My African Gogo

This is my gogo out in Soshanguve (well, not really, but I've sort of adopted her). She works at one of our orphan day centres, washing the dishes after 112 orphans have eaten... no small task!

Every time I go out there, she gives me the biggest hug and says (emphasizing each word) "I... LOVE... YOU!" She makes me feel so special.

I wonder if she knows how special she is? I always tell her that I love her, too, and that she is beautiful, but I wonder if she believes it. Life must be hard for her. It is sometimes embarrassing to be the white American who comes over, unloads some food, visits for a bit, and then goes back to my comfortable home.

The Road Between...

This is a typical roadside photo on the road between Pretoria and Soshanguve. It may not look like much to you - it may look dirty and even a bit depressing - but it makes me smile.

When I leave Pretoria to go to Soshanguve, I know that while I am leaving wealth for poverty, I am also leaving the unfriendliness of a large city for the warmth and friendliness of township life. I know that everyone I meet there will greet me, shake my hand. I know that the elderly women will all hug me, the small children will all want to be held, and I know that while there may not be enough material possessions out there, there is an abundance of love.

African Beading

This woman was making a set of six placemats. She said it would take one week to make them. If you look at how small each bead is, it's amazing to me that she can even make ONE placemat.

I think she is so beautiful. There is a staid dignity in her eyes, isn't there?

Monday Quote

"Joy is love exalted;
peace is love in repose;
long suffering is love enduring;
gentleness is love in society;
goodness is love in action;
faith is love on the battlefield;
meekness is love in school;
and self-control is love in training."
- D.L. Moody

I think it was C.S. Lewis who said that the opposite of selfishness is not unselfishness; it's love.

Room at the Inn

As a little girl, I always wanted to have a guest room so people could come and stay with us. From extended family to exchange students to friends sleeping over, I had great ideas of how a guest room could be used. Unfortunately our house was too small (or our family was too big!), and we never did have that guest room...

Until now. I've been thinking about how many guests we've housed since we moved to South Africa. We've hosted people from Denmark, the U.S., Swaziland, England, Mozambique and yes, South Africa. There were times when I was tired, not feeling well, didn't want to prepare the guest bedroom, but then I was reminded of my dream as a little girl.

Funny how when we're children, we see the positive side of everything but then when we grow up, we see the negatives and challenges much more readily than the possibilities and potential. A friend once said to us, "If you have the choice between being relational or staying home and reading a book, choose to be relational. It's almost always the better choice." At the time I wasn't so sure I agreed with him, but looking back, I think there is value in what he said.

While it hasn't always been easy or convenient to house extra people, it has always been worth it, and always been enriching. The conversations, the things we've learned, the perspective we've gained, the relationships... are worth more than any book, worth the trouble it took to prepare the room or extra food at dinner.

"Practice hospitality." -Romans 12:13 While it's not always easy, it's always worth it.

Random Thoughts

I've been in South Africa for eleven months, now, so here are some random observations to commemorate the occasion:

• I have managed to learn the games of rugby and hockey, but I don't think I shall ever understand why a cricket game needs to take five days.
• I still haven't learned that when you drink a cup of coffee in the car while you're driving over roads with potholes, you spill. Every time.
  
• To all the people who wee along the side of the road - I can understand being desperate, but why can't you go BEHIND the tree instead of in front of it? I have had to answer some interesting questions posed by my children on the way to school.
  
• I think I am the only person in Pretoria who doesn't speak Afrikaans. Sometimes this is frustrating... especially when you go to the doctor and have to fill out new patient forms (maar ek probeer baie hard om Afrikaans te leer!).
  
• I love it that when I order a plain cup of coffee, I am always asked if I want hot or cold milk with that, and then given the choice between white and brown sugar as well. That would never happen in the States (although, I confess, I still occasionally miss Starbucks!)
  
• When South Africa won it's first Olympic medal of these games, I cheered as loudly as any South African. In fact, I found that I cheer equally for both the U.S. and South Africa.

Sometimes it is very, very hard having one foot in two worlds, but I still wouldn't trade it for anything. Maybe I just have to deal with having two "homes". I have grown to love this country, these people. They are wonderful. And that is worth giving up Starbucks for!

Thoughts on Culture, Worldview, and Kicking Some Bum

It's easy to point out the supposed flaws in other cultures - those aspects in which another's worldview is "wrong." What is incredibly difficult is to see those things in your own culture.

Yesterday my daughter related an experience at school that was slightly disturbing. The mother instinct in me wanted to make some noise, defend my child, get revenge, kick some bum. As Americans, we are taught to "demand our rights", be vocal, be an advocate. We are quick to say, "That's not fair", and then get on our soapboxes, demanding freedom and equality for all. But let's be honest - we tend to do this only when it directly affects ourselves.

While none of the above reactions are bad in and of themselves, I think it is a weakness in my home culture because it is often contrary to Christianity. Jesus didn't go around demanding His rights or getting angry every time someone was rude to Him. He loved people (even the mean ones), He turned the other cheek, He made Himself a servant. He extended grace in a world that desperately needed it. My small American brain cannot reconcile these two responses.

So... do I choose to follow the Bible's teachings, or those of my home culture? Please don't misunderstand me - I think there are very much times when we must stand up for what is right. I am just realising that there are things about my culture that I'm not sure are good. Would it not be better to teach my daughter how to respond with grace to the challenges and "unfairness" of life, rather than respond in a like manner to the bullies of the world?

I find that the older I get, the less I know.