I created this video yesterday, December 8th, as a remembrance to Nelson Mandela on the day designated as a national day of prayer and meditation in South Africa. Tomorrow there will be a memorial service being held at the 2010 World Cup FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. Many world leaders, including President Barack Obama, will be in attendance. Then, on December 15, a funeral and burial service will take place on the grounds of Madiba's home in Qunu. Your continued prayers during this time will be greatly appreciated.
Missio Dei: Where Worlds Collide
Entering into cross-cultural relationships to promote social justice
Monday, December 9, 2013
Remembering Madiba
I created this video yesterday, December 8th, as a remembrance to Nelson Mandela on the day designated as a national day of prayer and meditation in South Africa. Tomorrow there will be a memorial service being held at the 2010 World Cup FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. Many world leaders, including President Barack Obama, will be in attendance. Then, on December 15, a funeral and burial service will take place on the grounds of Madiba's home in Qunu. Your continued prayers during this time will be greatly appreciated.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Entitled to What?
For the past couple of months, my church family back home
has been doing weekly book studies on 7:
An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess. I found the topic and concept very
interesting, so I downloaded the book to my kindle and read along. Basically
the book is about the author, Jen Hatmaker, and her family as they try and
reduce the “things” in their life that seem to take life away. The reductions
were in the areas of food, clothes, possessions, media, waste, spending, and
stress. They did this experiment for 7 months and Jen discusses some of the
realizations that came out of it for her and the people around her. I was
impacted by several of the ideas presented throughout this book, but most
especially by the chapter on spending. It managed to put words to and describe
many things that I have been experiencing here in South Africa.
In this chapter, Jen only shopped at 7 different locations.
This month led to her and her family denying themselves of some of their
“wants”, like going out to eat with friends and Oreos. ;) She discussed how
rare it is for middle to upper class Americans to ever deny themselves or their
children of something that they want. A report from the United Nations states,
“Inequalities in consumption are stark. Globally, the 20 percent of the world’s
people in the highest-income countries account for 86 percent of total private
consumption expenditures- the poorest 20 percent a miniscule 1.3 percent.” She also
brought forward the thought that “just because I can have it doesn’t mean I
should.” Hmm… What an interesting idea.
According to the American Psychological Association:
- Increasing evidence supports the link between lower SES (socio-economic status) and negative psychological health outcomes, while more positive psychological outcomes such as optimism, self-esteem, and perceived control have been linked to higher levels of SES for youth.
- Research continues to link lower SES to a variety of negative health outcomes at birth and throughout the life span.
- While national high school dropout rates have steadily declined, dropout rates for children living in poverty have steadily increased. Between 60 and 70% of students in low-income school districts fail to graduate from high school.
Statistically speaking, someone born into poverty is less
likely to earn a degree or get a high paying job later in life. What did that
person do to earn his/her family’s economical situation? Nothing. They were
born into poverty. How was I able to earn a college degree? Yes, I worked hard
in school to get where I am, but my starting point was also much higher than
that of others. I was read to as a young child, attended pre-school classes, was
enrolled in advanced public schools, grew up with loving parents, a supportive
and encouraging community, and my family helped to pay my university fees. I
never went to bed at night with an empty stomach, wondering where my next meal
would come from. My learning was never inhibited by a lack of school supplies
or textbooks. Do I really deserve everything that I have? No. Definitely not. I
entered life with a large advantage.
2 weeks ago, I was working in inner-city Joburg at an
apartment building, where a petrol bomb had been activated the week before. 10
people died in the explosion. No one in the building had been paying rent for
the past few months because it had been “hijacked”. I didn’t know buildings
could be hijacked, but apparently they can be. People were going around and
collecting rent money as landlords, except they didn’t actually own the
building. Technically, no one actually owned the building anymore and it was
government property. After the explosion, there was no water or electricity in
the building. All the garbage was being dumped behind the building (as I think
it had been for some time) and people were dumping their toilet contents out
the windows. The staircase had windows in it that had been broken out. It was a
straight drop to the ground and there were children wandering around, seemingly
unsupervised. I was in a meeting with mothers from the building and talking
about what was needed in order to continue the previously operating daycare in
the building. During this conversation one mother said, “Water is life.” They
all want what is best for their children. They want their children to be happy
and healthy and to prosper. However, they are struggling to meet the basic
needs of their children and families. They are also still traumatized from the
event and worried about safety. While struggling to maintain everything that is
necessary to sustain life, some things like playing with your child to promote
early childhood development might fall into the realms of trivial.
