This is going to be kind of a combination of a lot of posts, since I have not been able to write this past week! We are settling into our schedules of working and exploring. I can't believe how much there is to catch up on.
Last weekend, we got tickets to the Currie Cup Final, basically the Super Bowl of rugby games. Although football (soccer for Americans) is probably the most popular sport here, rugby is a pretty big deal. Now, I have a hard enough time trying to understand and follow American sports that I see all the time, but rugby was one of the most confusing yet exciting things I have ever watched. Fortunately, a few of the other WPI students are also rugby players, so they could explain what was going on. A quick synopsis of the game: it was between Western Province (Cape Town) and Johannesburg, which is a pretty big rivalry. Cape Town got a lot of points in the beginning, but Johannesburg made a huge comeback and it literally came down to a few points in the last 5 seconds of the game where if Jo'burg made a "field goal" (I forget the rugby word) they would win but if they missed WP would win. They missed. Everyone went crazy. My favorite part of the game though, by far, was listening to the whole stadium sing along to their national anthem. It felt like such a privilege to be a part of this game, this city, and this country, even just for a small amount of time. That was definitely one of the best outings we've had so far.
This past weekend, we got the chance to go to Boulder Beach, the Cape of Good Hope, and Table Mountain (all in 2 days!). I took more pictures than I know what to do with, and unfortunately the internet at the Lodge is too unstable for uploading but as soon as I can I will be sharing them with you all! These were some of the most beautiful places I have ever been to in my life. Boulder Beach in many ways looks like a tropical oasis, with white sands and azure water. However, what makes it famous is that it is home to hundreds, if not thousands, of penguins. Needless to say, they were adorable. Not far from Boulder Beach was the Cape of Good Hope, the southernmost point in Africa (and about as close as you can get to Antarctica). It was one of the most beautiful and scary places I have ever been! First of all, the wind was stronger than anything I have ever experienced. As we explored and hiked the trails along the ocean to Cape Point, the wind would literally push us sideways at times. But scarier than the wind were the wild baboons that wandered the area, as commonplace as squirrels at home. They have been known to be aggressive at times, stealing food from people's hands or even cameras (mistaking them for something edible). At one point, we had baboons on all sides of us on the narrow trail; we tried hard to keep still and let them go by us without provoking them to get mad, as several were mothers with babies clinging to them as they wandered the trail and bushes around us. It was one of the scariest things of my life!
Table Mountain was another incredible experience. Honestly, there are no words to describe how beautiful it is here. We encouraged each other as we spent 2 hours climbing the Platteklip Gorge to the summit, where you can see the whole city on one side, and on another just ocean all the way to the horizon. We were able to stay for the sunset as well, which was breathtaking. My description of these trips are pretty brief, but only because I know that no words I put together will accurately describe how beautiful it is here. The juxtaposition of the beauty with the poverty sometimes is jarring, but being here for less than 2 weeks I am truly in awe of how incredible God's creation can be.
We're also settling into our projects, going to our sites 4 days a week. It is exciting to see the projects develop after researching and planning for so long!
Sizakuyenza is the organization we are working under, which works in many different facets of the community. They are doing everything from HIV/TB testing and counseling, to drug rehabilitation, to job training, to youth and children's after-school programs, to domestic violence protection at the safe house where we work. I love this organization and the lovely people who work there. It is such a demonstration of hope, of light in a dark place. Our first day on the job, they took us to meet many workers in the different facets of the organization--one of the first ones was the HIV/TB testing tents they set up along the highway. Philippi, which is the city where we work, is like the business center to several informal settlements in the surrounding area. Seeing these tents set up, with a man holding a megaphone shouting that people could get free HIV tests at their makeshift clinics, was such an encouragement to me. No matter how insurmountable the problems that Cape Town settlements seem to be facing, Sizakuyenza will do what it can to help.
The name Sizakuyenza, in its original language, means "we will do it despite what you say." This truly is the essence of their work in so many areas. How many people say that work in communities like this is pointless? The statistics are too overwhelming, the conditions are too dangerous, the situation is too bleak. But the people at Sizakuyenza want to see one less person with HIV who goes untreated. They want to have one less little girl being trafficked. They want one less teenager without something productive to do to turn to violence or gangs. They want one less woman who is abused by her husband to feel like she is alone. And they will fight for it, despite anyone who says it isn't worth their time.
So far, we have been connecting with the staff and residents at the safe house and beginning work and planning on the many projects we are hoping to accomplish during our time here. At some points, the work we are doing seems menial--a lot of talking about ideas, yard work, and writing so far. But then there are moments where I look back and see that the work we are doing, however indirectly, is making a huge impact and I am simply humbled to be a part of it.
I hate to purposefully leave you in suspense, but I have to get some sleep before going to the site tomorrow! There is honestly so much that I have seen and done in the last couple weeks that I could write for hours, but I will have to save some for later :)
Til later,
Sam
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