March 7 2007.......As we waved goodbye to family, Ben 10, and myself were back off to Africa again, and this time to complete on a small project which would make a difference to Aids affected children in Soweto.
In taking Ben with me, I wanted him to grow up with an appreciation of himself as someone that even though he is a child, can still make a difference to others.
I was completing on a promise to support TK and Bob and SKY, Soweto Kliptown Youth, as well as completing a photography project.
In creating Ben's project, to have Aids affected children have an access to sport, he would feel that he could make a difference. An opportunity for both of us to complete our promises.
Ben had numerous conversations with people to support and assist in his ideas. At 10 he already is a leader, and through encourgement from family, and the loving support of his mother, father, sister Morgan, and brother Mason, as well as his great grand parents, he and I set off to Africa complete with 70 kgs of extra baggage and 36 soccer balls, to complete on our promise.
We spent a few days in Johannesburg and Ben really got to know African city life in a new way. Barb wire, razor wire, high fences and armed patrols to protect and keep you safe, or so it is believed.
Our first stop at Melville was with Jacques and Lisa and their son Peter at A Room with A View. Settling in he enjoyed boisterous boy fun,listening to a new Afrikaans accent, swimming, playing soccer and cricket and learning about new school times. Peter's school commenced the day at 7.30am and finished at 1.30pm and on some days 2.15pm, completing different from Ben's 9 to3.30pm regime. He also had plenty of time walking around taking movies of the complex, meeting the amazing staff, filming the turtles in the yard and the large snails kept as pets, complete with documentary commentary reminiscent of Steve Irwin....."Crikey" they called him.
It was then time to venture away from Johannesburg, and we then went travelling out to Pretoria, and was amazed and angered at the deplorable conditions mine workers are still made to endure in shanties, without light, power or water, and while close to the mine site, some 500meters away, their white bosses living in opulence. It made me sick as a human being. In fact, a few days before we arrived there had been strikes and marches protesting at the hyprocrisy.
We then went onto Pilenisburg, and on Safari with Eric, and saw the most amazing giraffe, baboons, hyena, jackal, cheetah, hippo, to name just a few. We tracked a herd of 10-15 elephants through the scrub, Ben complete with roving documentary on our movie camera..all the while aware we were in their territory and could be in danger.
It was amazing, the sun rises and sun sets, were so beautiful, the peacefullness, and the beauty of this amazing environment, the African landscape.
We then came back to Johannesburg, and of to Soweto where we stayed for 3 days, and completed a couple of day trips.
Soweto Kliptown Youth and Brother Bob provide meals, support and some educational support for children in Soweto and Kliptown and have done so for the past 20 years, all through donation.
Bob is no ordinary human being. He is someone who as an orphan himself decided that others would not have to go through what he had to go through and created SKY. He felt that if they believed in God, and were encouraged to love themselves, then they would be able to have a different life from that of their parents.
Everyone has a place, and we just have to encourage others...... to let their little light shine.....
Ben, TK and Bob came and collected us and we stayed in the Soweto township, in a little B & B created by Leabo. Inside like a mini Jamaica...the boys playing Bob Marley, and the hammock strung between the trees, and the plethora of musical instruments. Music, rhythm and soul connections are so much party of the this communities beingness.
Day One: It was up at 5.30am and off to feed the children as they started school at 7.00am. Three hundred and fifty meals we served, Ben without a wimper, just amazing, and then he was off to school taking the children to school with Bob, TK and MK. Schools encased in Barb wire and patrolled, so different from ours here.
Day two: I spent working at the centre, auditing books and having meetings, whilst Ben spent the time with TK, his adopted brother being with the kids and creating a soccer game, where we would present the balls etc on Day three.
However much to our surprise Bob had organised a performance completed with dancing and self expression. The gum boot dancing was fantastic, youn g nand small alike expressed themselves.
Much to our surprise Bob encouraged us both to make a speech to let the kids know why we were there. Ben in his amazing charismatic manner in front of 80 children, and around 20-30 adults engaged them with his wit, knowledge of Australia and explained why we were there. I was so proud.
