Conversation with Another Kind of Reality

One of the things I had hoped our family would gain from our move to South Africa was a broader understanding of the world. Growing up in the US really doesn't give one much of a perspective of the extremes that life can bring. Yes, there is hardship there, and sickness, and poverty. And there are also multiple cultures and ethnic groups. But somehow it all seems to be encased under the western way of living. For us, it has taken moving from our suburban lifestyle to living in a place where daily we see extreme poverty. It hits me hard to see, not 5 miles from my home, families living in iron corrugated shacks. The saddest part is that I didn't even realize that this informal settlement, as it is called, was tucked away down a seldom used road so close to my quiet peaceful tree-lined street. It took me, following a map (because, you'll remember from my earlier post, that I don't use David's GPS system anymore!)In this informal settlement, I saw women hand washing their clothes in buckets, and hanging them to dry on the wire fence that separated the settlement from the street, chickens running free, and children playing in the dirt on the side of the road, barefoot even though it had just recently rained. There is no insulation..no electricity..no toilets, except a "long drop" outhouse that serves several families.

In South Africa, this isn't an unfamiliar site. But when I think of my life back home, the contrast is striking.

On Friday, it was raining once again. Both of the ladies I had been trying to build a friendship with were nowhere to be seen all week. It seemed that the growing number of ladies that had been begging had just up and disappeared. As I left for the drive to the church to help with the soup kitchen, while I was stopped at a traffic light, a tap on my window startled me. There was Louisa with her daughter and son (Nelodie, and Tobelo) dripping with rain. In the midst of all the adversity, she had kept her promise to meet me.

On the way to the church, I had a good chance to talk to her. Her kids were hungrily munching on the tangerines I had brought along with me and we talked about the classes we are getting ready to start. She said to me, in her best English, that she had spoken to Ellen (the other lady I mentioned earlier), and they had discussed this chance they have to learn. Louisa said to me "Carla, we want to learn a skill, something that we can do ourselves. Something that we can take and make some money with to feed our families. But we are afraid. Afraid that we won't have the money to buy our food. If we quit the robots (this is a South African term for traffic lights, where they do their begging), will we make money? We know the robots give us some money to buy food."

These ladies are having to take a huge leap of faith, and huge step of trust. Louisa told me of a friend that went to work for a week with a lady, then the lady never paid her. She then had no money to buy food that week. The realization of the responsibility before me is great. For these ladies to take even one day away from their normal methods of getting food, in order to spend time learning and making items to sell, they run the risk of going hungry. I realize that I am going to have to consider this, and move quickly to get them equipped to be self sufficient as soon as possible. And be prepared to help them, in a way that won't make them dependent on me, as they are on the robots.

This is not a responsibility I can take on myself. It's something that I believe only God can handle. I'm too weak, too emotional. It's something that I have to hand over to the Lord and let Him provide, however He will. They are such beautiful women, and the Lord loves and cares for them deeply.

Louisa's last words to me before we got to the church, after I told her that God would provide, were "God does love us, He brought us Carla". I am so humbled, and so unworthy. But so blessed to be a tool in the hands of a loving, personal God who cares for those who need Him so much. Please continue to pray for me, for this ministry and for those that the Lord is bringing in to help.

(A note of praise! The church has taken the preliminary steps to back this ministry, and Hazel, a new friend of mine, is interested in coming alongside me to help!! A dear creative Aunty is being so supportive and encouraging helping me get things together for the beginning phase. Also, I have heard that there is a growing number of other crafters in the States and Canada who have offered some of their extra supplies to this ministry! GOD IS SO GOOD!)

A Not-So Subtle Confirmation

You know, there are times in your life that you take a step forward, perhaps hesitantly, feeling uncertain of exactly what is ahead, but somehow confident that even though it is scary, you are doing the right thing. Sometimes, you have to forge ahead, even if you feel alone, and blaze a trail. Other times, you are blessed with a gift of confirmation - something that crosses your path that reinforces that understanding you have that you are doing what you should be doing.

