Last Monday I attended a meeting with the SA Police Department at their Headquarters in ElDorado. They requested my help in planning an event to celebrate child protection awareness week. They have been planning a large Braii for the community at large to attend. The past few Mondays I have spent in participating in their meetings and planting suggestions to the Inspectors. The experience alone has brought so much insight to the work I'm doing here. Typically I am transported with no problems becuase my aunt is the leading chairperson for the police department. Meetings are not held without her presence, and she now insists I must also be there. Typically, we ride in a very nice SUV that hides the ruts in the road well. Most of the hour long drive is on unpaved, gravel road with nothing but bushland and birds along the way. Nonetheless, I keep my eyes peeled for giraffe or baboons along the way.
This past Monday, however, was quite a different experience. We rode in an actual police vehicle with bright green stripes and an on duty officer at the wheel. My entire village stopped to stare as I was transported by police out of Makgato so early on a Monday. I smiled and waved, hoping they understood I was not under arrest, but the look on their faces makes it hard to know for sure. When attending the meeting, almost nobody came and they had a massive amount of food for us all. When leaving, however, many asked to hitch a ride back to the village in the police vehicle. As transportation is limited, it was of course no problem. However, this meant not much space for us all. I watched as the beautiful, cushioned suv drove off and and large, mini bus type vehicle showed up with barred windows, propane tanks in the back and nothing but tin rippled flooring in the back. I looked at my Aunt Jane, adn she said, "A Re Ya, Lethabo! Let's go." I laughed, and said, "In the back!" She said, yes, it's fine. She took my white sweater, used it to wipe off a very dirty dusty bench, and said, "There, it's okay!" I laughed adn said okay. I had them help me into the back of the police truck where it was dark, uncomfortable adn I had to lean over to sit without bumping my head. The windows are barred with netting, making your visibility pretty hazy. I scooted over waiting for her to join me, but instead, the large metal door was slammed shut and there I was, locked in the back of a South African Police Vehicle in the middle of nowhere. My aunt, it seems found room inside the passenger cab and squeezed herself right in there! Two other women joined me back there, whom I don't know and as they laughed adn rambled on in Sepedi, too fast for me to hear, I braced myself against large tires and gas tanks as we pulled away. The hour long ride I've come to look forward to became a nightmare in a matter of seconds. My head hit against the window more times than I can count, I couldn't hear over the rattling of the windows and gravel and all i could do was lean forward, with my fingers hanging through the barred window. As I tried to see the world passing by outside, I realized this is how they transport prisoners. There is nothing but shaking, bumping and gas tanks that shift from one side to the other of the back of the truck. Not knowing where I was or how far we were from home, I realized that I have never behind barred windows like this before.
Protecting my head from the shaking of the vehicle, I closed my eyes and laughed, waiting until I was able to get out and see the light of day again.
As I walked home that early evening, I boiled water to take a bath and thought again about how my vision was so blurred in that vehicle. Stretching my back and laughing at the irony that the first time I've been thrown in the back of a police car is in South Africa, I went to open my windows for some fresh air. I realized, with a shock, that my windows in my home are also barred, my door is barred and virtually every home and yard I've seen in all of South Africa is also barred. It struck me as odd that I'm living behind barred windows every day, yet I don't see them anymore. It took a rattling bench and unpaved road for it to sink in that my life now is behind barred windows. Here in South Africa, it's apparent every day how their freedom is so different from my own. I've never looked out from the inside of a barred room. I've never gone a day where I'm unable to see daylight by choice. And I've never known what it's like to feel so afraid that a culture has adapted fencing and security as part of their lifestyle.
