What I will tell you is that our NGO partners are all absolutely exceptional and I am beyond excited to have had the opportunity to support their dreams. Please now that your money and in-kind donations went directly to the partners I will be telling you about. To recap, when we first arrived we spent the day at the Baphumelele Orphange in Khayleitsha, home to 180 children. We celebrated the grand opening of the South African Whole Grain Bread Project on the grounds of Baph (I mentioned in an earlier post the details of this partner.) In the following days we spent time with the children, teaching yoga and doing other fun activities that they enjoy. The children have boundless energy and love...jumping on each of us offering warm embraces and cultivating an enormous amount of joy in my heart.
We met with our partner's at GOLD, Generations of Leaders Discovered, who takes children from the townships (impoverished areas you've seen in my images) and educates them on how to be a "peer leader" in their community. Their belief is that children will be more likely to approach a peer with their challenges and questions (regarding sex, drugs, HIV etc.) then an adult. It was interesting when they expressed their desire to recruit the leaders of the gangs as these are the ones who hold power amongst their friends and who have natural "leading" ability. GOLD partners with other local community-based organizations, ngo's or faith-based organizations and extends their support. We spent the morning painting a local pre-school in the township and then visited a school where we watched a film called Themba. It shocked me that I was surrounded by school-aged children from 5-13 while watching about rape, alcoholism, HIV/AIDS, death, adultery etc. But the hard core truth is that THIS IS THEIR LIVES. They screen these types of films as an educational tool teaching the kids on how to stay responsible.
The next morning we visited the District 6 museum, the non-profit center for educating on apartheid was an emotional experience. Our tour guide, who started the museum, had his home taken from him and experienced the devastation of this period like many others. District 6 is an area of Cape Town that was a lively neighborhood where segregation did not exist - whites, blacks and coloreds (colored represents individuals of mixed races and totally PC in South Africa to label races this way) lived in peace and joy. The images of this area prior to apartheid remind me of New Orleans. Until the National Party/Apartheid gov. made an example of this area by tearing away people's homes and forcing them to leave. The land laid dormant, except for the few churches and mosques that were left standing. Until recently when the government is looking to find the people who owned the land and rebuild their homes. Unfortunately they have been over-promising and under-delivereing and the project is going at an ultra slow pace. But change is in the works and for that there is hope.
We spent time on Thursday evening with our partner called Earthchild Project - a program that teaches children, through a school program, practical and experiential life skills such as yoga, mediation, self-awareness, sustainable gardening, and worm farming. We were blessed to have an evening at Camps Bay High School with the local yogis and Earthchild founders, Noks and Janna. What an evening connecting with yogis who despite any differences speak the same language as myself and fellow yogis. Seane delivered a powerful as always talk, Suzanne joined a local drummer for a Kirtan and we danced and brought our voices together in song.
So on that note I must talk about the song!!! The rhythm of this nation that beats through everyones hearts and is heard through their voices. We have had many a drum circle the past week with children and adults of ALL ages. They use song to teach, to gather, to express and to feel. I'm thrilled to say I just left greenmarket and purchased the one thing I wanted to return home with - my first drum :)) So, for those of you in Newport, beware we may setting up a weekly drum circle.
A hike up Table Mountain was a gift from our leaders - it was also the MOST challenging hike I have ever experienced in my life. Camelback Mtn in AZ is like a walk in the park compared to Table Mtn. But we made it in about 2 hours and we were able to relish in the beauty of Cape Town from above the clouds (or table cloth as Cape Townians call it.) We took the cable car down. (Thank God!)
We reconnected with Earthchild on Friday to paint their new facility that was purchased by OTM. It's a facility with beautiful wood floors that will be their yoga room. Noks and Janna were overwhelmed with the sincerest gratitude for the vision of their dreams to be manifested. It was so darling watching the children meditate and tell us how yoga is so good for them because it brings them peace. We painted the outside of the building together bringing even more color into their community through union and joy. Of course we ended in a drum circle, singing, dancing and then in a paint-war. Suzanne completely surrendered as she became a human canvas for the kids - resembling an alien. It was awesome! (pics to follow!)
There is so much more to tell but I had to give you a post to describe what the days have been like. I have yet to fill you in on the meeting of the Linawo Children's Home (beautiful family-style orphan home housing 15 children - one with Cerebal Palsy.) AND my overnight stay in Gugulethu, another township in the Cape Flats, with an African family. I was grateful to have my own bed to sleep in but was not so psyched for the 2 mice under my bed and my arm covered in bites the next morning :) And yesterday, we experienced a local Christian church in Gugulethu and a visit into the real "shacks" to see a sangoma - or traditional Xhosa healer that accesses your ancestors. Unfortunately I couldn't get photos as I had a bit of claustrophobia in the shack. But one of our group was given a certain type of bark to boil and inhale as a remedy for her migraines. Also, the local men were gathered to receive free alcohol from the sangoma, which is a sign of gratitude from the healer because life is "good." The alcohol allows the sangoma to talk with the ancestors - or so they say!
So the above is bunch of stories about what I am externally involved in - but the internal process of moving through this land is way more intriguing and powerful for me. This land is one of stark contrast - the stunning Cape Town city, shops, beautiful South Africans, restaurants etc. and 5 miles away you will experience the most devastated living conditions you could ever witness in your life (in the townships.) But despite all of that, I have met many many individuals who are committed to continuing the follow-up work from apartheid and bringing awareness to what is happening in the townships and the crisis that has been perpetuated from the years of apartheid…such as extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS. Yet at the same time, I have met a few individuals, mainly white who have never stepped into the townships and perceive it as a danger zone labeling the people as barbarians or animals. The segregation is by no means over. Even my colored taxi driver this morning said that there is still fear within him to enter the townships because of the violence blacks would inflict on the colored people. I mean really, can you even imagine living in a place where the government makes it illegal (like, you would go to jail) if you had ANY involvement with a person of another race. And the government controlled the media so well, that the white youth and adolescents were not even aware of what was going on. In one instance, a local newspaper brought light to the separation in a exposed article. Supposedly the morning of print, the government pulled the article off the front page leaving a large blank space on the front page of the paper. Talk about the white elephant, eh?
To make a long story short - what a lesson for each of us to see where in our lives we segregate. Where in ourselves do we find apartheid? And how you can you make a difference to bridge any gap within yourself and bring more compassion, more peace, more empathy and more patience into your life. I am working on this myself and am grateful for the lessons I am learning from this land. I am certain it will continue to move through me through this next week and the months and years to follow. I know now why people say "You can leave Africa, but it never leaves you."
What an amazing experience - you have worked, you have learned, you have celebrated, you have hiked, you have sung - but you've hardly slept! How do you do it?????
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