These last two weeks, I have been awe struck at how amazing God is! Let me explain....

Every Friday, a small group from our church serves soup to those who are in need. It was on one of these Fridays, while I was handing out clothing that I met a group of young ladies who all had young children. It was then that my dream became crystal clear.

Since meeting these ladies, my eyes were opened to how many women are in my area begging for money to feed themselves and their families. Each of them have babies tied to their backs "African style". A tight blanket, or towel binding the child tightly to their backs. Three ladies in particular have stood out to me. I pass them every day on my way to school. I began praying for them, asking God that if He would, to please bring us together.

Two weeks ago, on my way to the church, one of them came up to my window. I rolled it down, and told her that while I couldn't give her money, wouldn't she like to come down to the church - about 2 km away - and have some soup and bread. She started on her way immediately. Her warm smile when she met me at the clothing cupboard's door melted my heart. Her name is Ellen - I would guess her to be in her early 20's, and her tiny two year old daughter's name is Blessing. I asked to her please come again, that I would love to get to know her.

The next day, I was on my way to the grocery store and I saw one of the other ladies, only two blocks from my house. I took her a few grocery items, explaining that I couldn't give her money, but wouldn't she like to come and get some clothing the next week at the church? We chatted for a few minutes, and once again, I felt such a connection with this dear woman named Louisa. She comes into town from "the big city" to beg. Originally she had come with a friend hoping to find work. Her friend did, but she did not.

Wouldn't you know that on Friday, the rain came down in buckets! My doubts overflowed, like the puddles of water, and I figured that I might have missed a chance to build on my short meetings with them. As I came around the corner of the building to hand out the packets of clothing that I was greeted by both their smiling faces. And while they had been waiting for me, they had gotten to know each other. I was able to briefly explain my hopes to offer them classes, if they were willing. And it was to my joy that as I drove home, I spotted them, and their kids, walking together back to their taxi rank, chatting like friends.

You would think that this alone would give me that 100% confirmation that this is IT. But it didn't stop there! I thank God that, He in His great provision, has raised up a growing group of people who are standing beside me in this, offering support, supplies and prayers, most importantly. Wow! That is such an encouragement!

But it still doesn't stop there!....

Tonight, while I was in the kitchen, my husband asked "is that lady's name that you met Alice?" I came around the corner to see David reading the newspaper. Inside the front page was an article titled "Welfare of 'begging babes' is a concern" On it is pictured one of the ladies I have seen, but not met yet. Her name is Alice and she has a 16 month old girl. She says in the article that she comes out from quite a distance to beg just a block away from my home, just to make 50.00 Rand a day- enough to feed herself, so she can nurse her baby. 50 Rand is $7.17. It doesn't buy too much. And she still has to pay for her transportation back to her home - which can easily cost R30.00. When asked why she carries her child out on the street and puts her in potential harms way, her response was "If she gets run over or hurt, I know it is my fault, but who do I blame if my baby is raped while her mommy was looking for work?" Social services is asking the public to report these women, so intervention can be made - and earlier in the article they state that the welfare of the child would be better if the child was removed from the parent's care.

THIS is confirmation! It isn't too far a stretch for me to realize that I could have been one of these ladies. Life is so hard, and circumstances can make it even harder. AIDS, a very high unemployment rate and many other factors make being a mother a difficult job. These ladies are doing what ever they can just to survive. And they are struggling to find hope in this world.

Please won't you join this effort by praying for these women and their children? Pray for others to join in and to volunteer their time so that we can reach more. There IS hope, and there is a way that they can learn to provide for their families. They just need a helping hand. Pray for open hearts, so that it isn't just a skill that they learn, but rather that they find hope beyond their circumstances - the hope that is only found in having a real tangible relationship with Jesus.

