With the majestic presence of the mountains on one side and the deep blue seas on the other, Capetown is a place of beauty. But hidden away, often neglected and definitely avoided stand the remnants of apartheid – informal settlements and townships known for their squalor. One of these places is called Phumlani, a community of about 5000 people mostly living in one room concrete houses or in shacks. Gangs, poverty, drug addiction, mass unemployment plague this community. In a way it’s a familiar story, one you may have heard many times.
Several years ago, I watched the Wire, a series about inner city Baltimore (***Spoiler Alert***), and the character of Michael Lee left an indelible impression on my heart and mind. He starts out as an 8th grader, quiet, strong, a leader among his peers, with a deep love for his little brother. But the elements of his world conspire against him and forces of destruction chip away at him bit by bit. Through the series you see “Michael evolve from a soft-spoken introvert to a cold-blooded killer.” It was a tragedy. It made the loss of his life so real.
It is an irreparable loss to us all when people with promise and potential end up languishing on the sidelines of life. Yet, everyday in places all over the world, these losses are going on and the humanity is left poorer because of them.
These weeks my team has been volunteering with New Chapter which is an afterschool program for 60 or so children and youth from Phumlani. We would show up everyday at the community center and in the beginning, it was giving out high-fives and hugs, learning names, and breaking up fights. But now in our last week here, we are beginning to recognize the signs of resilience, strength and leadership potential among them.
Malcolm, the founder of New Chapter understands that each child has been given a gift to share with the world by his or her Creator. But the seed planted in each life, will never be allowed to flourish in a body that is malnourished, uneducated, and full of fear and hopelessness. He is not content to simply feed and clothe them, but desires for them the fullness of the abundant life that God wants for us all.
Since he began in March 2011, he has hosted 5 World Race teams and developed a partnership with Cape Town University. International students in community development classes work on a semester long project and recently one of them raised money to put in the infrastructure to begin a fish farming enterprise. He is currently close to getting land for the project. Our team developed a community garden to raise money and provide food for the weekly soup kitchen. A previous team designed I heart Afrika merchandise. He is looking for a way to develop e-commerce to sell the items. He wants to start an education fund for kids who can’t afford school, a library and resource center with computer lessons, and bring on longer term volunteers who will mentor the youth who show leadership potential. All of this needs to be bathed in prayer.
These young people are not numbers. They are not charity cases to be looked at from afar and felt sorry for. Tammy, Justin, Eviwe, Roscoe and Jamie are real people with real lives who need us to recognize their value and will do their part to make their potential futures a reality. They are hearts and minds, hopes and dreams and a potential force for good if just given the opportunity.
Phumlani Community Center!
Phumlani Children and Youth
Community Garden
Nutrition Center
Human Jungle Gym
Pretending we’re so cool
