This morning we went to Pastor Welcome’s church, called Power of God. They meet in a nearby Creche (African pre-school) classroom. Welcome and a few others are from Durban, so the church was much more contemporary than the Black Dutch Reform churches we typically attend. As we sang worship the two women up front led us in something all too similar to the electric slide. As Vanessa put it, the entire experience could be described as wedding reception meets church. I think I made God smile a few times this morning watching my Zulu electric slide.
Today was our last day with the kids. It was sad leaving, as a lot of them wanted us to promise we would come back. Please pray for Kwanele, the little boy with AIDS. Pray for the Mamas, that they would have energy to continually pour into these children and teenagers. Pray for Thanda as she is preparing for her wedding on April 25th. Pray that Agathos will continue to raise up Christian leaders in this community.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
An Inspirational American Couple {Saturday, April 4}
Okay, so there are a lot of stereotypes out there about missionaries. JD and Barbara don’t fit the mold on any of them. They are our first group of American missionaries, both graduates from Wheaton College. They are in their sixties, have four children, and have lived in Atlanta, Tanzania, The Philippines, and now South Africa. JD served as a pilot in the Vietnam War and briefly shared the impact of that part of his life. They are truly an inspirational couple.
Tonight they invited us over to their home for a “braai”. I’ll be honest, I was a little relieved to have a break from rice, potatoes, pap, and beans… even though they ended up serving rice and beans anyway. J I had no complaints though, it tasted like good home-cooking. They even made a little Filet Mignon and had salads with Romaine lettuce, which I miss. After dinner they fixed a South African dessert called Malva Pudding and made real coffee just like my dad does at home. (Although not quite as good as yours, Dad.) It made me slightly homesick having such an American evening, but was very relaxing nonetheless.
JD and Barbara shared many cool stories from their lives, their ministry, and in general just had really cool hearts. JD continued to drive home the point of God’s faithfulness in his life. He shared many times where God had provided for his family and truly wanted each of us to be encouraged in that truth.
Lastly, their home is gorgeous. It is a cottage tucked away in the mountains of South Africa and has a phenomenal view. Like the rest of their lives, they had a cool story of how God had provided the home and how they use it for His Kingdom. It is probably one of the most beautiful places I have been.
Tonight they invited us over to their home for a “braai”. I’ll be honest, I was a little relieved to have a break from rice, potatoes, pap, and beans… even though they ended up serving rice and beans anyway. J I had no complaints though, it tasted like good home-cooking. They even made a little Filet Mignon and had salads with Romaine lettuce, which I miss. After dinner they fixed a South African dessert called Malva Pudding and made real coffee just like my dad does at home. (Although not quite as good as yours, Dad.) It made me slightly homesick having such an American evening, but was very relaxing nonetheless.
JD and Barbara shared many cool stories from their lives, their ministry, and in general just had really cool hearts. JD continued to drive home the point of God’s faithfulness in his life. He shared many times where God had provided for his family and truly wanted each of us to be encouraged in that truth.
Lastly, their home is gorgeous. It is a cottage tucked away in the mountains of South Africa and has a phenomenal view. Like the rest of their lives, they had a cool story of how God had provided the home and how they use it for His Kingdom. It is probably one of the most beautiful places I have been.
A Day at the Salon {Friday, April 3}
Throughout the week we have been splitting up our team to make intentional connections with the kids and teenagers here. Vanessa and I are focusing our attention on the high school girls. We have done everything from MASH to Dutch Blitz to “A Day at the Salon.” All of us girls compiled our nail polish, nail files, lotion, etc. so Vanessa and I could do manicures and pedicures with the girls. They loved it.
Late tonight we had a surprise visitor. One of the oldest boys in the big Agathos family came back from university for his spring vacation. Zamani is 21 years old and studying electrical engineering at a school in Durban. Everyone at Agathos was so surprised by his visit they made a train running in and out of the cottages screaming, clapping, cheering, all while singing “he’s home, he’s home, our brother’s home” in Zulu. It was pretty nuts. Anyway, I would say Zamani is an awesome example of the difference Agathos is making in this community.
Late tonight we had a surprise visitor. One of the oldest boys in the big Agathos family came back from university for his spring vacation. Zamani is 21 years old and studying electrical engineering at a school in Durban. Everyone at Agathos was so surprised by his visit they made a train running in and out of the cottages screaming, clapping, cheering, all while singing “he’s home, he’s home, our brother’s home” in Zulu. It was pretty nuts. Anyway, I would say Zamani is an awesome example of the difference Agathos is making in this community.
Pastor Welcome {Thursday, April 2}
Living on site at the Agathos Cottages is Pastor Welcome and his wife Zama. Welcome is the Zulu Pastor the American missionaries here partner with in their ministry. An important part of missions is maintaining culture. It is crucial that missionaries only bring Jesus to the people, and not their home culture. Welcome has a cool link into the lives here in Agathos because he understands the culture here better than any American missionaries ever will.
