If you know anything about South Africa, you will know that it is one of, if not the most, westernized countries in Africa. Shopping malls, fast food restaurants, and personal cars abound. Teenagers have iPhones. It’s easy to forget that you are not in the United States; however, all you have to do is drive down the street for a few blocks and see poverty like none in the U.S.
The Xhosa-speaking townships demonstrate a distinct contrast to that of those who are raised in English and Afrikaans households. These neighborhoods are filled with rows of shacks that extend for miles. Stemming back to the times of apartheid, most have lived in the townships for generations in a state of hopelessness. Many of these people have the mentality that they will always be poor, so no effort is ever made to seek better living standards.
The shacks often have dirt floors. Sometimes carpet scraps cover them. Cardboard lines the walls and rooftops are made from scrap metal and wood. Some homes seem to have nicer furniture or decorative china, but these belongings have all been obtained by scavenging in the local dump. Many obtain electricity illegally and have no plumbing at all. The roofs may leak, and there is no insulation from the cold.
The government has promised every township resident in the country a house, but this is a daunting project. The construction is taking place at a painfully slow speed, so many stay in their makeshift homes until their new ones can be built. Criteria to obtain one of these homes include having an income of less than 1,500 Rand (less than $150!) and children. Neither of these is uncommon.
Nearly every day we spent in South Africa my team would hop in the back of a van and head to the largest township in Port Elizabeth. Our days were spent serving at the Human Dignity Center. The HDC offers a variety of ministries to meet the needs of the people in the township. A school exists to give a sound education to children from preschool through third grade. These kids are also fed two meals a day plus snacks. For some, these are the only meals they receive all week. Another ministry is a support group for HIV-positive women. These women come together for counseling and work in a community garden in order to receive food parcels for their families. Another group of women work to make handcrafts such as jewelry or clothing which is then sold to tourists who come through on township tours.
We participated in all of the ministries in some form or fashion while we were there. Our first week there was spent assisting in running a holiday club (vbs) for the kids while they were on winter break. The next week we helped organize the beads for the craft group and made home visits to several members of the community. These visits consisted of a staff member bringing us along to give elderly women their share from sales of their jewelry and checking up on sick people in the community.
Our last week at the HDC included sorting donated clothes. At the end of the week, we were able to pass out the clothes along with the monthly food parcels. For many, these packages are all they are able to get to provide for their families. A unique aspect of the HDC, is that they require all of their beneficiaries to do some sort of work to receive food to encourage a work ethic and to discourage a dependency on free handouts.
My time in South Africa was seemingly divided between two worlds that of middle-class western culture and that of township culture. Though it was strange to see the stark difference between middle and lower class, it was encouraging to see and learn how one can live in community with both.
If you are interested in more of what the Human Dignity Centre is doing in Port Elizabeth, check out their website at http://www.jmin.org.za/.
