Farewell South Africa

I’m leaving South Africa. I have many mixed emotions based on this fact. I had the most amazing time here, it’s something I will never forget.  Even though there were many rough times, I can easily say this really was one  of the best time of my life. I learned a lot, about myself and about others. The culture of Africa is so beautiful and the life here is amazing. It’s one of those places that keeps others coming back for more. Something about the culture, people and land is so intriguing and beautiful. I can't completely explain the magic that is Africa. So majestic, vivid, real and raw.

It’s amazing how much you learn about yourself and about others while living in a different country and how much you get to experience in such a short time. I can’t even describe how grateful I am for these times here. Tears are coming to my eyes now as I’m thinking of the past seven months. The friendships and the life that I have built here will be hard to leave, but I’m also excited to return to my life back home.  I’ve given so much of myself here, so much time and effort I can’t leave it without it affecting me.  I’ve given all of myself, and that’s hard to break away from, but it was worth it. Worth  the hard times, the money, the loneliness.   It was worth giving up my job for, and if I could do it all over again I would..

It’s time for me to say Goodbye to Africa, this wonderful country that I got the privilege to live in. Thank you for having me, I will never forget this place.  God bless you Africa!! 

Things I appreciate about SA

Things I appreciate about Johannesburg, South Africa

1. Being able to go out to dinner for hours without being rushed out
2. The friendliness of people
3. The slow pace of life
4. The Cheap prices of going out to eat
5. The beautiful landscapes
6.  The diverse culture, Rainbow Nation!
7. The wild animals
8. Affordable medical care
9. ACCENT
10. That it’s only cold two months out of the year
11. Water boilers (much faster than a kettle)
12. The  chocolates
13. The Chili Sauce
14. The way of life!
15. That everything is opposite from The U.S
16. Fish Pedicures
17. The hot weather

 Things I appreciate about California, US

1. Driers
2. Washing Machines
3. Street lights
4. Feeling safe at most places(with the exception of Oakland and the tenderloin in SF)
5. Mexican food
6. Honorable policemen who uphold the law
7. People who are no longer openly racist (At least the majority)
8. That I’m 45 minutes away from the Ocean
9. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
10. Toilet seat covers
11. Being able to go anywhere in the world
12. Chocolate Chip Cookies

30 more days in SA

I have exactly one month left in South Africa.  I really can’t  believe how fast this time has gone. It feels as if I have just arrived.  I relish the fact that I had an opportunity to spend 6 months in this beautiful country. I mean, not everyone gets a chance to do this!!  I’m going to soak up every minute that I have left here. I could have easily stayed here for another 5 months and been happy with it, but my time here is nearly up.  I know that I will be back here one day, but only after I’m married ;-) and there is a good reason for that just ask me if you would like to know.  

Teaching out in the communities is going really well, the children are learning more English, but they still have a long way to go. Six months ago they didn’t speak much English and they only understood a little. Children are like sponges, They learning so fast! . It was a huge challenge at first because they had no idea what I was saying, but now, at least they know the word "No" and they have learned to understand  basic English.  I’ve been teaching them English twice a week and it’s up to the teachers to continue with it during the rest of the week. It's been helpful for them to have support. The main problem we have been facing is that the the teachers need assistance in how to teach as well. The teachers can speak English but they were not teaching the children, manly because the were not really sure how to teach. The children are still really behind, it’s been a really slow process but there have been vast improvements.  I hope that they continue after I’m gone.

Sometimes it can be hard to go out in the communities because sometimes I feel so helpless. The other day I was out with Mama Julia in the communities and we found a mother who is severely handicapped and she has a two month old and a 6 year old. I’m pretty sure she has severe Autism and her six year old daughter does too. They're both non verbal and the mother has no clue how to take care of her two month old baby. She is feeding her pap, which does not have enough nutrients for a baby, she needs milk. She also gave the baby candy which she almost chocked on. Her friend was telling us that she had a 6 month old child that died because she does not have the skills to care for a infant. When we were visiting the mother was busy washing dishes and she did not recognize or acknowledge that  strangers were on her property!  The mother and her daughters are not getting the help they need, and obviously the mother has be raped as she is in no condition to give sexual consent and she is non-verbal.   South Africa does not have funding or support  for people with Autism who are not financially independent. We called welfare a few weeks ago and they finally came out this week and decided the children and the mother needed to be put in a home, so that’s really good news!  Many social workers don’t come out to the townships because there are so many cases they can’t get to all of them, sometimes the "poor" less fortunate families are ignored

The American Dream

The American Dream

He lives in a two story house with a pet mouse

With a shiny new car that he drives really far

Money is his honey

Living in a straw hut with her mutt,
She lives her life as a house wive,
Holding her husband tight every night.