Tomorrow I have another Zulu lesson at the library. I want to find out a very specific translation. I want to know what the Zulu words are for "Beautiful Creation". This should be the name of this outreach. Not only will the women who join be involved in making "beautiful creations", but they are going to learn that they are beautiful creations. Check back here soon to see what our name will be!

The Big Plan

Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am surprised by the truth of this quote in the development that has taken place, not only in my heart, but my mind and my actions as well.

I started blogging as a way to formalize my thoughts. I've always had plenty of opinions and ideas (just ask my family!), but many of them felt unfinished. I started my journals for this reason. A way to dump my tangled thoughts onto paper, sort them out, and form a conclusion. Once we made our jump over the Atlantic Ocean, it seemed a good way to keep up with my friends and family back home, as well as to try to sort out what we were supposed to be doing here.

So! It is with much enthusiasm, and an hopeful heart, that I believe that my small little seed of a desire has bloomed and might soon begin producing fruit!

I have prayed for years (and years!), knowing that in my heart burned a passion to serve God. And for years and years, I have had a sense of building - the things I found myself involved in were not the BIG 'IT', but were an essential part of preparing me for what was ahead. As I've matured (I am NOT claiming to have obtained! Only to be more than I previously was! :) ), I have somehow managed to identify and develop the gifts and interests that God has given me.
The best part is that now I have found myself in a place, where all the pieces seem to be falling into place and the puzzle is no longer a huge mystery! (Hurray!!)

So, you are wondering..."What in the world is it, Carla?"

Simply put, it is an outreach and community upliftment effort to the women here in Boksburg. Not just a feeding scheme, not just an encouraging word, but a skill developing, relationship building, Christ centered effort to give those who want an opportunity to get out of their current situations a chance to walk away and provide for themselves and their families in a way that is better for them, for their families, for the community as well.

There are so many women lately who, with baby's strapped firmly to their backs, find themselves begging for money at street corners, or even, in the case of some of those most closely located to our church doors, prostituting themselves for money and shelter.

I have been praying about this for months, and have been asking God to put it together for me. I've been watching, and am now seeing signs that He is preparing our church, our community and me, for this type of ministry.

A plan is formulating in my head, and I would really appreciate any constructive advice you might have.

At the moment, I am only one and realize the scope of my limitations.

I am praying for God to bring 3 women to me who would commit to meeting with me once a week, then in the mornings every other Saturday. We would begin with some basic skills in crafts, then move to basic business and marketing. Once we have built up a bit of stock, I would then take them to the local Saturday market and let them sell the fruit of their labor, taking the profit and reinvesting a portion back into their "business", and using the rest for income. It won't immediately replace their income, but hopefully, it will provide them with enough self worth to feel that they aren't bound to the lifestyles that they are living.

At the moment, I have a good bit of scrapbooking paper and supplies for making cards and small albums. Once they have mastered this, I would like to teach them some basic painting techniques, and work into a line of garden art objects (painted rocks, pots, mobiles etc). Once we have that skill down, we will begin some sewing skills. This will require more money for supplies and equipment, so hopefully, things will be progressing well at this point.

After one year, it will be part of their agreement that they in turn take on at least one other person to teach what they have learned. And this is how it will grow.

If the Lord should bring along another person to help lead this project, then it would be good to expand it to more women.

Now, this is where I ask for YOUR help. Would you please support this project in prayer? The enemy is about, and will be doing his best to destroy anything he can. These women are usually abused, hungry and sometimes drug addicted. They will need Christ to be able to pull away from the things that have had hold of them. Please pray for me. I feel such conviction that this is what I am to do, but I know the usual ways that Satan tries to keep me from completing what God has put before me. Please pray for our church as well. We are coming to realize that God has placed us in this inner city environment for a reason, and reaching out to our neighbors will change the face of our congregation. We need God's love full in our hearts to love our neighbors.

And FINALLY - please send me any good marketable low cost ideas. Crafts such as beading and decoupage are pretty overdone here, and supplies are quite limited and costly.