Before Apartheid ended, black South Africans had to have a pass to walk through certain streets. Without one, they were often arrested and held without reason, or killed in the streets. Dogs were taught to attack anyone who was black and they walked with their head down, belittled and abused every day of their life for decades on end. It's no wonder their is such fear instilled here. I only hope one day South Africa will be able to open their window and see clearly all that is in front of them, with no bars on their windows, nothing blocking their footsteps and nobody but their own shadow following them in the streets.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Cooking Dinner
So, it's a typical Sunday in Makgato, bloody hot as ever and not a sound in the air. It's either go to church and get all dressed up, or clean and do laundry. This time I opted for laundry. After four hours of scrubbing, washing and rinsing, I finally feel that my clothes are clean. My cousin called me and said, "Lethabo, you must come help cook dinner!!" I of course jumped at the chance. African food here is amazing, but I have to be careful. It's all grease, carbs and a LOT of salt. But, I never turn it down all the same!! So, I walk over to their one room home, pass the cows and chicken, still admiring the mountains that have come to be my refuge in need of comfort. As I approach, dozens of children call out, "Lethabo, Lethabo, O ya Kae!!" I respond, "Ke ya motswala wakhe hhaiye". I am going to my cousin's home.
When I arrive, I learn that cooking dinner actually meant fetching a live chicken and THAT was to be our dinner!! So, as my aunt Jane, Ironic I have an aunt jane here in africa as well as America, holds the chicken by the feet upside down, I assisted in helping my cousin slice it's neck quickly and painlessly. However, I still cringed and had to turn my head. After that, we poured boiling water over the chicken, plucked all the feathers and cut out all the insides. We cut out the heart, liver, kidneys, intestines (totally discusting cleaning them. Do you know what comes out of that!!!) We cut up the meat into pieces and boiled it all for dinner. The process took over an hour. Then we made porridge over fire in a cauldron and also had to herd the cows home. When Maggie called and invited me to help with dinner, I imagined peeling potatoes or, as I usually do, sit and watch as they prepare meals I could never dream of making. Little did I know what they had in mind!!!
After dinner, I walked home and thought again, how is it that I really live in Africa. Everywhere I look, there are new things to see, people to greet and emotions that tend to catch me off guard. However, slowly, the small things are becoming normal. The sun sets every night and our papaya trees and Orange trees are starting to turn ripe!! The orange sky and bright moon that stands out really are breathtaking. I washed my hands of blood and guts at home and sat with my sister as we watched some African dancing on TV. I had to kill a few cockroaches before going to bed, but all the same, I felt full, content and ready to start my new week!!! These are the days of South Africa.
Two days later, my co worker and friend Joyce came over and we spent the afternoon cooking rice, some sort of cow's meat that I didn't ask where it came from and butternut. Butternut is a form of squash and has become my favorite food here!! It was delicious. As we sat to eat and said a prayer for us, I looked at the meal I had prepared and cooked all from scratch!! There is something fulfilling in sharing this meal with Joyce and knowing that my mother would be so proud of me. Using onions, spices and vegetables all grown in our own village!!! These things never happened back home. Watching her eat meat that she may not have at home, made me realize maybe I can't convince youth to wear condoms, or that a root from the forest won't actually save them from HIV/AIDS, but perhaps seeing her laugh and smile is some small change that I created.
After dinner I walked to the shop to buy bread. A young man of 33 asked me about HIV. He said he's never used a condom and will not be tested because he knows he is okay. I asked him why. He said because he drinks tea from his church and mixes a root from the deep bush. He said his grandfather told him that this will keep him protected. I asked him if he's so sure, to come with me to the clinic to be tested. He bowed his head, laughed, and said, "Oh Lethabo, I can't do that!! You know, eish, I can't do that." I asked why. He shook his head, smiled and said, "I want to have your baby!!" My jaw dropped as I said, "You're out of your mind. You just got done telling me you don't know if you have hiv/aids and you actually asked me to have sex with you???" I laughed and said, "You know better!" He laughed, said he will come over on Monday and we'll get tested. He will not come. He will not get tested. But my hope is the next time he is in a relationship, my voice will pop into his head and maybe that will happen enough, in enough young minds here that one person will change their behavior.