Anyway, Welcome is a really cool guy. In some ways he reminds me of Themba from Kosi Bay. He is really down-to-earth and funny. He is from Durban, came to Agathos to help out for 3 weeks and then never left. He is a very relational guy and has a huge heart for investing in the people around him. Everywhere we go people know him. It is very evident he is a respected figure in the community. The other day a Chris Tomlin song was playing and I heard him singing along. “Do you know Chris Tomlin?” I asked. “Yeah, I met him” he replied. It made me laugh. There’s so many times where you’re just thinking… Okay, wait. Say what?? Haha. So Welcome is really fun to be around. I like riding in his car and listening to his stories. Oh, and this guy is a maniac driver. The other day I swear we were inches away from nailing a goat.
Anyway, Welcome is a really cool guy. In some ways he reminds me of Themba from Kosi Bay. He is really down-to-earth and funny. He is from Durban, came to Agathos to help out for 3 weeks and then never left. He is a very relational guy and has a huge heart for investing in the people around him. Everywhere we go people know him. It is very evident he is a respected figure in the community. The other day a Chris Tomlin song was playing and I heard him singing along. “Do you know Chris Tomlin?” I asked. “Yeah, I met him” he replied. It made me laugh. There’s so many times where you’re just thinking… Okay, wait. Say what?? Haha. So Welcome is really fun to be around. I like riding in his car and listening to his stories. Oh, and this guy is a maniac driver. The other day I swear we were inches away from nailing a goat.
The BIG 5-0 {Wednesday, April 1}
Not only is it April Fools Day, but it’s also our 50th day here in Africa. Cool stuff.
My Little Kosi {Tuesday, March 31}
Kosi (Co-see) is a three-year-old boy here at Agathos. He is Flo’s little boy and everyone loves to play with him. He’s got big cheeks and big brown eyes and is one of those extroverted children that already has such a personality to him. He likes to swing, ride in the wheelbarrow, and repeat everything you say. I tried to teach him “I’m really cute” which usually comes out “I’m coot!” The other day he threw a temper tantrum when he didn’t want to finish his second jelly sandwich (I don’t blame him). It was so cute I videotaped it. I know, terrible parenting prep, but I had to.
This afternoon we did a lot of manual labor help around the Agathos cottages. Last week the Wheaton College (Illinois) football team came over their spring break and built a new playground for the kids and a fence that goes around the entire Agathos property. They must have worked non-stop all week. Today our boys helped tear down the old barbed wire fence and posts while the girls cleaned all of the rocks out of the playground and filled in holes under the fence. I discovered how terribly out of shape I am. Later this week the boys will be painting the main entrance gate while the girls paint a bathroom and organize some storage rooms.
This week we are eating all of our meals (except breakfast) with the kids here. It gives me a greater understanding of day-in-day-out life here at Agathos. I feel bad for the kids because most of the older girls will tell me how much they dislike most of the food. Their diet is basically all carbs and beans. For example, tonight we had two full peeled potatoes, potato salad, sweet potatoes, fried chicken breast, spicy refried beans, and canned peaches. And you have to eat it all or else you are disrespectful. Have you seen those ESPN eating competitions on tv? I feel like I’m on it when I eat here. You have to eat pretty fast or you literally get stuck mid-meal because you realize how full you are. Dinner time is definitely my most-dreaded part of the day.
This afternoon we did a lot of manual labor help around the Agathos cottages. Last week the Wheaton College (Illinois) football team came over their spring break and built a new playground for the kids and a fence that goes around the entire Agathos property. They must have worked non-stop all week. Today our boys helped tear down the old barbed wire fence and posts while the girls cleaned all of the rocks out of the playground and filled in holes under the fence. I discovered how terribly out of shape I am. Later this week the boys will be painting the main entrance gate while the girls paint a bathroom and organize some storage rooms.
This week we are eating all of our meals (except breakfast) with the kids here. It gives me a greater understanding of day-in-day-out life here at Agathos. I feel bad for the kids because most of the older girls will tell me how much they dislike most of the food. Their diet is basically all carbs and beans. For example, tonight we had two full peeled potatoes, potato salad, sweet potatoes, fried chicken breast, spicy refried beans, and canned peaches. And you have to eat it all or else you are disrespectful. Have you seen those ESPN eating competitions on tv? I feel like I’m on it when I eat here. You have to eat pretty fast or you literally get stuck mid-meal because you realize how full you are. Dinner time is definitely my most-dreaded part of the day.
The Mamas of Agathos {Monday, March 30}
A thirty year old woman named Lungile (pronounced Loong-ee-lee) greeted us with enthusiasm as we pulled into the Agathos site on Monday afternoon. She is the youngest of 12, and came to Agathos in 2005 after losing all of her eleven brothers and sisters. About half of the 25 children here at the orphanage are her nieces and nephews. By the end of the week her favorite way to greet us was with a big “I looove loving you,” which is taken from the creepiest pop song in South Africa. Someday I will sing it for you.
