Squatter Camps
By Alicia
Finally! We are able to connect with you! The past three days have been a whirldwind- it feels like we've ben here for weeks alroeady. The people at Calvary Sanctuary the curch who is hosting us, are so wonderful that we feel right at home.
We are staying in a room above the offices at the church. The church is a whole compound with three large buildings, complete with 2 german shepherd guard dogs (I don't care what Ben says- they are the scariest dogs. Ever.)- so don't worry moms and dad, we sare safe and protected (by the 2 scariest dogs. Ever.)
Yesterday Jeremy, the young adult pastor (meaning he works with people in the congregation ages 20-40!), took us around to several different projects he's working with. It seems that most people in ministry here are involved in many different projects affecting many different areas the need attention and improvement. The more I think about it, the more it seems like a much more holistic approach than specializing in one thing, like so many of us (Americans) do.
We started the morning at a distribution center where Jeremy usually picks up food to take the squatter camp (you'll hear about that soon). The woman who runs the dist. center said they pick up from several local donators and then give food out to 45 local projects. Later when I asked Jeremy about it, he said that she's never been to any of the projects, including the swuatter camp.
The squatter camp is the most prevelant remain of apartheid. Most colored (non-white) and black (Khosa) were well below the poverty line before apartheid ended, so the squatter camps have been around for awhile. Once the white, Afrikaaner gov't decided they didn't want to live in the same neighborhoods with blacks, they kicked everybody out of their homes and bulldozed entire communities. Look up "District 6" online. If you don't already know about it, I really recommend that you do.
We went to the 6th street squatter camp in Kensington. For those of you who have been to Mexico, think dump. Rows of houses, bulit out of anything they could find. The winter rains have been non-stop until today, so most everything was in mud- sometimes a foot of mud. Jeremy estimated that there were 75 families living there. Picture a small room (for those of you who have been to our apartment, think the size of our kitchen). Add 4 family members, a bed a parafin wax stove (very dangerous b/c if one catched on fire, the whole camp is gone) and a small table. Then live there for more than 10 years. It seemed that the only way the men could make money was to sell drugs. Boys leave school at young ages. Young children have no mental stimulation.
It started to downpour while we were there so a family invited us in and we talked with them. They asked Jeremy (he knows everybody there) if he could maybe arrange for a dumpster to be put at the perimeter of camp. People in the nearby neighborhoods would come buy and just dump junk/ dirt/ whatever in camp rather than paying to take it to the dump. They thought this might help them keep the camp clean.
The saddest part of our time there was Jeremy telling us about all the churches that come and bring food, some do church services- they just pull up to the edge of the camp, interact for a few minutes and then leave. Jeremy has a dream to start hosting men's and women's groups, a day care center where the moms from camp could also work (maybe even get certified to be a day care worker in the process), job training, etc.- a holistic approach to healing a sharing the gosple. The churches aren't interested in helping at all.
We covet your prayers. We think of all of you often.
Finally! We are able to connect with you! The past three days have been a whirldwind- it feels like we've ben here for weeks alroeady. The people at Calvary Sanctuary the curch who is hosting us, are so wonderful that we feel right at home.
We are staying in a room above the offices at the church. The church is a whole compound with three large buildings, complete with 2 german shepherd guard dogs (I don't care what Ben says- they are the scariest dogs. Ever.)- so don't worry moms and dad, we sare safe and protected (by the 2 scariest dogs. Ever.)
Yesterday Jeremy, the young adult pastor (meaning he works with people in the congregation ages 20-40!), took us around to several different projects he's working with. It seems that most people in ministry here are involved in many different projects affecting many different areas the need attention and improvement. The more I think about it, the more it seems like a much more holistic approach than specializing in one thing, like so many of us (Americans) do.
We started the morning at a distribution center where Jeremy usually picks up food to take the squatter camp (you'll hear about that soon). The woman who runs the dist. center said they pick up from several local donators and then give food out to 45 local projects. Later when I asked Jeremy about it, he said that she's never been to any of the projects, including the swuatter camp.
The squatter camp is the most prevelant remain of apartheid. Most colored (non-white) and black (Khosa) were well below the poverty line before apartheid ended, so the squatter camps have been around for awhile. Once the white, Afrikaaner gov't decided they didn't want to live in the same neighborhoods with blacks, they kicked everybody out of their homes and bulldozed entire communities. Look up "District 6" online. If you don't already know about it, I really recommend that you do.
We went to the 6th street squatter camp in Kensington. For those of you who have been to Mexico, think dump. Rows of houses, bulit out of anything they could find. The winter rains have been non-stop until today, so most everything was in mud- sometimes a foot of mud. Jeremy estimated that there were 75 families living there. Picture a small room (for those of you who have been to our apartment, think the size of our kitchen). Add 4 family members, a bed a parafin wax stove (very dangerous b/c if one catched on fire, the whole camp is gone) and a small table. Then live there for more than 10 years. It seemed that the only way the men could make money was to sell drugs. Boys leave school at young ages. Young children have no mental stimulation.
It started to downpour while we were there so a family invited us in and we talked with them. They asked Jeremy (he knows everybody there) if he could maybe arrange for a dumpster to be put at the perimeter of camp. People in the nearby neighborhoods would come buy and just dump junk/ dirt/ whatever in camp rather than paying to take it to the dump. They thought this might help them keep the camp clean.
The saddest part of our time there was Jeremy telling us about all the churches that come and bring food, some do church services- they just pull up to the edge of the camp, interact for a few minutes and then leave. Jeremy has a dream to start hosting men's and women's groups, a day care center where the moms from camp could also work (maybe even get certified to be a day care worker in the process), job training, etc.- a holistic approach to healing a sharing the gosple. The churches aren't interested in helping at all.
We covet your prayers. We think of all of you often.
posted by The Mongoose Chronicle at 5:27 AM
2 Comments:
Hi there! It was so wonderful to hear from you again - thank you for taking the time to write. It is good for me to know how to pray.
You are 8 hours ahead of us and I find myself adding the time and wondering what you are up to. I'm sure that you are sleeping right now. I am praying for you and for the dear people that you are loving in Jesus' name. I know how tender your hearts are and I am praying that you will be able to take the sorrow and burdens and give them to the Lord - again and again as you view so much pain.
All is well here. I love you both so much. MOM
I'm relieved to know you made it. It is exciting for me to think of all the things you will see though I’m sure it is overwhelming to you.
Today in my life...
I saw a person, mind you the first I’ve witnessed, smoking on campus today. My final act of defiance, planned to closely follow my December graduation, must now be rethought. As the first to behave with such cavalier indiscretion it might have given the air of reckless abandon I so desperately seek. It is likely, at minimum, several of my classmates have also witnessed this seemingly oblivious deviant in action and if I were to follow through with my plan I would just appear another addict chasing cancer. Blast. Ousted by the fairer gender once again. Story of my life.
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