A Different World

Living up on a hill, it is easy to feel far away from the townships and squatter camps that pave the bottom of the dusty road into town. But it serves as a constant reminder, when  the happenings of days and weeks get upon us and weigh us down. As we can all see is the reason we are here: to serve the community, and develop self reliance by providing education, health care and training. 

Working out in the townships and squatter camps, we all see a lot and are all affected by the things we see. We cry often and reflect on our own lives. as we realise just how fortunate we are. We have police forces that protect us, fire brigades that come to rescue us, and hospitals that serve us. 

This week, as i drove a house mum home for the night, we passed a group of teens playing football on the street enjoying life and having fun... Less than 100m down the road, a child was being physically abused. As an adult threw him to the ground, repeatedly kicking and hitting him. No police came, and all we could do was drive by.  

Disasters like shack fires are another common occurrence. Families lose everything they have, even family members, when flames turn a shack to cinders. Yet the following day, they are out searching for new materials to rebuild a 6 by 6 family home, getting on with the reality of life in a informal settlement. 

Women arrive in a taxi at hospital. They lie alone, in a room with 8 others, in pain and afraid. They birth alone, nameless except for the title of ‘mama’. There is no privacy and no dignity. A nurse’s bedside manner is unlike the textbooks teach us, as procedures happen with no explanation nor warning. 

This week I supported a lone mother through labour. She screamed in pain, as epidurals are non-existent and gas is a ghost of the past. She clutched at my hand as contractions worsened. Labour complications lead to an emergency C-section. She looked up at me in confusion as a consent from was put in front of her. Tears welled in her eyes, as I tried to explain in words that are understood in Afrikaans. She held my had along the corridor to theater, where we said Good bye, ‘Baai’.

Despite the hardship of life, there is HOPE. There are a number of Christian based non profit organisations already established in Grabouw, across South Africa, and the rest of the world. They are invaluable, and are the unseen heroes who shine at the end of the tunnel. 

Inspirational Youth

In a community where HIV/ AIDS is hugely prevalent and continues to increase, in certain townships it is a topic covered routinely at schools and at community groups. In regards to spreading information, increasing knowledge is one of the most affective ways to heighten awareness and emphasise the importance of ARV medication, whilst encouraging people to take their medication. 

But if you don’t go to school, or attend a community group, how do you learn about the virus that has gripped the 34% of your community? 

This week at the sports outreach, we revised HIV/AIDs. We have covered HIV numerous times before, and this week we wanted to uncover what the children knew. We planned ahead and thought that it may be difficult to get the children to engage, so gave gifts out as an incentive and encouragement; football books for the boys and bracelets for the girls,worked wonders. 

We kicked off the week in Hillside, a fairly spiritually dark area of town. There was a better turn out of boys than girls, although that lead to some unfortunate behaviors and disrespect. However the girls played hard as we had a game of netball, finishing the session with the HIV lesson. All of the girls participated well, all taking at once and over the top of one another. They knew a lot about HIV, how it is contracted, what it is, what it does and how to prevent it; what they didn’t know we were able to recap by the end of the session.

Thinking we had made a good start to the week, and feeling quiet proud of our efforts, we drove to Siteview, where one of our sports mentors had taken a football session by him self. Our jaws dropped as we saw the respect the children had for him. All the children  were sitting around in a circle and putting their hands up to answer questions. They moved to the front of the group to address their peers and share their knowledge. 

No one spoke out of turn, no one grabbed for a gifts, and no one pushed and shoved others. 

They had total respect, it was inspiring to watch. A credit. Full of integrity and leadership qualities, Michael is a prime example of what Grabouw needs. An influential role model and someone for the younger generations to aspire to. 

Each township is different ....... and that brings different struggles. The following day at Iraq squatter camp, where ramshackled shelters are made from anything and everything, where water is sparse, and electricity non-existent and where a 8 unit toilet block serves a multitude of people, we where faced with the reality that few of the children attend school. We encouraged then to share what they knew, much of which was limited and was full of misconceptions about the illness. We tried to break down stigmatised barriers and the misconceptions these children had about HIV, and they sat and eagerly listened, while one of the older girls translated into Afrikaans. 

A mothers' heart

New life is something to celebrate, is it not? To shout from the roof tops that you are a mother, and now the single most important thing to a little boy or girl. The start of motherhood should be a joyous occasion. Filled with emotions you never knew existed. A time of new life, new beginnings and new hope.  Is this what is felt by mothers world wide? Perhaps not, when you live with limited essential resources: water, food, and warmth. You are alone, in your late 20’s with no parents and no partner for support. You wonder how will you provide for this precious new life you hold in your arms.  This baby needs you, and can’t survive with out you. 

As days grow colder in the mountains of the western cape, a mother is dressed in a flowing pink summery dress, and her newborn less than a day old is in toddler’s trousers and a t-shirt. She has no baby supplies with which to care for her child. All she has is love. 

There is no love like a mother's love,

no stronger bond on earth

Like the precious bond that comes from God,

to a mother when she gives birth.

‘How will you get home?’

‘I will walk.’

And walk she would have done. 

We walked out the hospital together, her baby girl in a bundle of blankets. Helping her into the car, and offering a bag of food I had bought her, the expression of disbelief overtook the look of confusion.  As we begun the drive up the mountain, the bag of food rustled a few times, before she built up enough courage to accept the offering, and began to eat. 

We drove back to Grabouw, exchanging a few words ... english was limited. She directed me through the townships.

‘I can walk walk from here’ she said quietly. 

‘How far?’  I asked.

‘Far, far back, I live in a shack’

‘I will walk with you.’

We walked in silence though the sandy, rubbish scattered grounds. Stopping mid stride, Embessia (the new mum) turned to me and asked, 


‘Where are you from?’

‘England‘ I replied, ‘why?’ 

‘Because I have never met anyone like you before. I will remember you even after I die.’

Embessia, I will remember you for the rest of my life. You have touched my heart and opened my eyes.

After winding though the township, we arrived at her house. A mixture of corrugated iron, cardboard and wood made up the walls and roof. There were no windows, but a few planks of wood for a door.  A double bed occupied half the house, and there was less than a meter gap before a small section of bench top. This was a house for six people.  

I was greeted by her family, ‘God bless, baie dankie, baie dankie’. 

As I walked back out of the township, I didn’t feel scared, or worried. I felt protected, and blessed. I fought back the tears at the realization that this wasn’t a one off; the are hundreds of new mothers in a similar situation around Africa and around the world. 

A mother's love is forever strong,

never changing for all time

And when her children need her most,

a mother's love will shine.

God bless these special mothers,

God bless them every one

For all the tears and heartache,

and for the special work they've done.

When her days on earth are over,

a mother's love lives on

Through many generations,

with God's blessings on each one.

Be thankful for our mothers,

for they love with a higher love

From the power God has given, 

and the strength from up above.