Next it was off to play a game of soccer. Initially around 60 children, complete with their oversized new jumpers, and new soccer balls, tears rolling down our faces at the joy, and sense of accomplishment from this one small act. Now this allowed Aids affected children an access to sport.
It was an amazing moment, proud and humbling all at the same time. To see a soccer coach speechless, emotional, and totally amazed that we would travel all the way from Australia to create an opportunity for his kids....he was overwhelmed.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Africa - October 4 2006-The start
As I arrived in South Africa alighting from the plane, I was present to my oddity amongst the population of South Africans. Blonde, blue eyed and pale skin..hit me.
I was in Africa at the invitation of Kumarin whom I had met in Mykanos July 2006 a friend of Rotary friend Noel and his wife.
I immediately got a sense of the African life, or so I thought as we travelled from the airport and through the suburbs towards Kumarin's home, ......and immediately my senses were overloaded,and I found myself asking questions of why was I here?.......... How could it be that people were begging at each traffic light?, How could it be that razor wire, barbed wire, high fences, and armed police patrols walked the suburbs?, and Why did I have to buzz a buzzer, be viewed by the shop owner, and maybe then, I would be allowed to enter the shop?
Where was I?
I found myself overwhelmed and afraid to go out for the first 3 days, and laying in my bedroom and looking out through the large bars on my room, I was asking myself.."Is this the view I am going to have of Africa, and what am I going to do for the next 18 days? Is this going to be it?...I feel like the prisioner, not keeping offenders out, it is me who is stuck... "
I spent the first 4 days with Kumarin in Norwood, so afraid to enter the outside world, until one day I couldn't stand it any longer and off I went to the book shop. I rang the door bell and then this man appeared, viewed me, and then unlocked the door. Black and white, were all imprisioned in a free country..that's what I thought???? I brought a paper and I quickly walked back home, however every headline was about corruption, death, manipulation, and carnage......I was so sad.
I requested to be moved to a Bed and Breakfast....I just had to travel. There must be more to Africa than this......well it was the best move I made.
A Room with a View in Melville was a delight...the owners really looked after me and suddenly the next day I was off on Safari...wow...Lions, Hippos, Wild dogs, Zebra, Jaguar, Wart Hogs, Spring Boc, Gamboc,Cheetah, Buffalo, Ostrich, Guinea Fowl, Hyena, Rhino, Water Buffalo, species too numerous to mention.....all within six feet of us...my mouth open and my heart pounding....it was amazing stuff.
My black driver Eric from Jozi Tours and Safaris was amazing, and as we travelled he shared about his life in South Africa from Swetzanza. He lives and works in Johnanesburg and goes home to his community on weekends. His cultural heritage says that he can have 6 wives, however he has already had a child with his partner, and now she is tainted, her dowry is very low,1 or 2 cows, not like the six he would have to surrender for a clean virgin bride. The process for marriage was fascinating. He still ate traditional food whilst in Johannesburg...some sort of grubs which he breeds at home.....etc. He also had been at the end of being attacked, even though he was black, that didn't protect him from being robbed and accosted for his mobile telephone.
As I ventured further out into the community, supported by Eric as my trusty driver, I visited The Lesedi Cultural Village, African Market, the Scrap and Junk Exhibition in Roseland, the Rhino and Lion Park at Krugersdorp, my sense of how amazing Africa is surfaced. I was really getting to know the real Africa. It was magnificent.
I have always been amazed and empowered by Nelson Mandela and so I couldn't go to Africa and not meet him or see where the riots happened. So I found myself being taken by Donna fellow South African Rotary collegue to Constitional Hill. The home of the creation of the Bill of Rights and the South African Constitution. Wow.. On the old site of the old prision, the remains have been converted into a display and materials have been used in the new Constitutional Court which now stands along side the old prision.
Apartheid in South Africa ended in 1994.
However in 1964 Nelson Mandela went to prision to serve a life sentence on Robben Island of the coast near Cape Town. He had been cited inciting workers to strike and leaving the country without a passport. He had been known as the Black Pimpernel, and a hero to his people. For a quarter of a century he was incarcerated at Robben Island and then moved for the later part of his sentence to Johannesburg. Even though in prision he created waves, and his views became the views of others, leading to the over throw of the Apartheid sytem in 1994.
