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!)
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