table Mountain.  It takes great effort for me to understand the ease that has settled over Robbin Island.  I find myself struggling to understand the forgiveness and apologize that had to have happened between past enemies who have now built a new relationship—on the same land—as neighbors belonging to the a united community. 

Additionally, I find redemption out of acknowledgment.  In the United States we struggle to identify and discuss our past race relations.  Aside from a blanket nod towards events and identification of key events that cannot be ignored, very little is done in the way of genuine reconciliation.  I have appreciated the naming that has happened in South Africa.  I attribute this to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, from which people from opposing sides were able to discuss and question and be honest with one another.  Some say that the TRC was not taken far enough, but ultimately what it did was create an environment what encouraged discussion.  These discussions are not perfect, as I have found out, and talking can be awkward and uncomfortable, but none-the-less it is happening. 

Challenges: While at the conference in Pretoria, Reggie Blount, from Garrett Seminary, discussed the idea of identity.  One of the questions that he posed was whose voices are we—or more importantly, youth—listening to in order to identify ourselves.  These voices come from pop culture, school, friends, family, etc…  But Reggie then challenged if these voices that define us have actually earned the right to be heard.  I am challenged to determine whose voice has earned the right to be heard in my life?  Additionally who is my voice influences?  Have I earned the right to be heard?  How can I make my voice be heard in the midst of other voices that are loud but misleading? 

Yesterday we heard Peter Story talk about his role in Apartheid.  This was by far the highlight of my time in South Africa.  If I had only come to hear him talk it would have been worth the trip.  Due to sheer exhaustion I will let you Google him to find out more of the details of who he is. But in short, Peter Story is a Methodist minister who served as a prophetic voice of resistance to Apartheid.  He served at one of the only integrated churches during Apartheid, served as chaplain to Nelson Mandela, challenged cultural standards, and served as a general nuisance to the Apartheid regime.  I felt challenged as to what my purpose in ministry is.  What does it mean to stand up for what you feel God is calling you to?  When should we not back down?  What cause am I willing to risk my career—and life—for? I find words lacking to describe the awe that I felt hearing his wisdom.

Discernment: Lastly I find myself trying to discern why all of this information and experiences have been laid in my lap.  I feel challenged by the hope and heartbreak that fills this land.  South Africa still has a far way to go, but has made strides to reconcile itself with its past.  As I stood on a cliff yesterday overlooking the ocean and the small beach communities that dot the coast line, I was reminded of the “hugeness” of God.  The God that meets me in my life in the States, is also tangible here in South Africa.  I am prayerfully pleading for peace and understanding for this country, while simultaneously seeking out understanding and guidance as I a process and use my experiences from this trip.  

I look forward to further reflection on this trip and cannot wait to share more of my stories and experiences. 

--Kate

Some fantastic photos from a fantastic new friend

by Emma

We spent some time this trip at two organizations working to fight against the AIDS epidemic in South Africa. More parts of those stories will make it on to the blog later, but to see some really beautiful images of a really beautiful story, check out these great photos from our friend Eduan Kitching. Eduan has loyally driven us around South Africa and has been joining in on our adventures. Lucky for us, he is a BRILLIANT photographer who has captured some truly amazing moments.

For pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eduankitching/sets/72157625682550979/with/5349628686/

Also, to learn more about Sparrow Village and Nkosi's Haven and how you can support these programs check out:

http://www.sparrowvillage.co.za/  AND  http://www.nkosishaven.org/

January 11th -- The Power of Stories...and Storey

by Whitney

Our first full day in Cape Town began with a tour of Robben Island. Robben Island is a place of complex beauty. It was named Robben Island after the Dutch name for penguin. It has also been used as a graveyard for lepers in the 1800s and was the site of a prison during Apartheid, where former president, Nelson Mandela, was imprisoned for 18 years.  The visit to the island included a brief bus tour, followed by a walking tour of a unit, and ending with Mandela’s cell. Many of the tour guides are former inmates of the prison. For many of the class, our trip to Robben Island raised many questions:

How can people want to get married on an island where so much oppression has occurred? (The church on the island boasts a number of weddings every year)

AND

Why would former prisoners and prison guards choose to live together after Apartheid?  (A village has been built on the island where guards and guarded become neighbors)

The island has a history of brokenness and suffering, yet is surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation. The visit left the class with lingering questions as well as awe at the power of God.

