Happy Wednesday!
I spent all day on Monday and Tuesday at Kuyasa! The more time I spend there, the more I realize how much I love it! I sat in on the Monday morning staff prayer in which we prayed through Scripture for open doors, financial gifts, carry over of last year's effectiveness and for staff perseverance. I love praying through Scripture and really don't think it's done enough. Doesn't it make sense to pray God's own words and plans? The prayers were mixed between English and Xhosa. The significance of bilingual prayer is becoming more and more obvious to me.
I began my fascination with Heaven and Revelation while I was a counselor at Geneva and I can't help but think about this passage:
After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." Rev 7:9-10
After our prayer time, I began tutoring a student who did not pass his grade 12 math & physical science (physics and chemistry) exams last year. He needs to matric in order to get a job at a ministry in Kayamandi and will retake the exams in November. There are 2 types of math taught in the high schools. One is Pure Math, which is your traditional algebra, calculus, geometry, etc. My student is in the other type of math called Math Literacy, which is more of an application based math. For example, we discussed inflation instead of straight percentage problems and painting a wall instead of area problems. This is definitely an easier math and better for those not wanting to go into a math based career but not so helpful when taken alongside physics and chemistry. Math Lit doesn't teach formulas and equations, which are essential in chem and physics. The schools combine a year of physics and chemistry into one course. From what I can tell it covers all of the usual Newtonian physics and general/analytical, basic organic and inorganic chemistry...quite a lot for 1 course! The math and chemistry won't be a problem for me but I'm going to have to reach back into my brain and find the physics information I so carefully tried to forget about after my wonderful Hope College physics experience! It will probably turn more into teaching instead of tutoring as several more students will be joining us. But I am really looking forward to using 4 years of knowledge to help these students pass and get jobs!
These very busy 2 days also involved finishing the grade 1 & grade 2 curriculum for the year. It was quite the task of 6 full days of work. Granted, everything takes about 3 times longer to accomplish then it would in the States but I'm glad I could do it so Cindy (Learning Center director) didn't have to waste her time but could instead make connections with the administration at the schools and do all of the other 1,000 things she does in a day. I also began planning the sports day with Sive (sports director) and 2 German volunteers. It's going to involve 300+ kids playing futsol (SA game similar to soccer) and basketball. We pretty much have more questions now than actual plans but everything will get worked out and the kids will have a ton of fun!
Monday nights I stay in Stellenbosch with Cindy and her husband to save on gas from Pnx. Cindy is American and we cooked an amazing American meal complete with Rachael Ray's breaded chicken recipe, a ridiculous amount of baked veggies, a huge mango and a salad! All the food groups I have been missing in my Afrikaans diet were present! And, to top it all off, I got real live M&Ms. Best. Meal. Ever. At Pnx the meals are very rushed and it was nice to enjoy a meal with good conversation and leisure...apparently a very American thing to do! Meals are such a great opportunity to have meaningful conversations and to share quality time together. Everyone's got to eat so why not make it a time to share and be together?! After dinner we watched a few episodes of the Office to add to a great evening. It's nice to have that back home connection every now and again. And, who knew chicken, M&Ms and the Office would be that connection for me?!
Today is my off day but I'm back to Kuyasa tomorrow and to the preschool Friday morning.
Another random section I've decided to include:
South African Terms That Confused Me
robot = stoplight
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Mailing Address
I've been asked several times for my mailing address here. Ask and you shall receive:
Nora Kuiper
P.O. Box 247
Somerset West
7129
Cape Town
South Africa
Nora Kuiper
P.O. Box 247
Somerset West
7129
Cape Town
South Africa
The Little Things
Hello Again!
This second week in Cape Town was enjoyable again! I was able to spend 3 days at Kuyasa preparing and organizing curriculum, painting and tutoring a little bit. I've discovered how much time it actually takes to get a huge ministry like Kuyasa up and running after the Holiday break!
Big lesson from this week: Just because you think it's small and insignificant, doesn't mean it actually is.
Sive (Kuyasa's sports coordinator) needed me to create a flyer advertising Kuyasa's opening day for the sports program to be distributed throughout Kayamandi. I agreed to see what I could do and created a VERY simple thing in Word with a tiny bit of color and 2 clip art pictures from Word's library. It was so incredibly simple and not exciting. I was a little embarrassed that it was the best I could do when I called Sive over to look at it. His response surprised me..."Sister, this is perfect! Thank you so much! I did not know it was possible to make something this beautiful here at Kuyasa!" I responded with a skeptical, "are you serious?" thinking I might not be able to pick up on the sarcasm with his accent. But he assured me it was absolutely perfect. It was something I considered small and insignificant but was received as a great service and contribution to Kuyasa. It really is true that the small deeds are some of the most significant and can, in fact, make a difference. I've tried to take the mindset now to seek out whatever small thing I can do to encourage a kid or make the permanent staff have an easier day.
Sive also has recruited me as the leading candidate as a girl's basketball coach. I hope I'll actually get to coach because it would be so much fun!
Other highlights of the week:
I coached a grade 4 boy in long jump. The school was having a field day and he was participating in the high jump, long jump, shot put and 5K...quite the combo! When I heard this I obviously perked up and he agreed to go outside with me and show me his stuff. I may be a terrible long jumper but I know what it is supposed to look like! I gave him a few pointers and we had a competition where he may or may not have beaten me!
