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Ocean View is about a 10 minute drive
from our location at All Nations. There are 6 of
us with All Nations on the Ocean View team (other students
from All Nations were assigned to the Masiphumelele team)
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 Pitbull
Hurts Baby:
Yesterday Claudine, a woman Julie is disciplining
in Ocean View, saw a pitbull grab her neighbor’s
9 month old baby by the face, yank her out of her
stroller and shake her uncontrollably.
A man, uninhibited from the drugs he was on, pried
open the pitbull's mouth and pulled the baby away.
Her face unrecognizable, the baby was rushed to the
hospital and was said to have died. We later found
out the baby lived but is in the Intensive Care Unit
and will need to have reconstructive surgery.
Please pray for Claudine and the mother of the baby,
traumatized by witnessing such a horrible event, and
the baby's recovery. We are seeking ways to bring
encouragement and hope to this family.
Friend Dies:
Steve and Daria (our team leaders) have been holding
weekly Bible Studies with a couple in Ocean View.
Today when Steve and Daria arrived for their scheduled
meeting, they found out the husband died on Sunday
night. It's not clear if it was a suicide or murder.
Please pray for this family and Steve and Daria, as
they seek wisdom for this situation.
This week Karl and Julie taught the 10th Grade Life
Orientation class at Ocean View High. Teaching the same
lesson to 6 different classes of 10th graders, we were
able to meet most of the 10th graders at the school!
We spoke on the topic of “self worth,”
and it was an incredible experience!
 Here
is the lesson we created:
GROUP QUESTION: What is self-worth?
Answer: Your own opinion of yourself and your worth
DISCUSSION: If an Alien were to watch the
people of Ocean View for a week - what would they
think is important to you (money, looks, job, age,
health, etc?)
- Vote for the items you think are important
on that list.
- Discuss whether you think a person's value changes
if they get a job, loose a job, have a nice car or
lose their money.
- Do you think we are all equal?
- Are people worth the same?
ACTIVITY: Don't Take Away My Traits!
- Ask students to rip a piece of paper into
8 strips. On each piece of paper write a word or
phrase that describes themselves.
- Now give up one trait. How does the lack of that
affect you? Now give up another. Give up three.
Give up four.
- Now what kind of person are you?
- After giving up four of the qualities, we have
students regain the traits one by one.
We told them that no one can take away these traits
from you. You alone have the power to keep these qualities.
ASSIGNMENT: 5 Ways to Enhance Self-worth:
- Spend time with people who like you and
care about you.
- Write the name of one person who cares
about you that you should spend more time with.
- Ignore (and stay away from) people who
put you down or treat you badly.
- Write down the name of one person who
is a bad influence you should avoid.
- Develop your talents.
- Write down one of your talents.
- Also write down a talent of someone else
and take some time this week to compliment them
on that talent.
- Set goals and work to achieve them.
- Write down one thing you know you have
been doing wrong that you would like to change..
- Always do what you believe is right.
- Write down one of your goals (finishing
the 10th grade, not getting pregnant, graduating
from high school, going to college, getting
through the day, etc.)
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At Ocean View High the kids
have "guardians" instead of subsitute
teachers.
When their regular class
teacher does not show up, the students are
supposed to go find a fellow classmate who
has been dubbed their guardian and sit in
their guardian's class (assuming the guardian's
teacher is there that day). If their guardian
isn't there - they are supposed to go find
their back-up guardian.
What??!?
I guess the idea is to have
kids in A class (ANY class will do) - so
that there is some level of supervision
(although obviously not learning).
Teacher truancy is
a huge problem in South Africa.
At the beginning of the first class of the
day the loud speaker lists the names of
the teachers that didn't show up that day.
Go find your guardian. |
 Wow!
Today was exciting - we did our "Discovery Bible
Study" with Colleen and Claudine and they invited
a friend. Our topic was, based on the Bible, why
do bad things happen? A very interesting
study, as you can imagine (inspired by the pitbull
incident).
Right after that in the same room, we had
our FIRST computer class.
