The Plunge

South Africa is truly a beautiful country. As seemingly contradictory as it may be at times I am REALLY REALLY REALLY enjoying my time here!

I want to give you an update from the last time, give you a few thoughts, and share one experience with you. (this experience is very fresh and i haven't had time to work with it, so know its raw and not in neat narrative form yet) Much more has happened, but this is all I can fit in right now.

UPDATES:
+ group dynamics are coming along nicely, especially after an exercises where we built a table from found objects... a charged, semi-chaotic, and great learning experience! much much more to that, but thank you for your prayers, the team is beginning to form because we are beginning to get to know one another

+ violence takes no imagination or creativity.
+ the more years we add, the more limits (shout out to Katrina for saying something similar to this before)
+ all the layers have meaning, even if we don't see them (Gordon, our director, in passing during a morning session)

Imagining what we're for. Dreaming, believing, and acting (as empowered by the Spirit) toward a future that is whole.



Two days ago we took "The Plunge". It is a day in Cape Town, Camps Bay, Herada (area of khayelitsha) that is completely self-directed. Teri & Gordon want us to feel agency. To begin our stay with curiosity, to be primal again by experiencing SA through our senses. We were split into teams of 3 and sent out to navigate all by ourselves. First we were dropped off somewhere in the city and had to ask for directions on how to get to our starting point. The purpose was to have us interact with all sorts of people, begin to form a mental map of the area, and have FUUUUUUN! We went to the city center and asked for directions to the GrandeKombi (a 17ish passenger, rickety van-like vehicle) to khayelitsha. We asked a man standing near a taxi in the city center. He repeatedly asked where we were going to ensure he heard us correctly. We repeatedly have teh same response. Still, though, he didn't point us in a direction; rather, he asked us what country we were from. Hesitantly, "The United States", I answered. By now another black man has come up and they both started laughing. I assumed it was because I was white and asking for directions to a Kombi to catch a ride into the townships. The two men replied by informing us that were white foreigners/tourists and that we shouldn't be going there.

We pressed the question and they replied by saying we should take a taxi because it wasn't safe. Convenient, i thought, of course you'd want me to take a taxi... you're the taxi driver! He continued, "I don't say this because I drive taxi. You don't have to take mine." The first man butted in, "You are white Americans, they will take advantage of you. You are not from here, I was born here, I know. It is not safe. You need a guide. Take a taxi." The 2nd man butted in again with more mocking laughter. "They are all dark skinned!!!!"

"Okay." I plainly replied with a shrug.

"OOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Look at you," glaring at Chris' white nikes, "You'll all go home bare foot! Then he touched my raincoat and said, "Oh and your nice coat, they'll strip that right off you!!!"

"Okay, I understand and I trust you are telling me the truth," I said with complete sincerity, "But which way to the Kombis? We're going to Herede."

The first man began again, "They'll steal everything you have"
"Yeah," the 2nd man started in, "Go leave all your belongings in the hotel."
"Don't go." the 1st man repeated.

So here we are, 3 obviously white foreigners, being persuaded by 2 black locals to avoid HeredeKombis ti takes to get there at all costs!

"Thank you for your concern, sir." I say as we back away to exit what is becoming a disagreement. Finally, he points down the pedestrian street behind us, "Follow this all the way down and take a left." The end of his sentence screamed YOU STUPID, FOOLISH AMERICANS! YOU'RE IGNORANT AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO!!

We thanked him as we turned to walk down the path. One of the other two began expressing his anxiety about the situation we were putting ourselves in, so I tried to calm him by telling him I was carrying pepper spray (as recommended by a local), but that I didn't think we'd need it. Well, I sorta tried to ease his fears because not 50 yards later I told him how screw drivers and ice pics were the weapons of choice down here because their ease of use and depth of impact. I reminded him of my favorite risky situation line, "Don't be scared but don't be stupid."

We wound our way around to the crazy Kombi lines at the Grande Parade adn navigated our way to a Kombi to Herede. Kombi's are like buses, in that you pay a flat fee; are like ballpark baseball dogs, in that you pass your money up and change back; and are like pickle jars in that you're PACKED tight! Every single person was black. I tried to sit next to a local and have a conversation, but the woman didn't seem interested. I tried to initiate a conversation by asking, "How are you today," but it didn't work. Twelve to fifteen minutes into the trip she began to nod off and in her relaxed state she would occasionally lean back and touch my shoulder with hers. When his happened she immediately jerked forward. I wanted so badly to tell her its okay for her to rest on my shoulder, or to gently place my hand on her shoulder and direct it backwards towards mine. I wanted her to know that I'm a friend (or at least not a meanie), that she doesn't have to flinch away from me. But I didn't because I didn't want to wake her up or cross come cultural barrier that I didn't know existed. We rode on, occasionally touching shoulders, but never for long.

Eventually, she got out and the rest of the Kombi exited, but we were still riding. Oops! Unlike the US there are no "stops" its just get out wherever you want (sidenote: like today for instance, Spencer and I got dropped off on the highway between and entrance and exit ramp on a highway junction/round-a-bout! LOL we looked at each other, like uhhhh, how do we get out of here alive? lol real life frogger i guess lol) So we were the only ones remaining and the driver asked and helped us get things sorted out, we had actually passed where we wanted to go. Fast forward a bit (for times sake bc i dont have that much long at the Internet cafe) and we were walking through the township. The miles of "found object homes", beautiful as could be, as contradictory as could be (for historical reasons). These men, women, and children were absolutely kind and welcoming to us.

We had to walk into a "store" and try to find a specific item, and I must say that is the first time I have ever been 'triple glanced' at. I did not feel threatened but it was as if the half the store looked up and asked, "What are you doing here?????" Another group experienced a person say, "What the fuck is going on?" As if it took some big reason for a white person to enter the township. Another group also had a woman take them by the hand, lead them through the maze of "streets" and introduce them to her family. She literally dropped everything she was doing and showed them around. She gave them lunch, although she had none of her own, and said hi to everyone on her way. Now, does this sound like the savage, villains we'd been warned about earlier? Not one person lurked behind us, or even tried to pedal us for money. Not one person. Rather, they took our hand and invited us in. They made sure we got to where we needed to go. They spoke with other drivers for us to make sure we were going the right way (granted, it was while he was driving and put it his head out the window to talk to the other driver who had hence stuck his head out the window and removed their eyes from the road, but hey, it worked! lol) It has been said khayelitsha is not visible until a white person comes there. ... heartbreaking...

I am most excited about our relocation into Khayelitsha.








Tomorrow, weather permitting, we will hike Table Mountain.
Wkend= farm stay & briaa
6+ wks to follow = Langa & K
4 days back in CT
(then to Joburg! oh and for those who are waiting to hear, I don't have that ticket yet, I'll let you know ASAP)





Thank you for your prayers, please continue with these requests & praises:
!+ good team bonding, to increase on farm stay
!+ expanding, deepening, and softening my heart (and the groups)
!+ I've been commissioned to collect and write our group's narrative, both individual and as whole!!!!
+ fresh ways to communicate
+ for a conversation with our B&B owners about who Christ is to them
+ to engage in and enjoy the PROCESS, both mine and others
+ to value people by really listening well
+ for more
God is ROCKING my world and speaking to me on nearly (if not every) level of my life :D LOOOOOOVE HIM!



no time to spellcheck, so sorry. hugs & prayers, much love :] its wonderful here! Parade, where we would catch a and the