The old laws...the Pass Laws became Illegal in july 1986, and it meant that people could come from rural areas to the cities to look for work...
Sexual Abuse became known....In Soweto in February 1990 Women from various organsations came together and marched through Soweto to protest the sexual abuse of women and children and it is still happening today.....
My eyes, ears and mind became open to a completely different world than I had viewed in Australia, and over the next few days in Africa, I couldn't get enough of Soweto, learning and hearing about people's struggles to be treated with dignity and respect. I was really getting a sense of life in this amazing place.
So I took a tour out to Soweto....with Cedric de la Harpe..and it literally changed a part of my life. I was immediately struck by the community, the will of the people to have a different life, and the children smiling though playing in rubbish and filth.
Cedric took me to an amazing organisation established by Bob Namengo to support youth, and children in Soweto, SKY...Soweto Kliptown Youth. As I stood at the entrance to Soweto Kliptown Youth centre, a small complex on the side of a dusty road, amidst rotting garbage, and as I stood there taking a deep breath, I felt this little hand slip into mine...." don't look down, you know you can't take them all with you...don't love" I heard the little voice in my head say...... I was too scared to look, and so I walked to the entrance of the centre.
As I walked to the door way, a woman looked at me and said.."is there any thing I can do for you.?.". "Yes, I am here to help",.......I found the words tumbling out of my mouth.." Would you like me to help?...." She was silent, and then I noticed tears roll down her checks....."No body ever comes to help...?"
Over the next 6 hours I found myself dishing up meals to 350 Aids affected children. Oh my god..this issue is so big I kept thinking. The time just went and as I looked at the smiling faces so greatful for a small bowl of food which was their last meal of the day, I felt emotional and extremely humble in their presence. I could feel their love of me, a stranger.
Time just raced, and as it came time to go...I walked towards the door, knowing in my heart that I would be back. Cedric took another couple of photos, and suddenly I heard my name......wait we have something for you.....Faith handed me a white T Shirt, and suddenly I couldn't see anyone or anything, my eyesfilled with tears. I found myself crying like I have never cried in public before....Here was I, I had already got the most amazing gift of love, generosity, and humbleness, I had come to help others less fortunate than me, and here I was being given this amazing gift...a gift of love..priceless.
I knew I would be back, and already in my mind had set a date, March 2007.
I was in Africa at the invitation of Kumarin whom I had met in Mykanos July 2006 a friend of Rotary friend Noel and his wife.
I immediately got a sense of the African life, or so I thought as we travelled from the airport and through the suburbs towards Kumarin's home, ......and immediately my senses were overloaded,and I found myself asking questions of why was I here?.......... How could it be that people were begging at each traffic light?, How could it be that razor wire, barbed wire, high fences, and armed police patrols walked the suburbs?, and Why did I have to buzz a buzzer, be viewed by the shop owner, and maybe then, I would be allowed to enter the shop?
Where was I?
I found myself overwhelmed and afraid to go out for the first 3 days, and laying in my bedroom and looking out through the large bars on my room, I was asking myself.."Is this the view I am going to have of Africa, and what am I going to do for the next 18 days? Is this going to be it?...I feel like the prisioner, not keeping offenders out, it is me who is stuck... "
I spent the first 4 days with Kumarin in Norwood, so afraid to enter the outside world, until one day I couldn't stand it any longer and off I went to the book shop. I rang the door bell and then this man appeared, viewed me, and then unlocked the door. Black and white, were all imprisioned in a free country..that's what I thought???? I brought a paper and I quickly walked back home, however every headline was about corruption, death, manipulation, and carnage......I was so sad.
I requested to be moved to a Bed and Breakfast....I just had to travel. There must be more to Africa than this......well it was the best move I made.
A Room with a View in Melville was a delight...the owners really looked after me and suddenly the next day I was off on Safari...wow...Lions, Hippos, Wild dogs, Zebra, Jaguar, Wart Hogs, Spring Boc, Gamboc,Cheetah, Buffalo, Ostrich, Guinea Fowl, Hyena, Rhino, Water Buffalo, species too numerous to mention.....all within six feet of us...my mouth open and my heart pounding....it was amazing stuff.