He has the best because he wants to impress

He’s always longing for more belongings, flaunting his success even when he feels like a mess

But his debt will never be met.

She dreams of the house with that pet mouse

Picturing how happy she would be if they could fly there for free

“They must never worry, I wish I could get there in a hurry!”

He feels so much stress, he's really a mess

He has to overwork as a desk clerk

Life becomes blurry because he’s always in a hurry

He passed others by, forgetting to say “Hi”

And he wonders why he wants to cry

She tells her neighbors “Hi” every time she passes by

When life isn't fair she always has someone there

The love she shows can turn a frown upside down

Even though it may sound sappy, she is truly happy

She doesn’t have a lease but her life has peace

She is never rude even when she has no food

 

He eats too much food and is always in a bad mood

He only thinks about me and never invites his friends for tea
He was taught that it’s all about us,  and that makes him fuss
His attitude towards wealth is affecting his health

He hides that he feels empty inside

He think his new toy will give him joy

But he is left depressed with the rest.

She thinks the American dream is supreme,
She is blessed because she doesn't obsess when she has less,
She looks above and touches other with her love

She finds joy in her little boy and that is better than any toy

Even when she doesn’t have much she uses others as a crutch,
With them she doesn't have to hide the way she feels inside.
She is truly blessed

If he didn’t have so much stuff, soon enough, he would see that it’s not just about me
and that would make him free.



-Ashlee-

A Little Rest Is Good For The Soul

I love everything about the sea. The smell of fresh salt water, the sound of the crashing waves, the feelings of the warm breeze, the sand between my toes, and the taste of fresh seafood. Something about the beaches of Mozambique are exceptionally beautiful with an array of palm trees, clear water, white sand and an amazing culture. The Indian Ocean which borders Mozambique is warm enough to swim, even though it’s winter.

The purpose of my trip to East Africa was to see more of the country before I leave. The tour left from Johannesburg and went to Swaziland, Mozambique, Kruger National Park and then Back to Johannesburg in a total of two weeks.  I was traveling with 10 others who were my age and also traveling alone; for those two weeks we all became family. According to the tour guides not all the groups get along as well or became as close as our group did.

The villages of Mozambique seemed to be a lot more peaceful that the squatter camps of Jo’burg.  People live in straw huts in tiny villages. Many families have pigs and goats tied up nearby and donkeys are used to pull carriages. We passed crowded shops where people would carrying home live chickens and water buckets on their heads. We even passed a lady who was skinning a chicken for supper.  Our group found out quickly how corrupt the Mozambique police are. We were pulled over twice in a speed trap, but the speedometer they had was "broken" and read the same speed for everyone. Everybody was “speeding”. Once pulled over they would ask for your license and then tell you that if you wanted you license back you would have to pay them. Apparently there is not much to do in this situation other than pay them and they pocket the money. The police were standing outside laughing at they took everyone's money for themselves.

The highlight of the trip was when we took a sailboat trip to a beautiful Island where we went snorkeling. Apparently the Island is not visited by many people so it’s considered a 'sacred island.'

It was  wonderful seeing so many beautiful sights, crazy wild animals (including a lion in the wild) and being around many fun people. I came back feeling fresh, rejuvenated, and ready to go back to work at Refilwe.  It’s a good thing too because upon coming back there were a few tough situations to face.