After Robben Island, we ate a traditional South African meal of snook and chips. One student response was: “that was so good it can be my last meal!” The afternoon a scenic drive through Hout Bay to the Cape of Good Hope, the most southwestern point in South Africa.

By far, the crowning glory was the evening spent with pastor, Peter Storey. He is a retired Methodist pastor whose ministry has included being a chaplain at Robben Island, president of the General Alliance of Churches, pastor of Central Methodist Church in District 6, bishop of the S.African UMC Church, and visiting professor at Duke Divinity School. He was also one of the strongest voices against the Apartheid regime, working alongside men, like Desmond Tutu, who were continually putting their lives on the line for justice in South Africa. Storey gave us a well-rounded, deeply theological overview of the church’s role in Apartheid and it’s aftermath. Storey spoke about 4 essential ingredients in the church's witness:

1.)   Naming the Truth

2.)   Binding up the broken

3.)   Living the alternative

4.)   Creating and participating in strategies aligned with Christ

Storey inspired and challenged us by his words and thoughts on what it means to be the body of Christ both in our American context and globally. I, personally, could have soaked up his wisdom for hours. 

It's the Circle of Life, or something like that.

by Emma

On Sunday afternoon, we left the IASYM conference in Pretoria and made our way north to the Pilanesburg Game Reserve. Faced with a good hour of heavy rainfall as we left the city, the prospect of a solid game drive seemed dismal. As we drew nearer to our destination, however, we could see clear, blue skies waiting for us in the distance. Unlike the city skyline or the well-kept terrain of the lodge at the conference we’d seen previously, this drive took us through very rural parts of South Africa, complete with cows and goats walking freely along the side of the road and sometimes across the road, and people living in scattered shacks made out of long metal pieces. I have been continually surprised not only at how quickly the topography of the country changes, but also the lives of the people that live across South Africa. We drove past some of the wealthiest parts of Pretoria and Johannesburg, and with in moments we could see squatters camps packed together on the outskirts of the city. For me, it serves as a continual reminder that although South Africa has made many miraculous strides in the post-Apartheid years, there is still much more work to be done.

We arrived at the game park in the late afternoon, and almost immediately we were whisked off, along with our guide Themba, in an open vehicle into the game reserve. We watched carefully for animals to cross our path, hoping desperately to cross a few of the “Big 5” off our lists. The Big 5 refers to water buffalo, elephants, lions, cheetahs, and rhinos, which are a “must see” for any game drives in South Africa. Our group came across countess impala, dozens of zebra and wildebeests, a pair of rhinos (check 1), a hard-working dung beetle, two lionesses, one that passed by rather close to our vehicle (check 2), South Africa’s national animal (and the namesake of the rugby team), the springbok, two elephants (check 3), and some far off giraffes. We then stopped somewhere in the middle of the reserve to have a traditional South African braai, which is like a barbecue. We sat around the table, enjoying great food, great conversation, and great surroundings. Reggie Nel, a South African pastor, led us in a discussion around a campfire as the sun set to discuss issues facing youth ministry in his country and the work he is doing in his context.

Our drive back to our rooms included some of the most amazing stars that any of us have ever, ever seen. I am a serious sucker for the outdoors and star-gazing, but the South African night sky puts anything I have ever seen to shame. I sat back in my seat, staring into the sky peppered with millions of tiny lights, imaging what it really means to be a beloved part of God’s creation in a universe so vast. It’s in moments like that, when I feel the most small and insignificant, that I appreciate God’s active and redemptive love for us most. When it seems impossible that we could be more than a blip on the radar, that God continues to work in our lives in love. Amazing.