Fast forward approximately 8 hours. I went with a friend to
meet other friends in Sandton, a suburb of Johannesburg. It is known as
“Africa’s richest square mile”. There were fancy restaurants, hotels and night
life. What a contrast. It was showy and posh and excessive. Would I have had
those thoughts if I hadn’t been where I was that day or would I have seen it as
normal? Maybe up market, but normal? Probably. The discrepancies in South
Africa between the “haves” and “have-nots” is extreme. You will see massive
homes next to shanty towns. If a child is born in one of those massive homes
and one is born in the shanty town, will they have the same opportunities to
prosper? Will they receive the same level of schooling? Will they receive the
same job opportunities? Doubtful. (Just to make sure I’m being understood, I’m
not saying that life is worse in the shanty town. Sometimes the happiness of
people living in poverty is astronomically higher than that of people from
wealthy backgrounds. I am specifically talking about justice within the standards
of living.)
The gap between the “haves” and “have-nots” is ever widening
all over the world. It is one thing to say that life is not fair. That’s a very
commonly used phrase, but what is our responsibility as God’s children to make
life fairer for everyone? How can I make an impact? Jen Hatmaker has offered 3
suggestions.
1)
Non-consumption. Only buy things that you need, not because
everyone else has it.
2)
Redirect the saved money. We could live on less
of our income and share with those who have received fewer opportunities than
us. One way is through global micro lending.
3)
Become wiser consumers. Don’t support corrupt
chains that employ slave labor.
These are big ideas that I am still wrestling with. “Just
because I can have it doesn’t mean I should.” What do I feel entitled to, that
I shouldn’t really have? How many people are entitled to things that they never
even dream of acquiring? How can we be a part of the change? I invite you all
to search with me.
Prayer Request:
Rebekah (the mission intern serving alongside me in South
Africa) has decided to go back home. She is thankful for her experiences here
and the many ways that God has been working around her in this community and
through her. It is also time for the next part of her journey. I would like to
ask for all of your prayers as we both enter into a time of transition and
change with our communities here and back home.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
It's Complicated
Last week, I was blessed with the opportunity to meet with
the mission team from FUMC Richardson. A group of 4 teachers from FUMCR came to
South Africa and worked with a rural school, located in the province where I
live. They spent a week teaching the children and working with the other
teachers. Isn’t it great when churches partner with others? The church didn’t
only send money, the church also sent people multiple times to walk alongside
the teachers and develop relationships. I met with the team when they returned
to Pretoria, the nation’s capital, and shared stories over a nice meal. I
really loved spending some time with people from home. It was nice to hear some
Texas accents again! ;)
After dinner, I drove on to Bedfordview (a suburb of
Johannesburg), where I stayed for the next week. The mission unit at the
Methodist Church had arranged meetings for me with different organizations that
work with refugee children. The majority of my time was spent at the Central
Methodist Church in central Johannesburg. There is a lot of controversy
surrounding the CMC and it remains to be a very complex situation.
The church continued on its mission of serving the poor and
the marginalized by opening its doors when Zimbabweans started to flee from
political persecution and settle in South Africa. By 2008, Zimbabweans were
fleeing in mass numbers across the Limpopo River, the border between South
Africa and Zimbabwe, and facing treacherous conditions. With Open Hearts, Open
Minds, and (literally) Open Doors, the church began to house 1,500-2,000
Zimbabwean refugees every night. (I saw a report state that it got up to 4,000.)
The church was never set up to be a shelter, so the living conditions became
dire. People would be sleeping on every piece of floor, the pews, the stairs,
and even reaching outside of the building. Health concerns developed along with
safety and sanitation concerns. With that many people packed in so closely,
there were also reports of violence and theft with talks of rape. 2008 also
marked the beginning of violent xenophobic attacks in South Africa. Foreigners
went to the church as a place of refuge, fearing for their lives. Other
non-profit and government-operated shelters existed, however they were also at
capacity. There were no alternative locations for people to go, other than the
streets. In 2009, the South African government sued the church, in order to
remove unaccompanied minors from its premises and put them into shelters. The
children, with no family present, had become a family of their own, including
adults from the CMC, and they didn’t want to be separated. The church moved
many of the children to the Soweto Community Centre. There, they had a building
of their own, with designated care takers. The church also opened Albert Street
School to especially reach children who did not have the necessary documents to
enroll in South African public schools. Brag time. In 2012, the school had a
97% pass rate on their Cambridge International exams! Those kids are amazing! I
met with a very proud principal.
Today, the church houses about 700-800 people every night. There
are classes being held to teach people marketable job skills, such as computer
skills, sewing, embroidery, etc. An advocacy group, called Peace Action, works
out of the church and addresses human rights violations (frequently concerning
housing issues). The CMC building itself is very worn and only has one working
toilet. As I walked through the hallways and stairs, there was an ever present
smell of urine; yet I passed an older gentleman who was donating his time to
mop the floors. While in the sick room, a cockroach landed on my coworker during
a conversation with a woman who was happily caring for all of the people in the
building who were feeling ill. I asked a young man if he felt safe at the CMC
and he stated that he did, however he wouldn’t leave his backpack sitting
around. Another person said that the CMC is still safer than sleeping on the
streets. I left Johannesburg with an incredible sense of “It’s Complicated”.