Unlike the rest of Africa, South Africa does not have malnourished children. They may not always have a lot to eat, and it's not healthy but enough to keep from starving.  Very poor families can live off 'Pop' which is  basically like corn meal. It’s very cheap and has a lot of vitamins. There are no excuse for a little boy that Mama Julia found living with his parents in a township. He is 18 months but looks like he is about 5 or 6 months old. His body is retaining water so he cheeks are puffy and his stomach is sticking out so much it looks the size of a tennis ball. His skin is peeling and he has dark spots in various places on his body. His eyes are not properly developed and he has not started talking or crawling yet. His parents are always drunk and they forget to feed him properly so he is severely malnourished, to the point that if we didn’t find he would have been dead soon.  Julia says that the parents seem to be making an effort to feed him properly now that she is coming by everyday. The baby is still going to be taken to a hospital because his condition is so serious that he could become mentally handicapped.  Apparently after the baby is better they are going to return him back to the family, but unless the parent’s heal themselves from their addiction, I don’t think that’s the best choice for the child. They are incapable of caring for him at this point. It’s really sad seeing something that should have been prevented, and now this child is going to have to deal with the consciences of this for the rest of his life. He is already a year behind where he should  be and it might be too late for him to make a full recovery

Gone Overseas and It's Brought Me To My Knees

Gone Overseas and It’s Brought Me To My Knees

Gone overseas and it’s brought me to my knees,
Seen so  much hurting it’s really unnerving

Children living in shacks, poor mothers without any cash.
Drunk dads who mistreat and beat.
When parent’s drink the innocence of children shrink.
From one touch they grow up knowing too much

I know there is more to life because  Jesus paid the price.
He was the ultimate sacrifice.

She was walking alone and it wasn’t her choice, nobody could hear her voice.
Now she feels defiled and is about to have a child

He’s been around town and women think he’s a clown
Now he had HIV and feels he will never be free

The world had pain but it’s not in vain.
We nailed him to the cross to pay our cost.
A world that doesn’t care is not fair but regardless of what has been done,
His love will reach above.

All alone she gives birth feeling no self worth.
How can she care or her daughter when there is no father?
Without thinking twice she leaves her child alone with the mice.
Another unwanted kid who had to live and learn to forgive.


Disrespected and alone with no love shown, her wishes don’t matter when her husband's forcing  kisses
He shows her his power in the night hour
She hides her fright knowing what is going to happen tonight.


Jesus knows about pain because he was beaten to shame.
Rejected and alone he bled and hurt because of our dirt.
His blood cleanses away our mud.
He brings hope to help us cope.
He cares when nobody else dares
In our pain his love can be gained.

There is nothing to hid when we stand by his side.
His hands were pierced with nails, his love will never fail.
Grace covers our face regardless of how we’ve been a disgrace.

I fall on my knees saying please, show me how to love the way you’ve loved me.

I’ve gone overseas only to be brought to my knees.

Ashlee

Nobody Likes Inequality

 These past few days things have been getting better. There is another group here from Arkansas, and they have been really fun to hang around with. It's been so nice having company that understands! I would say that my time in South Africa goes up and down, but most days are looking up. SA is a really awesome country but it also faces many problems. Sometime I feel like I’ve gone back in time. Many of the issues that we have fought to change in America are still strong here today. Racism  still runs rampant here, the Apartheid only ended 21 years ago.  I was surprised to find out how recent this was, as racism laws in the Unites States ended way before I was born. Many of the white South Africans still view themselves as superior to the black Africans and don't always treat them with respect,( nobody at Refilwe of course).  It’s still very uncommon for whites and blacks to do things together, it’s an unspoken stigma. I remember on my first night here I was with Leah and Piet and the car tire went flat. We pulled over to fix it, when a lady came by and asked if Leah and I were okay because we were with a 'black boy'. Imagine her surprise when leah said "he's my husband!"

Another Issue here that I’ve noticed is the lack of respect for women. Although I do believe now that women have all the same rights as men,  they are still sometimes viewed as second class citizens, especially among the black South Africans, and especially in Johanneburg where sexual violence is ranked the highest in the world. Some of the men feel entitled. Even if it’s not to that extreme many of the African men still feel  they deserve to be treated a certain way, with no regard for how the women feels about it.

Despite the problems this country has. The people here are friendly and always ready to welcome you and accept you in. They have such a strong since of community and family.  People in America just pass by without even noticing the people around them. It's still sometimes a culture shock being in a place with massive poverty, when people in America deal with having too much, the more stuff they get the less happy they become. Every place has it's problems and issues and no country is perfect. Sometimes I do get upset with the way things are here and my heart does break for the people. It's really easy to complain about this or that when I've grown up with so much, never having to go without. Being here is about coming outside myself and really seeing what it's like for the people that live here. Even though it's not easy, I wouldn't have it any other way, this really is the best experience I could ever ask for.