Heritage Day

Just a short week into my start at Bula Moyako South Africa celebrated Heritage Day (September 24th). Coming into work was great fun and helped me learn more about the cultures people connected to Bula come from. Of course instead of my traditional American apparel, I decided to wear my Congolese dress, which was an appreciated surprise and made for a fun day. I also was invited to sit in on a counseling session to observe and the headscarf made it a bit hard when it falls into my eyes.



The commentary on Heritage really intrigued me though and was a good learning point in South Africa. It is also known as Braai Day (Braai very South African/ like our BBQ) and people throughout South Africa braai. However, in a place with such recent history of intense separation, in a country like the rest of the world grappling with modernization/ western influence and tradition, in an area with 11 official languages there are also many questions around Heritage Day. Most of thee thoughts come from a radio show that people were calling into on my way home from Bula before the official holiday on Friday. And I was impressed with how genuine the discussion unfolded. How do you celebrate everyone’s culture in South Africa and how do you find common unity of culture to also celebrate. The difficulties of the beautiful diversity of language were brought up. Some serious concerns were brought up and even parallels to the United States.

In the end I was still left with an extreme appreciation for the sincerity the holiday was taken with and the way the issues it brought up were discussed. And I think around the world how we uphold tradition is becoming more of a challenge. But it helps us remember life is more than work and how do we live a life filled with both tradition and the culture we choose.

It’s interesting to be an American writing this, but also important as I honor and respect other cultures to start understanding what mine really is.

Transitions: The Update

I have been a bit out of touch on true updates and some good stories. So I will try to do a quick update on how my service has changed in the last few months.

The students graduated from Espoir Training Centre at the very end of June, in the midst of World Cup chaos. I only mention this because the students were incredible soccer fans as well, so I think we were al over exhausted preparing for graduation and giving our all to being soccer fans. Graduation at De Deur Methodist Church was full of life and I was so proud of everyone that filled the church that day. The students were beautiful in outfits they had made after learning to sew.











The follow days students slowly left making the much awaited journey home after being away from home, children, spouses, and communities for many months. And as they went home, our community here got smaller and smaller. I had some things for the Centre to wrap up and I don’t think it was until after July was almost over that the other shoe dropped and the rest of the emotions about saying goodbye to dear friends hit. I ask that you continue to pray especially for all the students as they readjust home and practically decide how they will best serve their communities with their new skills. I am excited to be in touch with everyone when possible and just wish I could visit everyone.

As mentioned in the three previous blogs, after the centre ended and the work around it was finished up- we directly went into spending our time in the hospital for three weeks.

During this time it was decided that the three Mission Interns at SHADE could be of greater service in other projects under the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. We were asked to wrap everything about the centre up and with such a big project just finished other plans for SHADE had to be re-evaluated.

I think everyone made good decisions and it would have not been the correct timing to complete some of my other dreams for the rest of the time at SHADE. However, dreams are still there and my strong dedication to the work of good people at the satellite projects. My prayers stay with them, even if it is not in the works to visit and support in different ways. I think it was time to face that times of transition need to be made though and especially with organizations and the church.

So during July we finished up with SHADE and had a rather hectic for the storybooks move into the city. We thought it would be a transitions place as we were all assigned different places to work, but actually Rachel and I were both placed in the area so for now it seems to make the most sense not to move another time during out placements. And I love it. The night we moved Lucille was with us and inbetween all the hecticness of the change we were all talking out the day and I ended up falling asleep while we were talking on a mattress on the floor in a sense of peace I hadn’t had for a while. Anyway I actually love living right in Joburg and staring out the window at all the buildings and watching cars go by on the highway, and most importantly being able to walk places!!

My Dad and Jane came at the beginning of August for an awesome visit and holiday and lots of time to just be. More on that later.

Jen then moved to Cape Town to serve in Plumstead, with some great people and communities in need. I had the honor of going to see her two weekends ago and being back in Cape Town was lovely. Despite a robbery- but always good to have good people around you when you have to sort things out.

I started working on a project at the Mission Unit, that Rachel joined in after she returned from traveling. I really enjoyed it actually and it helped me understand the church here better and get to know some really interesting dedicated people.

Which leads me to where I am today. In September I was assigned to a mission project in Benoni about 40 km east of Johannesburg. I am now working at Bula Monyako (meaning Open the Door) the mission outreach of Benoni Central Church. Right now I am being trained in many things and learning all the projects of Bula. I actually feel really blessed to have the opportunity after a year in South Africa to be learning a totally different side of South Africa and many more things, by working with South Africans. Bula Monyako is a VCT clinic and does community outreach, working with children’s programs, gives out food parcels, and also has other counseling available. The first day with co-workers that mainly speak Zulu to each other was a bit rough. But they have accepted me into the fold quickly and we are learning a lot from each other and laughing everyday.

Thank you for your continued support and reading this. I hope that you can help keep all these communities in your thoughts. Many touch issues, but people that are working toward progress far beyond quick fixes or easy answers.

Blessings,
Hannah

A Sabbath from my Head

Today I took a Sabbath from my head

I did not over think one thing


As people hear me talk about what I am doing

They remind me the importance of a Sabbath

The importance God places on rest

But when you take a rest you still have thoughts

Or you feel guilty for not dealing with emotions

I make lists of things to sort out

And I think I’m really not so bad

Generally healthy


But today I took a rest from my head

I did not stress about the time or the things I would do

Some things I have left for other days


I took a break from the challenge of decision

Instead I knew what to make for every meal

I didn’t check the cupboards and fridge first

I did not consult one thing

I just had a feeling and my hands did the rest

And my head got to enjoy watching

the swirls bubbles make while doing the dishes

the way the water boils and steam rises

the way I was relearning to do everything peacefully


I took a walk and said hi to everyone I met

I noticed their eyes and their smiles

And I think they noticed mine

And we could all feel the breeze and the sun

We didn’t learn each others struggle

And we didn’t change the world

But we took a break from that

and rested in our own connections


I work on being present with the people around me

Sometimes I can be present without so many ideas running around


Today I was present for me

Today I was present to listen

I was present to feel

I was present to take joy in little things

I was present to know God in the world

And today I didn’t worry about what that meant

Today I left my head on holiday


And this poem and words on a screen changes flow and direction

I was thinking about changing it

But my thoughts told me they were still on a break

And I am doing just fine feeling my way through the day

so why?

Plus I’m on Sabbath anyway…