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 When
we pulled up to our friend’s house in Ocean View
today, she was crying on her front stoop. With two little
boys the same age as Jensen and Emme, she was trying
to figure out how she was going to make it through the
weekend without bread and potatoes for her family.
She was trusting God.
Often times we are the answers to other
people’s prayers. For just a few dollars, we had
the privilege to be someone’s answer.
It's strange that God uses us - the church,
His Body - as His tool to serve. If I was Him, I think
I'd have come up with a better plan than to use us.
But sometimes He decides we're "it".
We're His answer to someone's prayer.
It's quite humbling.
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Culture at CPx
Here at CPx we have students of all
color living, working and learning together.
This includes students from South Africa
– white Afrikaners, along with black and *colored
people from the local townships.
CPx student class 2010
This is CRAZY!
White Afrikaners – the people
group responsible for apartheid – living and
working in community, side by side black South Africans.
*Note: “Colored” is
the proper term here in South Africa for those with
both a black and white descent (it seems very strange
for us Americans)
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Culture in South Africa
In South Africa, this "multi-racial
mix of friends" is very unusual.
As we walk around Cape Town, it’s
rare to see a group of different races socializing
together. I stand up and take notice if I see a “white
guy” talking to his “black guy”
friend on the street.
Sure – it’s the “rainbow
nation” – there is diversity everywhere
– but that diversity exists in segregated pockets.
According
to a Institute for Justice and Reconciliation in a
BBC article...
- 24% of South Africans do not speak to people
of other races on a typical day
- 46% "never socialize" with people of
other races in their own homes or friends' homes
- 39% find people of other races "untrustworthy"
- 59% said they found it "difficult to understand
the customs and ways" of people of other races
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In the News
The big news here in South Africa is that a farmer,
Eugene
Terreblanche, leader of a white supremacist party,
was beaten and hacked to death while taking a
nap on his farm by his black workers.
He had a large following among whites who still
believe in an all-white state.
Some blame his murder on a song that has been sung
at political rallies by Julius Malema, the leader
of the youth league of the ruling ANC political party.
From the struggle days against apartheid, the song
is called “kill the boer”, which translates
to “kill the farmer”. A court has recently
banned the song.
It’s worth noting, some 3,000 white farmers
have been killed since apartheid ended in 1994.
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The Fear
Floyd says...
"These happenings have touched a raw nerve in
both the white and black communities. There is great
concern and fear that the racial divide in South Africa
will be deepened. The old wounds of apartheid have
been reopened. The pain of the Afrikaner people has
been touched deeply. Everyone is aware that if the
nation goes the direction of Zimbabwe, immediately
to the north, South Africa will be plunged into economic
ruin and racial conflict. There is a fear that a civil
war could take place."
Zimbabwean Farming Problem
Zimbabwe was the bread basket
of Africa – until the president forced
white farmers to turn over their farms to
the black Zimbabweans. The farms are now in
ruins and the people are starving.
Formerly white-owned farms
were given to "people without the faintest
idea of farming", said Mr Nguni (Zimbabwean
deputy agriculture minister). He conceded
that this was the main cause of the current
massive crop failure, which has left more
than 30% of Zimbabwe's people dependent on
food aid.
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Tears This Week in Class
With the emotion of this event heavy on our hearts,
Floyd asked the 4 white Afrikaans students in the
class to come forward.
We gathered around them and prayed. They asked for
forgiveness for the sins of apartheid and many black
students prayed blessing and hope for them. People
thanked them for the good things they had done for
this country. There were many tears.
A white Afrikaner said afterward this is the first
time anyone has ever spoke blessing and thanksgiving
on them as a people group.
Dave, a white team member from Florida (who I must say
is really not all that tan), had this conversation with
a 6 year old girl in Ocean View today:
Little Girl: Whitey! Whitey!
Dave: Yes?
Little Girl (upon closer inspection of
Dave): Are you white or colored?
Dave: What do you think?
Little Girl (with some hesitancy):
Ummmm...white?
Dave: Good job!
Little Girl: Can I have a Rand?
Dave: I’m sorry - I don’t
have a Rand for you.
Little Girl: You must be Colored
then (and walked away).
Note: a rand is about 13 cents
.
I am thrilled to be disciplining two women in Ocean
View!
Several weeks ago I met Claudine and Colleen and am
now doing "Discovery Bible Studies” several
times a week with them.
 Essentially
a “Discovery Bible Study” is a format that
let’s each person in the group “discover”
what the Bible is saying to them specifically.
Read more
about the unique “Discovery Bible Study”
approach…
Today I took Colleen and Claudine to Noordhoek Farm
Village (a delightful little place with restaurants
and shops) to chat and do our Bible Study.
It was great! They said it was so wonderful just to
get out of Ocean View (Ocean View is a depressing
place that exudes the results of poverty and addiction).
Claudine said, "Julie, you are giving us the treat
of our lives!" I love these women more than they'll
ever know!
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I am passionate about using micro-loans to help women
in Ocean View!
I love this approach because it offers hope for those
who want to be creative and work hard - without perpetuating
the cycle of poverty with a hand-out.
For starters, we would like to teach women in Ocean
View computer skills, along with introducing
them to “Steps to Excellence” –
a program offered through All Nations that helps learners
take a fresh look at their lives, discover what they
are truly capable of achieving, and tools to make it
happen.
Some business ideas I am mulling over...
1. All Nations offers a training program
for preschool teachers - to help women start
their own in-home preschool.
2. There are many "out of the living room"
shops in Ocean View (called "tuck" shops)
- selling chips, soda pop, candy bars, etc. One idea
is to help women start their own "cakes"
business - since many of the shops don't
sell baked goods.