May the love of God shine brightly onto all those who sometimes feel forgotten
and overlooked.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Easter Reflections
This year, I am finding a new
meaning in Easter. Growing up, I had been taught stories in the form of
substitutionary atonement. Jesus died, so that we may be forgiven. I would
listen to the crucifixion story with guilt and shame over my sinful nature and
rejoice that I believed in a God wonderful enough to sacrifice the Son of God,
so that I may enter into eternal life. There were no personal connections for
me, besides sadness for what Christ had to endure in his last days and
thankfulness for a mighty God. I don’t think the story ever truly connected for
me because it didn’t make sense that a loving God would need blood to extend
forgiveness. That disconnection also didn’t seem like something you could
really question as a professing Christian. It seemed like a major bullet point
on the list of things you needed to believe, in order to fall within the
Christian faith.
This past year, I was first
introduced to the idea that maybe God didn’t actually need spilt blood to
appease the wrathful nature of God. This new (for me) idea proclaimed that
Jesus was the full manifestation of God’s love for us. Jesus lived his life in
love and taught us all how to live in love for one another. The people of the
world chose to deny that love and new way of living, which culminated with the
crucifixion. The cross is a symbol that we use to remember how far Jesus went
to show God’s love to the world. Fortunately that’s not the end of the story.
God triumphs and raises Jesus from the dead. God’s perfect love can overpower
anything evil or broken amongst us.
This new way of thinking has
allowed me to connect with the Easter story on a more personal level. Instead
of just becoming a time for remembering the death of Christ and power of God,
it also becomes a call to live as Christ lived. Christ devoted his entire life
to proclaiming God’s love. Isn’t that what we are all charged with? This is
something that I have really been trying to do with my life: to act fully
within Missio Dei, God’s Mission. I
fall short all the time, but it remains the forefront goal in my life. That is
really a scary goal to have and it is what led me to serving in South Africa.
This year, I am connecting with the
Easter story where I am: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I have realized
that many people, myself included, have been hurt by a broken world, just as
Christ was also hurt by the world. While trying to serve God and proclaim love,
I have seen unjust systems, discrimination, and exploitation at play. This
Easter, I’m hearing the good news with a different mindset. Just as God raised
Jesus from the dead, God can raise up and heal each of our wounded spirits.
With God, there is true healing for all who search. Usually at Easter time, I focus on what part
of me needs to die with Christ, so that I may be made new. This year, because
of where I am, I need to focus on a different aspect of the story. I need to
know that the world is broken and people from the world make bad decisions, but
just as God did for Jesus, God will be with us and love will triumph in the
end. I pray that the grace and presence of God surrounds us all this Easter season.
May we rejoice in knowing that Christ is risen! Shalom.
Monday, March 18, 2013
The Sacredness of Every Moment
Rebekah and I have been attending a
cell group, or small group, with people from our community. With that group, we
are studying and discussing the book, “Learning to Belong: Be at Home in God’s
World.” One quote really stuck out to me a couple weeks ago and helped me to
change some of my thought patterns. It says, “The call to be at home in God’s
presence is not just about facing the great crises of our world. It is just as
much about learning to discover the sacredness of every moment and every place.
When our lives are flooded with a sense of God, wherever we are becomes holy
ground, pregnant with the potential for a true encounter with God’s spirit.” Since
I’ve been here, I’ve found myself getting frustrated when I don’t feel like I’m
doing enough. I came here with this great sense of call to do something and on
slower days I can become discouraged that I’m somehow falling short of the proverbial
measuring stick. What this quote reminded me of was that God can use me in any
situation, regardless of what’s happening around me. It doesn’t matter, if I’m
at a conference and partaking in a breakthrough moment or whether I’m having
tea time with a friend. God can use me to cultivate love. God’s spirit can
surround me and guide me throughout my day. I am learning to be content where I
am. I fail… a lot, but I’m learning. I want to be present where I am, to push
for change towards a world closer to the one that God envisions for us all, but
to not miss out on the life-giving moments happening around me.
Like when I got to ride in my friend's bother's microlight, which was awesome!
I participated in a conference for religious leaders. The discussions
surrounded how religious leaders could become mediators in their communities to
alleviate cultural tensions.
I watched my baba boeti (baby brother) play field hockey. He’s
in yellow. Go Merensky! :)
I was
invited to attend worship at one of the circuit churches.
I was also incredibly spoiled and taken to Kruger National
Park, where I saw a rhino.
These were all moments of true joy along my journey. So, while I’m here, my job will be to do research for the Methodist Church of Southern Africa concerning children in transition or “children on the move.”
