Port Elizabeth, South Africa
We arrived safely to our ministry site in Port Elizabeth on the 13th. After a very long hot and smelly bus ride, 17 hours to be exact, my team and I were quite exhausted yet eager to start our journey. Our contacts for the month (Tristan, Carol, and Peter) all generously took us out to lunch after we first arrived. They took us out to a wonderful restaurant alongside the beach of the Indian Ocean. With the lap of the waves, whistling of the cool breeze, and the delicious meal it didn’t quite seem as if I was getting ready for a month of servitude.
Port Elizabeth is a very beautiful place with wonderful tourist attractions. It is, however, also a home to a local township. Townships are where the poorest of the poor reside. They live amongst garbage and debris and within close proximity of their neighbors. The roads are dirt and filled with potholes and ravines. It is devastating to a township during heavy rains due to the foundation of their shacks (which are built out of tin and other odd materials) being built with a floor of sand. This township is where the smiling seven and eight year olds I am teaching are from
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The Human Dignity Center, which is the school I am teaching at, was founded on the principle of helping those who are in a crisis situation. They want to preserve the dignity of those who need help by putting their children in school and providing/ finding the parents employment. They want to empower the family to work hard and not just be given temporary relief from their situation.
Each morning I wake up and get prepared for the day ahead. When we first arrive at the school we serve the children porridge for breakfast. For some of the children the only food that they eat during the day is fed to them at school. So, providing meals and snacks for them each day is very important. After breakfast the children all report to their age level class. I am teaching the second grade class with Ms. Faith. Ms. Faith is from Zimbabwe and has one seven year old son and a baby on the way. Together we are teaching the children simple math, reading, writing, and life skills. At ten o’clock the kids have a break and are given a peanut butter sandwich. They are able to play on the playground, play ball, swing, etc. After break they all return to the class until noon for lunch. The children are served rice, meat, and veggies mixed together. I have become very appreciative of the variety of food I was served in school each week as this repetitive meal is beginning to be less appealing. They finish out the day in the classroom at 2pm. It is after 2pm that some of the students go home and others stay on at the school for after care.
After care is a time for the children to play or do homework. My team and I have really gotten a chance to know some of these children at a deeper level. We’ve heard some of their stories and where they come from. I’ll be writing another blog soon about one of my students who has wiggled her way into my heart.
Along with teaching at the school, my team and I attend youth group on Saturday evenings and Cell Group (which is a young adult bibles study) on Wednesday nights. We have also set aside time to have coffee or a meal with our hosts, contacts, and others that we have met along the way.
Month one has been a great transitioning month for me. We were given time to recover from jetlag and were eased into our responsibilities with our ministry. The Lord has truly blessed us with a smooth transition and generous hosts. I am excited to see where this month will continue to challenge me and all the lessons that the Lord has for me in this month.
Be on the lookout for another blog soon about more specific people and things that have made an impact on my life thus far.
I am still in need of financial support in order to continue this journey. If you would like to support me on this journey you can hit the support me button at the top of the page.
I thank all of those who have helped me reach 76% funded! I truly cannot thank you enough for the love and financial support. WE are almost there!