My black driver Eric from Jozi Tours and Safaris was amazing, and as we travelled he shared about his life in South Africa from Swetzanza. He lives and works in Johnanesburg and goes home to his community on weekends. His cultural heritage says that he can have 6 wives, however he has already had a child with his partner, and now she is tainted, her dowry is very low,1 or 2 cows, not like the six he would have to surrender for a clean virgin bride. The process for marriage was fascinating. He still ate traditional food whilst in Johannesburg...some sort of grubs which he breeds at home.....etc. He also had been at the end of being attacked, even though he was black, that didn't protect him from being robbed and accosted for his mobile telephone.
As I ventured further out into the community, supported by Eric as my trusty driver, I visited The Lesedi Cultural Village, African Market, the Scrap and Junk Exhibition in Roseland, the Rhino and Lion Park at Krugersdorp, my sense of how amazing Africa is surfaced. I was really getting to know the real Africa. It was magnificent.
I have always been amazed and empowered by Nelson Mandela and so I couldn't go to Africa and not meet him or see where the riots happened. So I found myself being taken by Donna fellow South African Rotary collegue to Constitional Hill. The home of the creation of the Bill of Rights and the South African Constitution. Wow.. On the old site of the old prision, the remains have been converted into a display and materials have been used in the new Constitutional Court which now stands along side the old prision.
Apartheid in South Africa ended in 1994.
However in 1964 Nelson Mandela went to prision to serve a life sentence on Robben Island of the coast near Cape Town. He had been cited inciting workers to strike and leaving the country without a passport. He had been known as the Black Pimpernel, and a hero to his people. For a quarter of a century he was incarcerated at Robben Island and then moved for the later part of his sentence to Johannesburg. Even though in prision he created waves, and his views became the views of others, leading to the over throw of the Apartheid sytem in 1994.
The old laws...the Pass Laws became Illegal in july 1986, and it meant that people could come from rural areas to the cities to look for work...
Sexual Abuse became known....In Soweto in February 1990 Women from various organsations came together and marched through Soweto to protest the sexual abuse of women and children and it is still happening today.....
My eyes, ears and mind became open to a completely different world than I had viewed in Australia, and over the next few days in Africa, I couldn't get enough of Soweto, learning and hearing about people's struggles to be treated with dignity and respect. I was really getting a sense of life in this amazing place.
So I took a tour out to Soweto....with Cedric de la Harpe..and it literally changed a part of my life. I was immediately struck by the community, the will of the people to have a different life, and the children smiling though playing in rubbish and filth.
Cedric took me to an amazing organisation established by Bob Namengo to support youth, and children in Soweto, SKY...Soweto Kliptown Youth. As I stood at the entrance to Soweto Kliptown Youth centre, a small complex on the side of a dusty road, amidst rotting garbage, and as I stood there taking a deep breath, I felt this little hand slip into mine...." don't look down, you know you can't take them all with you...don't love" I heard the little voice in my head say...... I was too scared to look, and so I walked to the entrance of the centre.
As I walked to the door way, a woman looked at me and said.."is there any thing I can do for you.?.". "Yes, I am here to help",.......I found the words tumbling out of my mouth.." Would you like me to help?...." She was silent, and then I noticed tears roll down her checks....."No body ever comes to help...?"
Over the next 6 hours I found myself dishing up meals to 350 Aids affected children. Oh my god..this issue is so big I kept thinking. The time just went and as I looked at the smiling faces so greatful for a small bowl of food which was their last meal of the day, I felt emotional and extremely humble in their presence. I could feel their love of me, a stranger.
Time just raced, and as it came time to go...I walked towards the door, knowing in my heart that I would be back. Cedric took another couple of photos, and suddenly I heard my name......wait we have something for you.....Faith handed me a white T Shirt, and suddenly I couldn't see anyone or anything, my eyesfilled with tears. I found myself crying like I have never cried in public before....Here was I, I had already got the most amazing gift of love, generosity, and humbleness, I had come to help others less fortunate than me, and here I was being given this amazing gift...a gift of love..priceless.
I knew I would be back, and already in my mind had set a date, March 2007.
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