It was great! Simon (you may remember him - as
Karl stayed with his family during his exploratory
trip to Africa last summer), set up the computer
station at the Ocean View Library.
To see these women create their OWN email account
and send their FIRST email was incredible.We also
showed them how to look for jobs on Gum Tree (the
South African version of Craig's List).
Right now we have two computers, but would like to
collect old laps to set up a larger computer station
to serve more people.
 Last
weekend we held our two-night leadership adventure
camp with the Ocean View High School prefects (student
council members).
We kept them busy with games, teachings,
small group discussions and adventure activities (obstacle
course, problem solving outdoor events, etc.).
It was amazing!
The teachings incorporated many "wise sayings"
from Proverbs, compelling video clips, and inspirational
life lessons. During the last session we spoke openly
about God’s love for them.
 Here
are some quotes from the evaluations the learners
completed answering "What did you learn at this
camp?":
“All my life I wanted to fit in –
but now I know that I’m different and will make
myself known to people all over the world…I
will make a difference in Ocean View.” (Johannes
did a talk on not fitting in, but standing out)
“I must learn to trust and be open with
the Lord”
“You can do good stuff without anyone beating
you down” (which is the crux of many Ocean
View problems…you can’t paint your house
in Ocean View without the neighbors accusing you of
trying to be better than them.)
“I can keep believing that my life can
be a success.”
“I learned how to uplift myself when I
am surrounded with evil.”
“God gave you something that no one can
take away from you.”
 We
grilled “bread
on a stick” at the braai (literally dough
on a stick you cook over a fire), Johannes did a “leap
of death” from one tree branch to another (physical
illustration of his talk on “jumping into life”),
and seven kids made a decision during the last session
to “seek after God.”
Yes – you heard that right – at a public
school retreat!
We are blown away about what the Lord is doing with
these kids and are excited about following up with
them!
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Fourteen girls attended Karl and Julie’s new
after school club the “Amazing African Women
Film Society.”
We
bribed them with snacks to get them there –
then each girl took a turn being the camera woman,
acting as the interviewer and answering questions
as the interviewee.
We showed them the video interviews at the end of
class, and they were so excited to see themselves
on film! Not one of them owns a camera, and we are
doubtful they have ever seen a video of themselves.
Over the next few weeks we will be bringing
in “Amazing African Women” guest speakers,
giving the girls an opportunity to interview and film
them.
In the end, we will show the girls how to make a
movie of these “Amazing African Women.”
We are thrilled to build relationships with
these precious girls!
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We asked the girls
to choose one of these questions to answer
for their video interview:
1. Why were
you given your particular name?
2. What is your favorite thing to do?
3. What is your favorite kind of music?
4. What is your dream?
5. What thing would you like to know more
about?
6. What place would you like to visit?
7. What would you like to teach others about?
8. What is your favorite thing about yourself?
9. In five years, what will you be doing?
10. Where do you want to be with your life
in ten years?
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Micro-loans are tiny business loans by western
standards (so tiny a bank would never consider bothering
with it), but large enough to make a big impact on the
poor.
We met with Income Generation Project
about their model for mico-loans in Khayelitsha (South
Africa's second largest township).
Their average loan for a business is about
$200 and is paid off within eight months. Businesses
havea included hand bags, winter jackets, fruit and
vegetable shop, spaza shops (general stores), photography,
chickens, frozen meat, and beauty products.
Loan recipients (clients) work in a community
group of at least five people of their choosing. They
meet together weekly, attend business classes and receive
training materials.
Loan payments are made every two weeks
and group members must "cover each other"
if someone in their group can't make a payment.
Based off of the Grameen
Bank Model this methodology is very successful,
and we are excited about adopting it here!
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Today Karl helped organize a soccer clinic in the informal
settlement of Red Hill with a YWAM (Youth With A Mission)
team.
There were about 15 younger kids (U11+)
and close to 15 older kids (U16+ boys) in attendance.
The YWAM team members were from Argentina,
Canada and the US.
It was a beautiful day for soccer,
life skills and sharing the love of God for these kids!
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Journal entries:
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May
19th - The Amazing African Women Film Society
May
27th - Micro-loan Magic