These are things that I struggle with and watch as I can't do anything to stop it. But all I can do is provide them with hope and truth, which will stand out in their minds. It's important to keep trying and one day, it's going to change. I have faith that the youth here believe what's happening. They know it's one day at a time. And they are a constant reminder of why I am here.
I uploaded photo's in picasso gallery. Go to http://picasaweb.google.com/cheapup. Please let me know if you cannot access them, as I've never uploaded picts before.
Stay well.
When I arrive, I learn that cooking dinner actually meant fetching a live chicken and THAT was to be our dinner!! So, as my aunt Jane, Ironic I have an aunt jane here in africa as well as America, holds the chicken by the feet upside down, I assisted in helping my cousin slice it's neck quickly and painlessly. However, I still cringed and had to turn my head. After that, we poured boiling water over the chicken, plucked all the feathers and cut out all the insides. We cut out the heart, liver, kidneys, intestines (totally discusting cleaning them. Do you know what comes out of that!!!) We cut up the meat into pieces and boiled it all for dinner. The process took over an hour. Then we made porridge over fire in a cauldron and also had to herd the cows home. When Maggie called and invited me to help with dinner, I imagined peeling potatoes or, as I usually do, sit and watch as they prepare meals I could never dream of making. Little did I know what they had in mind!!!
After dinner, I walked home and thought again, how is it that I really live in Africa. Everywhere I look, there are new things to see, people to greet and emotions that tend to catch me off guard. However, slowly, the small things are becoming normal. The sun sets every night and our papaya trees and Orange trees are starting to turn ripe!! The orange sky and bright moon that stands out really are breathtaking. I washed my hands of blood and guts at home and sat with my sister as we watched some African dancing on TV. I had to kill a few cockroaches before going to bed, but all the same, I felt full, content and ready to start my new week!!! These are the days of South Africa.
Two days later, my co worker and friend Joyce came over and we spent the afternoon cooking rice, some sort of cow's meat that I didn't ask where it came from and butternut. Butternut is a form of squash and has become my favorite food here!! It was delicious. As we sat to eat and said a prayer for us, I looked at the meal I had prepared and cooked all from scratch!! There is something fulfilling in sharing this meal with Joyce and knowing that my mother would be so proud of me. Using onions, spices and vegetables all grown in our own village!!! These things never happened back home. Watching her eat meat that she may not have at home, made me realize maybe I can't convince youth to wear condoms, or that a root from the forest won't actually save them from HIV/AIDS, but perhaps seeing her laugh and smile is some small change that I created.
After dinner I walked to the shop to buy bread. A young man of 33 asked me about HIV. He said he's never used a condom and will not be tested because he knows he is okay. I asked him why. He said because he drinks tea from his church and mixes a root from the deep bush. He said his grandfather told him that this will keep him protected. I asked him if he's so sure, to come with me to the clinic to be tested. He bowed his head, laughed, and said, "Oh Lethabo, I can't do that!! You know, eish, I can't do that." I asked why. He shook his head, smiled and said, "I want to have your baby!!" My jaw dropped as I said, "You're out of your mind. You just got done telling me you don't know if you have hiv/aids and you actually asked me to have sex with you???" I laughed and said, "You know better!" He laughed, said he will come over on Monday and we'll get tested. He will not come. He will not get tested. But my hope is the next time he is in a relationship, my voice will pop into his head and maybe that will happen enough, in enough young minds here that one person will change their behavior.
These are things that I struggle with and watch as I can't do anything to stop it. But all I can do is provide them with hope and truth, which will stand out in their minds. It's important to keep trying and one day, it's going to change. I have faith that the youth here believe what's happening. They know it's one day at a time. And they are a constant reminder of why I am here.
I uploaded photo's in picasso gallery. Go to http://picasaweb.google.com/cheapup. Please let me know if you cannot access them, as I've never uploaded picts before.
Stay well.
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