Sawubona and Yebo from South Africa!
Month 7: Partnering with Zimele Community to help empower men and women in the villages of South Africa.
My team is stationed in Winteron at a Bed and Breakfast that is run by a group of 10 women who created this hotel as their main source of income. Along with the B&B, they create crafts for Zimele to market (bird ornaments and magnets) and also create jewelry that they sell to the local community.
A core belief of the Zimele community, along with helping to empower them to sustainability, is pouring back into their communities. The group we are working alongside this month works at a local clinic every week and sponsors 5 orphans for 6 months at a time. They give the orphan families food parcels each month as well as teach the children how to sustain a small garden so that they can continue to support themselves after the 6-month period.
During our first week here, we have experienced many different aspects of living in this village.
Monday: The ladies took us to the local clinic to help with weighing the babies as they come in for nutrition check ups. We also learned that the government comes into the village once a month to distribute medicines and vaccines (via a mobile clinic). It was a fun morning to meet so many of the young children from the community. I also was blessed to hold one of the sweetest little girls and rock her to sleep as I sang Jesus Loves You to her.
Tuesday: Today was an unexpectedly exciting day! We went to an exercise class with the “old aged grannies” (as our schedule says). We ended up racing the ladies from one soccer goal post to the other, then playing games together including their version of Duck, Duck, Goose. That afternoon, we learned how to collect firewood and then carry it home on our heads. I’m not sure how these ladies carry things on their heads with such ease—their balance and strength is incredible!
Wednesday: We walked around 3 miles to the location of a home that they are building for a family of four orphans. We carried 20-liter jugs of water up from the little river below the house site, and then mixed the dirt with the water to put in a brick mold. That morning we created over 40 bricks for the family to continue building their house. It amazes me that these women walk so many miles every day to serve their community, but then work so diligently to create mud bricks for the family to construct a home for themselves so that they aren’t abandoned or put into an orphanage.
Thursday: The day started with a community meeting with all of the stakeholders. I loved hearing how the village was celebrating Nelson Mandela week—they are giving out walking canes to a few of the elderly in the community, distributing new shoes to school-aged children, and awarding some high school girls with jerseys for their sports team. Later that afternoon, we worked on crafting with the ladies (cutting shapes and pieces out of felt), preparing our dinner then learning the traditional Zulu dancing (and of course, we taught them some of our favorite dance moves). I absolutely loved watching these ladies sing and dance, then have them pull us into the dance circle to learn how to dance as a Zulu woman. I also loved watching them copy every silly dance move we taught them, including the wobble.
Friday: We walked around the community to meet orphans that the ladies take under their wings for six months. We first met two families that they are going to start this month on the 6-month period (delivering food parcels every month and also teaching the children how to maintain a garden). Then we ended with visiting a girl whose term is ending this month. It was amazing to see how well she was doing and the growth of her garden. She had grown onions, cabbage, spinach and chili peppers. After lunch, we worked with the women on their craft projects. (They have a large order due on Monday—they need to have 60 bird ornaments and 40 magnets made). Although we cannot carry on full conversations in Zulu with them, it is nice to spend time with them and watch them work so diligently sewing the pieces together and adding beads as embellishments. They work hour upon hour to complete one bird ornament.
Prayers:
This month has been incredible! I love the relaxing environment and community lifestyle with the women. They consistently carry joy everywhere they go—their laughter and excitement is contagious. Please pray for them and their efforts in their businesses and serving their community well. Pray for open hearts to understand the love of the Father, and to share that love with their village. Pray for wisdom and discernment as they move forward as a group, and that they will help to raise up other ladies in the community who will also make an impact in their community.
