What Can I Do?

from Katherine
I was driving home from my school day Tuesday in a blinding rain. Water was running across the road in sheets.  As I crossed the river and started up the hill I spotted the car in the middle of the road, debris and glass covering the pavement.

The accident must have just happened but I was surprised that no one had stopped. I pulled off the road and grabbed my phone and ran toward the car when I saw the young man on the edge of the pavement. Having been thrown from his vehicle, he was in a terrible state. I kneeled at his side, touched his shoulder and told him that I would stay with him until help came. I prayed simply, “God Help”. My calls to the emergency number on my cell just rang busy or did not even connect. I wondered if the storm had knocked out power to the cell tower nearby. 

“I am here with you. Can you feel God’s presence with us? I can. I know he is here with us. I am here, God is here. We will stay with you.”

It seemed like that was all I could do. I don’t have medical training. I am not a trained first responder. I couldn’t even get my cell phone to work. What could I do? Could I make a difference?

Others began stopping. Amazingly a young doctor just passing through stopped and immediately began rendering aid. Somehow some of the phone calls got through because police and ambulances starting arriving.

I stepped back to let those trained do what they do best but I continued to pray.  He was taken to a nearby hospital but the young man died later that day. I found out later that he was recently married and had a mom and dad and sister. It turns out that I knew many friends of his which helped me feel just a bit closer.

I learned something that day. Even when you don’t feel that there is anything you can do in a desperate situation, you can offer the blessing of presence and the comfort of prayer to someone in need.

Matthew 5:4      Blessed are those that mourn, for they will be comforted

Cultural Metaphors and Spiritual Experience

from Elliott
Having lived in the Northern Hemisphere, Lent always began toward the end of winter and culminated typically in the Spring. Subconsciously, I have always linked the concept of resurrection with life beginning anew and the transition from Winter to Spring is evidence of exactly that.

Many symbols have found their way into our practices surrounding Easter – certain flowers, bare limbs giving way to new leaf growth, new offspring in the animal kingdom or a new brightly colored dress. The natural world, as Winter turns to Spring, is witness in a metaphorical sense to what we understand spiritually.

In the Southern Hemisphere, Lent arrives in summer and culminates in Fall. It has made me wonder what cultural symbolism from the natural world or otherwise supports the spiritual truths around the Lenten experience here? Since we are in a tropical area there is not even a significant change in weather or flora and fauna during this time period. 

I have not found any cultural symbols so far but I am not as concerned as I once was about that. It may very well be that it may allow for, or even require, that we assure that we do not substitute cultural symbols for spiritual truth or at the very least allow them to become a greater focus.

South Africa Even Has Penguins!

from Elliott

While in Capetown recently we visited Simonstown where there is a colony of penguins. In the park we saw this sign. At first thought, I wondered who would ever think to shake hands with a penguin.

What if he stuck his hand out first, would we be seen as disrespectful if we did not shake hands. But then, I remembered that penguins don’t have hands. Hmm. 

These penguins make an unusual sound – like a braying sound that a donkey would make. For many years they were referred to as ‘Jackass’ penguins because of that sound. Evidently though, someone thought that was offensive, to the penguin I guess, because they are now referred to as South African Penguins. In fact, the brochure says “formerly known as Jackass Penguins”. Sounds like a PR firm got a hold of that!

 

Voices

from Katherine 
No, I am not hearing them. Rather, it is the sound of my voice that alerts people that I am not a South African.

I stopped at the market the other day to get some milk. I went to the till to pay for it and greeted the cashier and the bag person as I always do. (It embarrasses Cason that I talk to people where ever I go.)
 
As soon as the words were out of my mouth the bag boy asked, “Do you know, Mr. Elliott?” I confessed that I did know him quite well; in fact he is my husband. Lindile was very excited and asked me to tell ‘Mr. Elliott’ that he now had a job at the Super Spar, our grocery store. I asked Lindile if he had taken Elliott’s computer class and indeed he had. Then I asked why he thought I knew Elliott. Lindile said, “It is your voice; you sound just alike.”

A Creation Moment

from Katherine 
We wrote a curriculum for kids based on the creation story. It has been great fun and we have all learned a lot. Something I have noticed about myself is that I am more aware of God’s creation all around me now that I have been sharing the message of the Creation Story with the children in the Eastern Cape for the last year. 

The other day I was walking up the stairs outside of our home and a centipede was crawling along the

step. He was fire engine red!  A year ago I might have noticed him but not given him much attention. Not any more - I watched him, took his picture and made a mental note about how long his was so when I show the kids his picture I will be able to tell them all about the centipede.

Today, our tiny church was crowded so I sat in the very back next to the door. We sang How Great Thou Art and a bird landed on a tree branch right next to the door and sang his little heart out. (Now this is the part where I sound like a nutty little old lady.) I think that little bird was singing along with us; maybe not the exact words but he was clearly singing his praises to his creator while the people sang their praises. It was a cool creation moment. Wish I had had my camera!!

Touch

from Katherine

The children that I read to in our literacy program are in BIG classrooms- One hundred and twenty-seven in one classroom. Yes, that is 127 kids in one room. I like to bring nonfiction for kids like National Geographic in addition to Bible stories because not all the children are the typical 9 years old for Grade 3. Some of the kids are much older, so I try not to read “baby stories.”

Because there are so many in the room, I walk up and down each aisle so everyone can see the pictures. Some of the kids have what seems to be an uncontrollable need to touch the pictures. The teachers will tell them “put your hands in your lap” but some of them just can’t help themselves. I can see them trying to hold back and then this urge is overwhelming and  they reach out to touch the picture.

I guess if you don’t have books available to you the need or urge just takes hold of you and you reach out if only for a second.

"There is a White Man in the Church!"

from Elliott
I had ventured to Bizana to facilitate a Savings and Credit Group. We met in the church hall. We were setting up and I noticed that two young children came in, looked around caught sight of me and then heading back out the door. I did not think anything of it until a few minutes later the one of the Pastors came in and the same two children were with her. One of the children said to her while pointing at me, “See, there is a white man in the church.”

  

My Pastor friend came up to me to introduce her two children. She stopped for a minute and then told me that her daughter had come out side to say that there was a white man in the church but she could not imagine who her daughter was talking about. She then explained that she was expecting to see me and that because she knows me she does see me as just some white man! Instead she sees me as the person that God has sent to help their church empower their members.

As a cross cultural worker seeking to humbly walk in the shoes of others, I felt empowered by her encouraging comment!