What Africa has given to me

Today was really an incredible day and what I experienced will last with me a lifetime. This morning we were scheduled to go on a township tour that included a morning service at a gospel church in the area. Due to some communication conflicts we found out last night that we wouldn't be able to go on the tour. I was extremely bummed out because I really wanted to experience what the churches would be like here. There is a such a passion with the people that I can feel each and every day and I can only imagine what they would be like in the presence of God and their church.

One of the new volunteers, Karen, had recently met a man named Angus at Mzoli's in Guguletu. Mzoli's is where CCS holds a braii (bbq) lunch the third Wednesday of every month. I went the first month but was still sick this past week so I didn't go. It's a great experience because it's with all of the local people in the middle of the township but this time around the group had live music, dancing, and traditional face painting (my group last month didn't get to have that experience). Anyways, Karen met Angus who is this big former rugby player. He is a huge sweetheart and they have been out every day since then. His parents grew up in District 6 (which was leveled out during apartheid) and he lived in the townships growing up. He now does outreach work in these areas. Karen told Angus that we were no longer going to church so he arranged for 8 of us to be picked up at our house, taken to his gospel church in the township, and dropped off back at homebase. Angus and his family still attend this church in the township even though they live in a ritzy area near the V & A Waterfront (Green Point) because that is where they came from and they are still reaching out to their old community. We loved the church experience. Don't get me wrong, I'm not converting or anything, but I really enjoyed watching how much these people love their religion. There was clapping and dancing and lots of singing. They were so kind to us and even had us all introduce ourselves, where we from, and what we were doing at our placements. They were very gracious of the Americans and hugged all of us. It was quite emotional for some of the Christian girls who went with.

After lunch, Angus' family invited us over for Sunday lunch. Angus and his father were leading the service and we had also met his mother and sister at the service. They took us back to their home for a traditional home-cooked meal. It was a mix of Cape Malay, African, and other local foods. I was blown away with this chicken and rice dish and of course I ate two servings of custard and strawberries. The mother kept offering us all more food and didn't let us help with a thing. Her mother-in-law and their housekeeper were also taking care of us. I felt so comfortable sitting at the table with this huge group and this family who I barely knew; it was all so pleasant. We had the most intriguing conversations from everything from American politics, South African economy, Sarah Palin, the great speakers of our time (NOT Sarah Palin), 9/11 conspiracies...I learned so much from the people around me yet at the same time I have never laughed so hard. Angus even taught his father how to say "Will you sleep with me tonight?" in French (the line from the Moulin Rouge song). Everyone was in stitches with Angus who is this really charismatic and outgoing guy and his family was just so interesting. Everyone really added something to the discussion, even us Americans. They were actually very interested in what we had to say and our opinions about the state of our country. Oh, and they LOVE Barack, want him to win, and think he will win by a large margin. We hope.

Here is the craziest part about today-Angus' father is Patrick Mckenzie, the Minister of Community Safety for the Western Cape as well as a member of ANC. This man is an extremely influential and powerful political player, and here we were, eight American volunteers sitting in his house for Sunday lunch. No biggie. The elevator is his front door, it takes you straight into his foyer. Their (very large) apartment looks over the ocean. Yet it was nothing too showy or flashy. Pictures of family everywhere, little South African flags hanging out of coffee pots, oversized leather couches. I mean, here is a man who sat on Nelson Mandela's cabinet in 1996. He is a member of Parliament. The pastor of his church.

Nelson Mandela was in his home! I was in his home! What a rush. I'm feeling starstruck and I've never heard of this man until 6 hours ago. We were so lucky. Wait-here's the best part. When we arrived for lunch it was about 11 a.m. We left around 2:30 and would have even stayed later but a member of our group had a conference call she had to attend to. On the car ride home Angus said to us that he and his mom were incredibly surprised that his dad had stayed up that late. Apparently after Sunday lunch he is down for his nap no matter who is in the company of his home. Angus told us that there have been members of Parliament and other political figures at his house for Sunday lunch and that no matter what his father will take his hour-long nap and let his family entertain the guests. It was a huge compliment, Angus told us, that his father had stayed up all afternoon to chat with us. He said it has never happened before and that we must have had a profound impact on him that he would sacrifice his personal time like that on his day of rest. Wow. It's been an amazingly perfect weekend.