“Children on the move is an umbrella definition for persons under the age of 18 who have left their place of habitual residence and are either on the way towards a new destination, or have already reached such destination. Children on the Move may be:
- across State borders or within
countries;
- movement can be of a seasonal or more
permanent nature;
- movement can be voluntary or forced;
- they can be accompanied by parents,
peers or others, or not;
- and children who are, for instance: internally displaced persons, asylum seekers and refugees, migrants, trafficked persons or child soldiers.”
-Global Movement for
Children
I have been tasked to survey the issue in my area (and up
towards Zimbabwe and Mozambique), by networking with local non-profits, talking
with community members, and researching already prepared materials. Then, I will
be determining how Methodist Churches in South Africa can be more present with
children on the move. This is a big issue and a lot of work. There will be many
ups and downs along the ways. However, I can begin to “discover the sacredness
of every moment and every place” and let God guide me through this. So, when I’m
working full force or when I can’t see where to turn next (and abscond from
work to have lunch with a friend), God is present and that moment is sacred.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Arrival in South Africa!
I have officially been in South Africa for one week! The flight over was very long, but I was blessed with a wonderful woman sitting next to me. We had to go through separate gates at customs, but Elisa met up with Rebekah and me on the other side to make sure we had someone waiting on us. What a godsend!
John is the VIM coordinator for the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA), so he met us at the airport and drove us to the B+B we were staying at. The first night was a little rough, due to jet lag. Then, at 4:30am a bird started making this horrific noise. Rebekah said it sounded like someone was trying to steal a baby. So, of course, we refer to them as the baby-snatcher birds, although we later discovered that they’re called hawdeedaws. In the morning, John took us to the main office, introduced us to everyone, and took us on a tour of the offices. They are all very nice and it was great to finally meet everyone!
The next morning, Bronwen took us to a mall were we got SIM cards, power adapters and went to convert money. Note to self: only one person can walk through bank doors at once. Rebekah and I both walked through the door to see a red light on the next door. We turned around to see a red light on the door behind us. So there we stood. Trapped in a glass box. A woman finally let us out. I wonder how many international people get trapped in the South African Bank box of shame? :) Once we had everything, we started out our journey with John driving a car and KK (the director of the mission unit) driving our car.
Once in Tzaneen, we saw our new home and it’s wonderful. We each have our own room and then we share a living room, kitchen, and bathroom. There’s an avocado and mango tree right behind our cottage. There’s lots of green everywhere and there are a lot of hills. There are moments when it’s hard to believe that something so beautiful really exists.
Our supervisor in Tzaneen is Pierre, who is the circuit’s superintendent. We have been taken in by his family and made to feel very welcome. He showed us around town and his wife told us that the city’s roads were modeled after a bowl of spaghetti. Accurate statement. Now about our car. It’s a disaster zone. The car pumps hot air into it and it randomly honks due to some anti-theft device. Pierre took us on driving lessons and had to drive us out of town to find a flat road without people. That also means it was dirt with a bunch of potholes, yet with a breath-taking view! We both eventually got a hang of the clutch and started to drive back into town. We both managed to get stopped by traffic police (due to random car checks). It was terrifying, but we were ok and now we know for sure that our licenses are ok. This morning was our first time driving alone and we killed the clutch. Our car just died, but will hopefully be fixed soon.
Right now, we’re getting settled and getting a better, more concrete, idea of what we’ll be doing. I’ll share more specifics on that later. If you want to send me mail my address is:
Michelle Wood
P.O. Box 1550
Tzaneen
0850
South Africa
Peace!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Come Fly With Me!
It’s finally here! The day many of us have been waiting for. The day I fly to South Africa! I’m all packed and ready to go, yet with mixed emotions. I’m very excited about this opportunity and I’m also in mourning of change. A death to the familiar is currently transpiring and it hurts. Yet, the really cool thing about change is that it brings forth new life and growth, when guided by the Divine. Over the past few days the concept of Ubuntu has been sticking with me. Ubuntu is a Zulu word/concept meaning, “I am human because you human.” It’s a beautiful word describing how we are all in a community and shaping one another. I am who I am because of all the people who have influenced and impacted my life. Today I am extremely thankful for those people and I’m taking them with me in my spirit, mannerisms, in my utter essence of self. No distance breaks those deep roots of community and love. Today I rejoice for all I have been given and look out onto the next step of my journey.
I will arrive in South Africa at 6pm South African time on
the 9th, along with Rebekah, who will be embarking on this journey
with me. (South Africa is 8 hrs ahead of the Central time zone). I’ll spend the
night in Johannesburg and then ride in a car to Tzaneen, where I’ll be living.
Please be in prayer with me during this transition and I’ll give an update as
soon as I can! God bless!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)