My love for the outdoors and my ability to feel God in creation was further fed when we went on our 5:00am game drive. Watching the sun come up over the mountains, coloring the sky pink and orange, while hippos dozed in the lake and zebras were grazing with their babies, gave me a sense of wholeness. We are apart of this massive creation, full of beauty and mystery and life. Africa has taught me so many things over the course of this trip, but one thing I will certainly carry with me is our interconnectedness with all things, particularly between all people across racial lines. God has created us, whether we are black or white or mixed, just like that sunrise, those stars, the dung beetle, the mountains, and the animals we encountered. It’s like the ubuntu theology here in South Africa – I in you and you in me. I look forward to what the rest of our journey holds for us, and what Africa can continue to teach us. I laughed when a dear friend, a well-seasoned traveler, told me that I would kiss the ground when I landed in Africa because it is “God’s country.” And you know what, I think he is right. 

Sparrow Village

by Wendy

On Wednesday we visited Sparrow Village.  The unexpected rain brought a change of plans for our afternoon.  We toured the hospital where young and old AIDS patients find spiritual, physical, and emotional care.  The tour through the village allowed us to visit the children – they were divided into various rooms based on age.  Our final stop at Sparrow Village was a room full of children ranging in age from 6 to 16.  Originally, we expected to meet with three teenagers each for conversations, but when we arrived we knew immediately the plan would change.  The children were divided by age into groups. 

My group was unique because the four children with whom I met were all deaf.  It was in this moment I was exceptionally grateful for my upbringing and exposure to the deaf community through the life of my Uncle John (a deaf-mute).  I introduced myself and immediately realized the language barrier was going to be problematic, but we managed with several laughs and perplexed faces.  We shared an interest in sports and talked about school and I was exceptionally excited when one girl, Gladys, shared with me her love for learning.  Even though my own sign language skills are limited, we were able to find common ground.  We taught all of the students a song and created a hybrid sign language version, which we shared with the entire group.

As if the silence through the inability to hear wasn’t enough, these youth lived in silence even within their own community.  The adults working with the children did not communicate with the deaf youth through sign language, the other children in the room did not communicate with these youth, and they were obviously elated to share their language with the rest of the group for what may have been the first time ever in Sparrow Village.  The smiles on the faces of the deaf girls told quit a story and reminded me of our responsibility as adults to give voice to the voiceless and create space for those whom go unheard to be heard. 

-- Wendy -- 

Internet Issues

Sorry to all those who are following our blog (or trying to). We have been experiencing internet issues in South Africa where we are staying. We'll update our blog about our past few days as soon as possible.
We're all having a great time at the conference!

-via Todd's wife, Heather

We're Here!!!!

After a fantastic time in London and a long plane ride, we're here and we are humbled already by the hospitality of our South African friends.  Since reading a condensed version of Nelson Mandela's autobiography with my 7th grade Language Arts students four years ago, I have prayed for this day.  Today, my heart is full. 

Yesterday proved to be very special to me.  Ten years ago this past December, I joined the United Methodist Church.  As a Methodist, I delight in reading our church's history and the sermons of John Wesley.  We posed for a picture in front of Wesley's statue, where the inscription reads, "The World is My Parish."  When I think of traveling across the world and going from NYC to London to Johannesburg in such a short period of time, I ask myself what it means to live responsibly knowing God's call to share the love of Jesus with all whom we encounter.  I am confident that our time in S.A. will prove to be a time when we better understand how to faithfully answer this call through the examples of the pastors we have already met and those we will meet along the way.

Tomorrow the conference will begin and so our journey will continue...

Until next time,
Wendy 

P.S. Thanks Ash for financing my travels around London.  Next time it will be you and me on the J.W. tour (I'm SERIOUS)!!!!  Mom and Dad, I love you.

London

Seven of us are together on our journey. We had an 11 hr layover in London. Anna, Kate, Katrina, Todd and Wendy had a great time checking out the sights in London. Kenda and Ashley stayed behind to work and rest... We are all hoping to get some good sleep on the next flight. We look forward to meeting up with Emma, David, Marsha and Whitney we we get to South Africa!  The excitement is growing!!!

