July 5, 2013

July 5,2013

Today has been another event filled day.  I am trying to memorize the names of about 20 new people, went on my first taxi ride, worked for a few hours at Mukhanyo Theological College, visited the Nakakela Care Centre and learned how to say Kwalmanga. 

But before I get into this, I will finish my day off yesterday.  Whenever the Lukens receive volunteers at their farm, they treat them to what they call a ‘Mandela meal’  So last night, I was invited to my Mandela meal.  This meal consisted of salad with veggies from their garden, a soup with veggies from their garden and for dessert , a custard cake with strawberries on top  . . . that were from their garden.  Even though it is winter time here, they still grow food in their garden.  After the meal, I visited with the Lukens.  They discussed HIV/Aids and the huge impact it has an everything here.  There is a huge stigma attached to having Aids and many people do not want treatment because of it.  Also, this results in people not talking about it and being educated about the causes, symptoms, treatments, etc.  Many of the Africans believe that the reason they are sick is because they are being punished by their ancestors.  They will not acknowledge that they have Aids and this makes the job of those trying to help the individuals with Aids much harder.  By 8:30, I was barely able to focus on the conversation and so I went to bed.

This morning I woke up on time because it would be first full day in Africa and I would be going to Mukhanyo Theological College and learning what I would be doing.  When I arrived there, I was introduced to many different people: Charity, Leti, Joel, Simon, Peter,  and four or five others.  I was then given two module books.  My job is to proofread them and check for any errors. The ironic thing about this is that when I first started teaching, I avoided teaching English like the plague.  However, lately I have been teaching that more and more and now I am proof-reading modules for the correctness of the use of English!!

Halfway through the morning, I went with one of the office workers, Leti to visit Nakakela Care Centre.   This was my first experience with taking taxis.  These taxis are mini-vans that can hold about 12 people.  When you want a ride, you stand by the side of the road and wave your finger.  The taxi/bus will pull over and pick you up.  There typically is people in there already.  As you enter the taxi, you state where you want to go.  The driver knows where that is.  As well, sometime throughout the ride, you need to pay the driver.  I have not figured out how the rate works, but to go to the Clinic it cost 14 Rand (about $1).  On the way, I was taught my first official lesson on African culture.  Whenever you meet someone, you are to say _________.  This is basically ‘hello’.  If you don’t say this, you are considered rude and you will be refused any help you may need later on.  My only problem is I keep forgetting it and even to use it now, I had to look it up. 

The Nakakela Care Clinic is a Christian hospital for adults who have Aids.  Many of them have been deserted by their families, so have that burden to bear as well.   The director of the orphanage took me on a tour.  It’s a very nice place and you can feel the love that the workers have for their patients.  Once I was done the tour, I was able to listen to a Bible study that was done by Leti.  She talked in English and then one of the workers translated it into Zulu for the patients.  In that way, I would be able to understand it.  Her discussion was on Psalm 57???____ and she discussed how our refuge is to be Jesus Christ and how we need to trust Him and go to Him in all our trials.  After her topic, she did some counseling with new patients. 

There is so much more to say about what traffic is like, what businesses are like, the different people that I meet, but this is getting fairly long, so maybe on another day when I have nothing interesting to write.