Another thirty-some year old woman named Thanda (pronounced Taan-duh) also gives us a warm welcome. Although slightly shy and bashful, she usually thanked each of us with hugs at least twice every day for coming to Agathos... almost always followed with an “I love you,” “I love you so much,” or “I love your face.” One day when I was spending time with Thanda I asked her how she became a Christian. She told me about a time when she had applied for university and did not get accepted, and then contracted TB for the first time (she has had it twice) later that same year. She said it was in that time that someone told her about Jesus and she knew He could bring her hope and peace. Thanda also shared briefly a year in her life she “does not like to remember.” Early in 2000 she lost her father in a car accident, and a few months later lost her brother most likely to AIDS. This woman has experienced serious hardships in her life.
One day sitting in her room I learned that Thanda is engaged to be married on April 25th, very soon. It was very interesting talking with her about this as she is very nervous, or “it is making me crazy” as she put it. Her fiancé’s name is Sam and he is albino. It does not sound like she knows him all that well, which is typical for marriages in the Zulu culture. He lives far away and the last time she spoke with him was on her cell phone last week. She doesn’t know if she will talk to him before the wedding because her cell phone is now broken. Wow, I would flip out if that was me.
Thandi (Taan-dee) is another Mama here at Agathos and has two children of her own. The youngest, Kwanele (Kwa-nell-ee), is four years old with full-blown AIDS. He is regularly taking ARV’s, but his immune system is already so low. When we first arrived he had an itchy rash all over his body and was covered head to toe in Calamine lotion. Unfortunately the rash is the least of his problems, as he also has an advanced TB infection. Not only does he have terrible coughs, but you can hear the rasp of his breathing from several feet away. He does not play with the other children, but instead wants to be held all day. He will randomly burst into tears and throw his arms up at you to be picked up and cradled. It makes me want to cry every time. Next year they hope he will be able to attend Kindergarten, but I highly doubt that will happen. From what we can piece together, he was born with HIV from his mother, Thandi, who is also infected (although she does not show sign of infection). Situations like these are very difficult for me to process.
The last Mama of the group is the head cook responsible for preparing all of the meals, the mother of one of my favorite little boys, and has the best name ever…. She is Mama Flo. I’ll probably mention her cooking at some point this week.
These women are the Mamas here at Agathos. They are assigned to look after specific children as they come to the orphanage and given adjoining rooms to their kids. They work extremely hard and will each tell you their job is exhausting. I have a ton of respect for these women.
Another thirty-some year old woman named Thanda (pronounced Taan-duh) also gives us a warm welcome. Although slightly shy and bashful, she usually thanked each of us with hugs at least twice every day for coming to Agathos... almost always followed with an “I love you,” “I love you so much,” or “I love your face.” One day when I was spending time with Thanda I asked her how she became a Christian. She told me about a time when she had applied for university and did not get accepted, and then contracted TB for the first time (she has had it twice) later that same year. She said it was in that time that someone told her about Jesus and she knew He could bring her hope and peace. Thanda also shared briefly a year in her life she “does not like to remember.” Early in 2000 she lost her father in a car accident, and a few months later lost her brother most likely to AIDS. This woman has experienced serious hardships in her life.
One day sitting in her room I learned that Thanda is engaged to be married on April 25th, very soon. It was very interesting talking with her about this as she is very nervous, or “it is making me crazy” as she put it. Her fiancé’s name is Sam and he is albino. It does not sound like she knows him all that well, which is typical for marriages in the Zulu culture. He lives far away and the last time she spoke with him was on her cell phone last week. She doesn’t know if she will talk to him before the wedding because her cell phone is now broken. Wow, I would flip out if that was me.
Thandi (Taan-dee) is another Mama here at Agathos and has two children of her own. The youngest, Kwanele (Kwa-nell-ee), is four years old with full-blown AIDS. He is regularly taking ARV’s, but his immune system is already so low. When we first arrived he had an itchy rash all over his body and was covered head to toe in Calamine lotion. Unfortunately the rash is the least of his problems, as he also has an advanced TB infection. Not only does he have terrible coughs, but you can hear the rasp of his breathing from several feet away. He does not play with the other children, but instead wants to be held all day. He will randomly burst into tears and throw his arms up at you to be picked up and cradled. It makes me want to cry every time. Next year they hope he will be able to attend Kindergarten, but I highly doubt that will happen. From what we can piece together, he was born with HIV from his mother, Thandi, who is also infected (although she does not show sign of infection). Situations like these are very difficult for me to process.
The last Mama of the group is the head cook responsible for preparing all of the meals, the mother of one of my favorite little boys, and has the best name ever…. She is Mama Flo. I’ll probably mention her cooking at some point this week.
These women are the Mamas here at Agathos. They are assigned to look after specific children as they come to the orphanage and given adjoining rooms to their kids. They work extremely hard and will each tell you their job is exhausting. I have a ton of respect for these women.
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