Right, Different, or Wrong?

We have been continuing our study on culture this week. Yesterday we went to the Voortrekker musuem which told the history of the Afrikaans nation through marble sculptures around the inside walls. It was a neat way to tell a story...and beautiful! We also had a discussion on how people of different cultures either view things as right, different, or wrong in comparison to other cultures. Hmm...what things are a part of your culture that you would consider right or different, and what things are a part of other cultures that you would consider wrong or different? It's really intersting when you sit down and consider it. Cultural differences have been fun to discuss with our group since we have Americans, one Canadian, and one white South African. Very different world views. It's been really neat to learn about different cultures, evaluate our own, and see where God fits into the whole picture.

Today was another trip to the township of Soshanguve. This time we visited a place called Ikhaya Lenjabulo...translated means Home of Joy. We heard the story of Thobile, the woman who began this organization. She has an amazing faith and trust in God, mainly built up by the fact that she has seen God move so amazingly in her life and the lives of the children and families that she works with. In her words, "I have so much and He has always provided. Why not believe He will continue to provide." Maybe not exactly as she said it, but you get the picture. :) She has what she needs and knows she can't take anything with her. She finds fulfillment in the things that truly satisfy the soul. Do I live that way? Do you? She mentioned one day wanting to move back to Durban, where she grew up. She said she has given a lot to this township and now she hopes to be able to move back home and help people from her home town. Wow! That was amazing to me! She truly has a beautiful soul.

I think I felt a big connection with today's trip mainly because I could relate on a VERY SMALL scale to what Thobile was sharing. She used to be a teacher and told of her love for the kids and families she worked with. I instantly loved that about her! While I did not deal with the same struggles as Thobile, I could see her deep love of helping the children. At one point, she had 5 kids who lost their parents to AIDS and were ophaned. All within 2 months! This eventually led to the creation of Home of Joy. She found herself having to help so many families and children that she eventually had to quit teaching to run the "home" full time. It began in a garage and has, by the Grace of God, grown into a 2 story home with plenty of room for the kids. (the house was donated by a local church and the interior needs were donated by a few different organizations). They run a "daycare" there and house 8 kids full time. The rest are placed with their relatives....which she believes is important. The ages of the kids in the "daycare" were between 0 and 6...i think...and the ages of those who live there range from 4-13. The whole time we were upstairs there was this roar of kids voices coming from downstairs. I loved it! :)

We even got to share a meal with Thobile and her staff...who amazingly stay with the home even though they are paid very little! Prayers that that staff needs would be met through more financial support!!!! We had a meal of chicken and pap. Pap is kind of like grits..."undoctored" grits that is. :) It is best put with a gravy of some sort, which today was on the chicken and used for the pap. It was quite tasty. :) The catch is...you eat it with your hands! :) Eating with your hands is the normal way in the townships...and with some other cultures here. Interesting, but cool. :) Not right or wrong...just different. :)

Below are a few pictures from today. Also...one from Saturday when we went to the waterpark, Sun City. On the way out we saw a baboon on top of one of the buildings. Crazy!! :)

In His Love,

manda

the one on the far left is Thobile. (with the brown and white shirt.)

some of the staff and my gang eating.

Can you find the baboon on far right picture??? :)

The other is the "close-up". I couldn't get a great picture but it was pretty cool. :)