I've already broken my promises. I'm sorry. I had promised to write each day while I was here, and I've already failed. My flesh is so weak. :)
On Thursday and Friday we spent the day at Overcome Heights. Overcome Heights is a township in Capetown, a very dangerous and very poor township. It is almost satirical the way it looks. It looks exactly like the infomercials or commercials about "supporting a poor child in africa" ect. I honestly cannot even describe it (pictures will be coming soon). Children walking around barefoot, kicking deflated soccer balls. Older ladies walking around with trash bags balanced on their heads. When we showed up, people began to flock our way, coming to see why we were there.
The reason we were there was to refurbish a container. These containers are huge shipping containers that are used here as houses or other "buildings" in the townships. This container was used by Living Hope, a christian abstinence based non profit that does amazing things in the community. When we arrived the container was bright orange, paint peeling, and very dirty. We cleaned the inside and out, and painted it white. I am going to get to paint a mural on it on Tuesday! I'm so excited!!!
While we were there, we got to talk to some of the people and children from the township. They were great people. We got to play soccer with a little boy and girl and it was wonderful. The little boy had downs syndrome and was so fun! They kept trying to copy us and we got to teach them how to punt the ball. Although we were able to do something great for the community, it was so saddening to me the way they live.
The seperation and huge gap between the rich and the poor here is insane. The thing about the "supporting a child in africa" commercials is that you don't see that less than 2 minutes away are huge mansions overlooking beautiful water and mountains. They are two different worlds, separated by only miles, yet by years and years of oppression and apartheid.
On Friday after finishing the container, we went up to Table Mountain. Without a doubt it had the most beautiful views I have ever seen. Also, very hard to even try and describe (pictures soon). We took a cable car up to the top and spent about an hour and a half up there. I wish we had been there all day. It was so quiet and peaceful. Yet again, I was a little stunned at such the drastic difference between God's beauty and the townships.
While we are here, we are also taking classes. One of the classes is on Job and we have been discussing justice and our views on questioning God. I believe it is so important to ask God the hard questions, to doubt things, and to wonder. That is what makes our faith real. I wonder why God has allowed this area to be one of the most beautiful places in the world, yet one of the poorest and most sad.
Today, we went down to the famous Water Front of Capetown and went out to Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 27 years. Our tour guides were men who had once been political prisoners there. It was unbelievable hearing how they were treated, and the reasons for imprisonment. 'Colored' prisoners were given more food than 'Bantu' (black) prisoners. In all ways possible, apartheid was enforced. I found this to be repulsive.
I then spent the rest of the day walking around the water front, shopping and looking for gifts to bring back. How terrible is it that I went on my day without giving another thought to what this country went through, and what it is still going through. Why is it that we so easily forget? That we can cover what's going on through our obsession with materialism and mammon. I am so guilty of this.
Although I am learning so much here, and I feel my heart growing for these people, I am the greatest example of a failure. A failure to write my blog everyday, a failure at being selfless, a failure at giving all I can. Yet God can use my failures, as he has used the failures that South Africa has experienced.
"Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another." -Nelson Mandela
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