3. Another option would be to find someone with embroidery
experience, willing to teach interested women
how to advance their own skills – with the goal
to sell customized, embroidered baby clothes online.
It's my hope to set this up using the micro-loan format,
so women could be trained to own and run their own business.
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This
week we will deliver candy bars to the Ocean View High
School teachers with the note below of encouragement.
Over
the next few months our team will be implementing dynamic
programs in the high school. Check these journal
entries for frequent updates!
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 The
World Cup excitement is definitely here in South Africa!
Building
on that, I am able to use soccer as a means to reach
the youth of Ocean View in relevant ways.
In
the next two months I will coach, assist
with a soccer festival, and set up
"World Cup Viewing Outreaches"
(showing World Cup games on a big screen in the townships).
I
have an incredible opportunity to help coach the Ocean
View High School soccer team, as well as partner with
a local sports ministry called Ubuntu
Sports.
Using
soccer, we hope to connect with the community and build
relationships, with the end goal of mentorship and discipleship.
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 I
am passionate about being part of a launch team for
building a Community Center in Ocean View.
My
dream is that the community center would be a safe place
for kids - providing a beautiful field on which to play
soccer (instead of the street or bare dirt fields
they are used to).
We
would also offer computer classes, job training,
tutoring, art lessons, Bible studies, and much more.
I
know that ultimately the answer for those in Ocean View,
as it is for all of us, is a change of heart in how
we live, think and view life.
That
change of heart will only come from knowing Jesus and
His amazing love for each one of us.
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We
met with the principal of Ocean View High School today,
and he confirmed he would like all of
us to begin our programs right away in the high school.
Ocean View High Courtyard
- Julie
has an opportunity to be a guest speaker for the
"life orientation" 10th grade class on
the topic of "self esteem."
She hopes to invite them to a voluntary after-school
club that will inspire the girls of Ocean View -
they don't need to get pregnant, drop out of school,
skip college, and wait around for nothing amazing
to happen. There are amazing African women everywhere
and these girls can be one of them. Now I just need
to find one from Ocean View...
- Karl
met wtih the high school coach and received the
soccer schedule. He
will run weekly soccer training sessions and attend
games - with the goal to mentor boys into men. He
has also been asked to join Julie for the "life
orientation" class and speak to the boys.
.
 Coincidence?
I've
been wondering if Ocean View has turned out any successful
women!
Today
I met a married, *colored woman who
has a career as hair stylist - a husband
and child - a normal, healthy life...FROM OCEAN VIEW...still
living IN OCEAN VIEW.
This
doesn't happen!
In the 2 months I've been involved in Ocean View - I
have not met ONE woman like this.
An
actual marriage is rare and a job (let alone a career)
is few and VERY FAR between. Most adult women are living
with their mom (along with their 3 or 4 children).
She
explained that Carlton
Hair has 3 year training program that allows students
to pay their fees with part of the salary they earn
while working in a Carlton salon.
Brilliant...since
most students could never come up with the $8,000 tuition
in advance! You only need a 10th grade education and
the 50 cents it takes to get a taxi to the salon.
I may need to talk her into chatting
with my Ocean View girls?
*Note: For those new to this show
- "colored" is the appropriate term to use
for the ethnic group of mixed-race people who possess
some sub-Saharan African ancestry, but not enough to
be considered Black under the law of South Africa.
.
 We
met a gentleman named Donovan, involved in local political
party called the DA (Democratic Alliance) as a volunteer.
He has a lot of insight into Ocean View
- the people, culture, and history.
As an influential connector in this community
of 30,000 people, he gave us a guided
tour and explained the history of each area...
- Ghost Town - near the graveyard
- Atlantic Heights - also called
Lap Land
- Hungry Hills - near by Rastafarian
community
- Beverly Hills - newest, richest
area
- Navy Community - free housing
for navy personnel
- Mountain View - informal settlement
(shacks) that has been waiting for permanent residence
for 10 years now (a huge problem is sanitation and
fresh water supply)
- Flats - low income apartment
housing:7 Sisters (a grouping of 7 buildings) and
the 5 Stars (a grouping of 5 buildings)
- Rykmansdorp
See the
photos of our "guided tour of Ocean View"
with Donovan...
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Ocean View needs a community center
actually for the community!
It’s difficult
for Ocean View residents to use their current facilities
- bogged down by red tape, high fees for use, and favoritism
fed by corruption.
 For
research, we visited the new Football
for Hope community center built by FIFA and run
by Grassroot
Soccer in Khayelitsha.
For
you Survivor fans, you may remember Survivor Africa
when Ethan
Zohn won. He used his million dollars to co-found
Grassroot Soccer – a non-profit organization that
uses soccer to teach kids about the dangers of HIV.
Khayelitsha, an endless maze of ramshackle
huts, is South Africa’s second-largest township
and home to about 2 million people...40 per cent of
them under the age of 20.
Upon arrival, we were impressed by the
enthusiastic local coaches, compelling HIV education
program and beautiful facility.
Our big question – how do
you prevent a new Astroturf soccer field in a township
from being destroyed by vandalism? Barbed wire? High
Fences? Guards?
The answer from Grassroots soccer? Community
buy-in.
We were surprised their brand new field
had no formal “protection” – only
a short wall that children could sit on.
 Football
for Hope had turned a marshy no-man’s-land area,
known for its drug trafficking and violence, into a
top-notchl soccer field and community center.
When we asked how they protect the field
we were told “Well, the community is really proud
of this field and they look out for it. If people start
trouble they get chased away.”
Huh...
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Journal entries:
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