Strangely Warmed Hearts & A 2nd Wedding Anniversary

Currently Wendy, Todd, Kate, Anna, and myself (Katrina) are riding the express train leading out of the airport into LONDON!!!! Wendy has convinced us all to battle the cold winter London air and have our "hearts strangely warmed" at a few John Wesley sites. As the two United Methodist students on the trip we are certain that we will have converts by the time we fly out this evening. All joking aside though, the real reason I asked to blog today is because two years ago today I made the best decision of my life and married my best friend.  Jonathan David Drew-Happy 2nd Anniversary!  I am so blessed to be married to a man who supports me as I pursue my dreams and chase after God's crazy adventures around the world.  I hate being apart from you today but I know that as I fall more madly in love with my Jesus on this trip, I will in turn fall even more deeply in love with YOU (Jonny)!  Thank you to all of you at home praying for our safe travels! Keep em' coming, we've still got a long road ahead of us!  Many Blessings, Katrina

Humility and Grace

By Kenda

As I am reading through these reflections, two words keep welling up inside me:

Humility.

Grace.

The people whose testimonies you are reading--people God is already using to tip the scales in favor of mercy and grace--fill me with humility and shower me with grace every single day.  I want you to know that.  There are no words that I can attach to the privilege of working with these young pastors as part of my daily life.  These people are your friends, your sons and daughters, your spouses and brothers and sisters and roommates and dads (I don't think we have any moms on this trip!).  These are people who will give you hope just by being in the same room with them.  And I get to do that, every day.

For the next couple weeks that room will be smaller than usual:  I will be elbow-to-elbow with these hope-givers, these God-lovers, these leaders who refuse to settle for a mediocre church or a cheesy Jesus.  These seminarians are taking huge risks--financial, emotional, interpersonal--by going on this trip.  I hope their courage rubs off on me.

I have been to South Africa several times, twice with my husband and children.  Each time, South Africa devastates me.  Its beauty leaves me breathless.  Its poverty and illness empty my soul.  Its history reminds me of the U.S.--things I would rather not be reminded of.  And its people, many of them Christians-- who insisted on justice and who simply would not give up or go away throughout the long nightmare of apartheid--remind me that God does not give up on us, which is the best definition of amazing grace I know.

That is what I'm looking forward to most:  the people of South Africa.  Some of them--people we have invited to speak to our group--will tell us truths we might not want to hear.  But Africans' arms are wider and hearts are larger than in any place I know.  The children will treat us like heroes.  Their families will treat us like long lost relatives, home for the holidays.  Their churches will fling open their doors and show us ministry like we've never seen it done before.  They'll show us hope.

This is why we are going.

Oh God of grace and mercy and hope, thank you...

...for these pastors I get to learn with

...for the people we are about to meet on the other side of the world

...for the young people we will encounter whose lives are so different from ours.

I am praying boldly here:

When we land, Lord,

Take the scales off our eyes so we see what you want us to see.  

Take the fear from our hearts so we can be who you want us to be.  

Make us your envoys of humility and grace.  

Here we are, Lord.  

Send us.

Amen.

Before Our Journey Begins

by Ashley 

"For I am about to do something new. See I have already begun! Do you not see it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the dry wilderness." -Isaiah 43:19 

It is January 1, 2011 and though we are a team that continues to grow closer to one another, I imagine all of us going to South Africa find ourselves in different places the day before our journey begins.  Maybe some of us find ourselves where the streams of abundance flow, ready to be agents of God's goodness and pour out that water to those we will meet.  Maybe some of us find ourselves in the desert place, thirsty for the streams God is filling in others, and hoping at some point in the next two weeks to find ourselves under a cloud pouring His healing rain.  And perhaps a few of us find ourselves both walking somewhere in the wilderness but remembering today the streams of abundance which lie deep within us, remembering ALWAYS that all on this earth are the ones God has created for His glory to be a blessing to others.  No matter where each of us finds our self today, filled or thirsty, one thing is for certain: whether or not we feel equipped, God will use us in the next two weeks to be a blessing to others... and He'll use others to be a blessing to us.  May we keep our eyes and hearts opened wide so as not to miss the things God does in and through us on this journey. 

So Lord, rain on us-- Your goodness, Your traveling mercies, Your love, and Your strength-- that we may use that rain to fill our streams and wash Your blessings over others these next two weeks and in the good new year to come.