Here he is:
http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/Pages/profilefull.aspx?IndID=2302

Yesterday Jordin, Hillary, and I went on safari at a beautiful game reserve called Invedoorn ('Land of Thorns'). We got close up to cheetahs, zebras, white rhinos, giraffes, and so many other amazing creatures. The game reserve is connected to a beautiful lodge. We were served a beautiful spread of French African cuisine for lunch and were able to dip our feet in the cool, clean pool before we left. We had the best seats in the jeep, right behind the driver, who answered all of our questions and had a good laugh with about the differences in our accents. We call them Zee-bras, they call them Zay-bras. Our driver to and from home was very kind and took wonderful care of us. The 2 1/2 hour drive was absolutely gorgeous. It was so green and mountainous as we headed into this semi-arid landscape. We had an adorable 6 month old baby in the van with us as well so it was a treat being around a healthy, rosy child. Her parents are here for 5 weeks from Australia doing work with the Volvo World Boat competition. Nice people, good company on the drive.

All in all, it was a wonderful last full weekend to remember this place. This time next weekend I will be in a hotel packing up my stuff getting ready to leave this place.

While I'm at it I thought I might tell you all of the exciting extra-curricular activities we've been able to take advantage of while we are here. Part of them are built into our 3-week long program orientation and some of them of things we were able to do on our nights and weekends. It's really easy to get around here because Cape Town is relatively small compared to other large cities and public transportation is so inexpensive. Everything here is inexpensive now considering that the rand is trading at 10.07 to the dollar today. It's crept up all the way from 7.42!

-Surfing lessons
-Visiting Long Street (popular destination with shops, bars, market stores, etc.)
-Visiting V & A Waterfront
-Walk through University of Cape Town campus and a hike to the Cecil Rhodes Memorial nearby
-Hike up Table Mountain, cable car down
-Green Market Square (large outdoor craft and local goods market)
-Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
-Day trip to Hermanus for whale watching (worldly renowned) and Cape Agulhas (southernmost tip of Africa)
-Biking & Wining tour
-Slave Lodge museum
-Tour of Bo Kaap, the Cape Malay (Muslim area of Cape Town)
-Beach and sunset dinners at Camps Bay
-Drive up Signal Hill
-Garden Route (southeast coast), 2 1/2 day adventure tour
-Knysna Heads
-Bungee jump off the world's highest bungee bridge, Bloukrans
-Zip-lining at Tsitsikama
-Rode an elephant at an elephant sanctuary
-Lunch at a monkey sanctuary
-Cango Caves
-The Big Tree (largest tree in the southern hemisphere) at midnight
-Stayed at a Backpackers (hostel) on the Indian ocean and another in the middle of the forest
-Day trip to Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope (southwestern most tip of Africa), Boulders Beach (penguins and whale watching), and Seal Island (hundreds and hundreds of seals)
-Professional Rugby Game (Western Province vs. Xerox Free State Lions)
-Robben Island
-Spa day at Elements on Kloof St. for my massage
-Play at the Baxter Theater (Prison Codes)
-Safari at Invedoorn Game Reserve
-Tain along the eastern cost of the peninsula to Simon's Town where the South African naval base is located
-Gospel church in Bonteheuwel and lunch at the Minister of Community Safety's home

Notable dining experiences:
-Stardust (the servers perform for you with singing, dancing, and instrument playing)
-Half price sushi lunch at a gourmet restaurant called Servuga at the Waterfront
-Mama Africa (where I ate crocodile and ostrich and danced on stage with a Marimba band)
-Cafe Sophia for Poetry Delight (I made their promotional DVD!) www.poetrydelight.com
-Lunch in Bo Kaap overlooking the city, tradition Cape Malayan cuisine
-Lunch at Mzoli's, braii in the townships
-Dinners at Camps Bay with the most beautiful sunsets in Cape Town (Paranga and Blues)

A few more great things to add this week but more importantly look for a post about my last days with my children. Sure to be a tear jerker.