The First Lessons

By Ben

There is so much to say! I am learning so much, I feel like a child who has stumbled on a whole new world. I may have to spend a few hours filling in details when I get home, but here are a few lessons that I have am learning:

Lesson #1 - Denial May Be a River in Egypt, but Jetlag is a Torrent Running through My Brain.
Day One Staying up all night turned out to be a stupid, stupid idea. I did not sleep much on the plane, and was too tired to read or write. South African Airlines has the best food I've ever had on a plane. We watched House of D with Robbin Williams, and I cried a lot - it was embarrassing.

Lesson #2- Building is Important

Day One Several times tonight the men have discussed something that I know nothing about - construction. Our luggage decided to have some tea with a old friend in DC and missed our flight to South Africa. Our hosts were immediately generous. Pastor Theo (Esme's Husband) took me to see Anthony (who is exactly my size), his solid church member and first convert in the area. Anthony built his own house, and it is beautiful. I could see the pride in his face as Theo and I admired his house and listened to his tell us story of how he was going to fix his roof. Construction is not Anthony's trade (though it may have been during the apartheid years, when all the white collar jobs were reserved for those whose skin would match the color of their collars.) not is it Theo's or Ashley's or Jeremy's or Chris's; but they all know a lot about construction and they all have either built their own houses or repaired them. Construction seems to be a crucial part of a man's role and character. (From Day 6) Chris is a minister who wanted to build a nice house for his family, but his small salary was prohibitive. He saved his money for years to buy a small parcel of land, used almost all second hand and donated materials and slowly but surely built his wife a dream house.
It is interesting that we pay people to do the work that gives these South African men such joy, purpose and satisfaction.
(From Day 3) We heard about an Irish entrepreneur who is buying up land in the squatter camps and teaching and paying the men in the camp to build apartment buildings that they can then live in. This not only provides homes for those in grinding poverty, but also gives the men satisfaction, purpose and an employable skill. This project is one of many innovative forms of development happening on South Africa.
American men have become so specialized, knowing and working in their own fields of expertise alone (I am a minister who know little about pluming, law, or aquatic basket weaving); while most South Africans (women too!) are truly jack of all trades- rennisance men. Perhaps this African Rennisance is close at hand.