And be with our families. Amen.

--Ashley--

And we're off...

By Emma

Although I am certain the entire class is experiencing some anxiety about traveling such a long distance and encountering such big adventures, my journey begins a little differently and with a different kind of nerves. As most of the class is traveling together to Pretoria, I set out on my own tomorrow afternoon. I will be flying by myself, getting to the conference by myself, and spending something like 12 hours by myself in Pretoria before everyone else arrives. I've been abroad before, but never on my own. I've flown by myself, but only ever from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and back, and let's be honest, that doesn't really count. I need my family for pretty much everything, as it is. My life is safe in it's bubble that stretches from Princeton to my home in Pittsburgh. I'm not sure if the bubble can reach Cape Town.

In these final moments at home, while I am trying to work out my disaster of a packing situation, I think I should be more anxious. South Africa is really, really far from any where I have ever been. It will be absolutely nothing like anything I have ever experienced. That kind of uncertainty is giving me something far more powerful than fear and nerves. It has given me unbelievable excitement and hope. On the cusp of this great trip, and ironically at the start of a brand new year, I am realizing more and more that I am growing up. I am setting out on my own. The bubble that is my life is bursting, and that breath of fresh air is absolutely remarkable. Don't get me wrong, I am still a little nervous and I will miss my family and friends like no other, but I am increasingly convinced that God is leading me to wonderful and exciting places. I pray that I will continue to be open to what God is teaching me as I continue this bubble-bursting, growing up process. I know that the brothers and sisters we encounter in South Africa will have enormous things to share with all of us, and I thank God for this amazing opportunity. The adventure isn't really beginning, it is just continuing. We are being called further up and further in. Away we go!

Emma

One More Sleep!

By Kate 

In my family we count down trips by how many more “sleeps” we have until we leave.  As of today we have one more sleep until we leave for our two week South Africa journey.  I am franticly running around trying to pack and get everything taken care of.  But, in the midst of my hustle and bustle, I find myself day dreaming of what will manifest over the course of our two week class abroad.  I try to picture the unknown faces of people I will encounter.  What stories will I hear?  What images will I not be able to shake from my memory?  What smells will I smell?  And what tastes will I taste.  There are so many unknown and for this reason I am beyond excited and am eagerly anticipatory of the adventures that are on the horizon. 

Sitting on the brink of adventure, I am flooded with prayers and thoughts about this impending journey.  As a seminary student seeking ordination after graduation, I am aware of the potential impact this adventure has on my future ministry experiences.  I pray for an open mind and a clairvoyant awareness.   May relationships be developed between myself and the South Africans I get the pleasure to meet.   As well as a deepening of the already established relationships I have with fellow classmates.  Additionally I pray for safety though out this adventure.  I am thankful for the opportunities that sit in front of us.  And selfishly I am extremely thankful for the summer weather that South Africa is currently experiencing. 

I invite all of you who read this blog, to follow along with us as we share our experiences and daily happenings.  I hope our pictures and stories help to give you a glimpse into the rich beauty of the country of South Africa.  I cannot wait!

-- Kate --

Getting Ready

by Todd

I can't believe that the trip is almost here. For so long it has seemed like this trip was so far away. I am really excited, and a little nervous! I am most excited to get to meet the youth pastor and interview the teenager. I am really curious to see whether the young people believe that reconciliation has happened or continues to happen. I was recently rereading Almost Christian where Kenda talks about youth being a window into the life of the church at large. That really got me excited to know that we will be talking with youth and hopefully learning a lot not just about youth ministry, but about the whole church in South Africa and beyond. I hope that I will be able to take what I learn in South Africa and apply it to not only my work with youth, but to my work with the whole church!

I am most nervous about leaving my family behind. It really hit me at breakfast this morning when I was telling my eldest daughter about all the animals we would see, and then my youngest daughter (20 months) got all excited thinking we were going to the zoo. It made me realize how much I wish I could share these experiences first hand with my family. Unfortunately, pictures and story will have to suffice.

In less than 48 hrs we will be on our way! Can't Wait!

-- Todd --