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African American Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone back in America. Here in South Africa it’s a non-event and everyone goes about business as usual. Fortunately for me and my fellow volunteers, our “bosses” – Living Hope volunteer coordinators Mike and Pam Talley – are Americans, and they threw a great Thanksgiving bash today. The festivities included turkey on the table and Dallas Cowboys football on the TV, the latter made possible by satellite TV and a DVR recording of the Cowboys-Redskins game two weeks ago. We also tossed a football around in the parking lot – a curiosity to the neighbors, who mostly know rugby and soccer – and watched A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Speaking of food, I’ve had some interesting African dishes lately, including crocodile kebabs (extremely tasty), zebra (tough and not so tasty), eland (a kind of antelope; quite tender and flavorful), and kudu (another type of antelope). I am thankful for many things and grilled animal flesh is one of them.

I’m also thankful that Black Friday doesn’t exist in South Africa. No Thanksgiving holiday means no day-after-Thanksgiving retail insanity. And that’s a real Christmas blessing. It’s strange, though, heading into Christmas season in a sunny, 80-degree climate. Also, schools around the country are beginning summer vacation, traffic is picking up and the locals are complaining about tourist season. Sound familiar, Hilton Headians?

Next week, I’ll be immersed in the Christmas spirit in a big way. Living Hope puts on multiple Christmas parties at each of its six locations – for staff, for clients (e.g. health care patients, the homeless) and for children. The two weeks after that (my last in the country) will be occupied mostly with Holiday Club, which is a longer version of after-school Kids Club. With three hours to fill each day, it should be interesting. It’s enough of a challenge trying to keep them attentive for just one hour. As with pretty much everything else I’ve experienced here, we’ll make a plan, carry out about 20 percent of that plan, and wing the rest – and by God's grace it’ll all turn out just fine.

Wants and Needs

Want: Refinance to fund bigger garage.
Need: Roof that doesn’t leak.

Want: Next-generation iPhone.
Need: Fifty-cent newspaper that you can’t afford but sure could use so you can scan classifieds for job that may or may not be available.

Want: Kobe Beef instead of Black Angus Beef.
Need: Piece of bread after another cold night on empty stomach.

Want: Steam, mud wrap and full-body massage.
Need: Bathroom tissue to replace scrap phone book pages in communal outhouse.

Want: Full-size SUV to replace mid-size SUV.
Need: Shoes with soles intact.

Want: Water to irrigate 3,000-square-foot Bermuda grass lawn.
Need: Water to irrigate vegetable garden to feed family of five.

Want: Power, status, success.
Need: Peace with God.

Faces of Cape Town

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Just Wing It

I’ve come to realize that in South Africa, nothing happens on schedule. (That is, if a schedule even exists to begin with). For example, “I’ll meet you at 3:00” typically means something more like, “I’ll meet you sometime this afternoon. It may not be exactly 3:00, but it’ll probably be within an hour of that. Give or take.” Or lesson planning for an after-school children’s club? What-ev-er. We’ll figure it out as we go. For an incessant planner and watch-the-clock person like me, it can be maddening, but I’m gradually learning to accept it.

Likewise, some of my work opportunities here have come about unexpectedly. It never occurred to me, for instance, that I might use my writing background to help people at a homeless shelter. But that’s what has happened as several out-of-work guys have asked me to write reference letters for them to give to potential employers. This week I met a new visitor to Living Grace. He just learned that he’s HIV-positive and is getting counseling and medical help through Living Hope. I worked with him to build a resume and reference letter, as he needs work to be able to stay in Cape Town and get the medical attention he needs, since back at his home in the Eastern Cape (hundreds of miles away), medical care is harder to come by.

I’ve also taken to “playing” the tambourine during the pre-breakfast and pre-lunch devotions at Living Grace and at the afternoon kids clubs in Red Hill. I’m rhythmically challenged, but I can mostly keep the beat, and it’s fun – it’s the most musically involved I’ve been since my career as a high-school trombone player of marginal talent.

By the way, the deal at Living Grace is that devotions start at 8:15 and 11:45 and include 15 minutes of singing and a 15-minute Bible lesson. Those who attend get first dibs on the food; if there are any leftovers, then latecomers can also eat. In other words, “man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Out of the Zone

Part of my motivation in coming to volunteer in South Africa was to get out of the proverbial comfort zone. In my case, that means pretty much anything that forces me to interact with people I don’t know well. At Living Grace’s homeless ministry, that happens every day I’m there. Someone always wants to talk about one concern or another. I listen, I try to encourage them, I pray with them. But some situations are way beyond my limited interpersonal abilities.

This morning, I casually asked “How ya doing?” to a woman I’ve befriended these past few weeks. Her answer: “Terrible. I want to find a shotgun and kill myself. I can’t take it anymore.” Um … OK … well … yikes. I did my best to listen and encourage, but I knew enough to realize this lady has some deep-seated issues that require professional counseling. I promised her I would ask around and see if I could find someone she could meet with on a regular basis.

About five minutes after that conversation ended, a staff member introduced me to a new volunteer, an older lady who will be here for the next six months. And guess what her background is? Professional counselor! No coincidence there. God showed me a need, then immediately provided for it. “Oh, have I got a customer for you,” I told my new friend. She’s a sweet lady and she's interested in meeting with this troubled woman. Any prayers for healing are much appreciated.

Another painful circumstance at Living Grace today was the news of Claire’s death. Claire had been a frequent visitor to the facility. I never met her, but I had heard much about her – apparently she was a pretty colorful character. She was asthmatic and was found stricken at the park where a lot of homeless people stay. She was taken to the hospital and passed away on Saturday.

Life at Living Grace is anything but a comfort zone.