I also was able to spend some time at the beach yesterday just taking in the surroundings. And, again, the pale American got burned from the African sun...one of these days I'll remember to put sunscreen on!
I've also attempted to improve my Afrikaans, with little to no success, and added Xhosa to my language goals. Xhosa is the language blacks speak in this region. It involves a lot of clicks and is a REALLY tough language to learn.
Finally, I got up just before 5:00am Friday morning to watch the sunrise and spend some quiet time just myself, my Bible and the donkey and rooster who made their presence known! Watching the world wake up was a great blessing :)
This coming week I'm going to Kuyasa Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Tomorrow I'm going to begin tutoring 1, but maybe up to 4, guys who failed their grade 12 math exam and need to pass it to get a job. It's going to be for about an hour a day three days a week until they retake the exam in March. Monday night I'm staying with Cindy (an American and director of Kuyasa's Learning Center) and her husband so someone from Pnx doesn't have to drive to Kayamandi to pick me up. And hopefully I'll get to go to the creche at Agape this week on Wednesday.
Shout Out Section!
Keeping with the red head theme from last time, I'd like to extend an energetic hello to Jenna and Mike and, of course, Mallory, too! I hope you 3 are enjoying school and learning lots!
This second week in Cape Town was enjoyable again! I was able to spend 3 days at Kuyasa preparing and organizing curriculum, painting and tutoring a little bit. I've discovered how much time it actually takes to get a huge ministry like Kuyasa up and running after the Holiday break!
Big lesson from this week: Just because you think it's small and insignificant, doesn't mean it actually is.
Sive (Kuyasa's sports coordinator) needed me to create a flyer advertising Kuyasa's opening day for the sports program to be distributed throughout Kayamandi. I agreed to see what I could do and created a VERY simple thing in Word with a tiny bit of color and 2 clip art pictures from Word's library. It was so incredibly simple and not exciting. I was a little embarrassed that it was the best I could do when I called Sive over to look at it. His response surprised me..."Sister, this is perfect! Thank you so much! I did not know it was possible to make something this beautiful here at Kuyasa!" I responded with a skeptical, "are you serious?" thinking I might not be able to pick up on the sarcasm with his accent. But he assured me it was absolutely perfect. It was something I considered small and insignificant but was received as a great service and contribution to Kuyasa. It really is true that the small deeds are some of the most significant and can, in fact, make a difference. I've tried to take the mindset now to seek out whatever small thing I can do to encourage a kid or make the permanent staff have an easier day.
Sive also has recruited me as the leading candidate as a girl's basketball coach. I hope I'll actually get to coach because it would be so much fun!
Other highlights of the week:
I coached a grade 4 boy in long jump. The school was having a field day and he was participating in the high jump, long jump, shot put and 5K...quite the combo! When I heard this I obviously perked up and he agreed to go outside with me and show me his stuff. I may be a terrible long jumper but I know what it is supposed to look like! I gave him a few pointers and we had a competition where he may or may not have beaten me!
I also was able to spend some time at the beach yesterday just taking in the surroundings. And, again, the pale American got burned from the African sun...one of these days I'll remember to put sunscreen on!
I've also attempted to improve my Afrikaans, with little to no success, and added Xhosa to my language goals. Xhosa is the language blacks speak in this region. It involves a lot of clicks and is a REALLY tough language to learn.
Finally, I got up just before 5:00am Friday morning to watch the sunrise and spend some quiet time just myself, my Bible and the donkey and rooster who made their presence known! Watching the world wake up was a great blessing :)
This coming week I'm going to Kuyasa Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Tomorrow I'm going to begin tutoring 1, but maybe up to 4, guys who failed their grade 12 math exam and need to pass it to get a job. It's going to be for about an hour a day three days a week until they retake the exam in March. Monday night I'm staying with Cindy (an American and director of Kuyasa's Learning Center) and her husband so someone from Pnx doesn't have to drive to Kayamandi to pick me up. And hopefully I'll get to go to the creche at Agape this week on Wednesday.
Shout Out Section!
Keeping with the red head theme from last time, I'd like to extend an energetic hello to Jenna and Mike and, of course, Mallory, too! I hope you 3 are enjoying school and learning lots!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Gladness
Frederick Beuchner wrote:
"The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladess and the world's deep hunger meet."
This quotation seems to have come to life for me. I've decided to spend most of my time at Kuyasa in Kayamandi purely because the fit of my passions and loves with their needs and wants is too perfect to be a coincidence. They need a chemistry tutor, a female sports coach and some basic computer/administrative work done...all things I can do and enjoy! There is a deep hunger for hope in escaping the norm of early teenage pregnancy, alcoholism and HIV. And my heart gets excited to know I have the ability to help out in a small way.
Kayamandi is a black township about a 25 minute drive from Pneumatix. They have an incredibly high HIV/AIDS rate and girls are getting pregnant well before any American school would think of having a serious sex education lesson. It is also an area controlled by alcoholism. Across the street is a colored township with a huge gang and methamphetamine problem. But Kuyasa is a shining light in a hurting area. Kuyasa commonly has kids finish their program alongside the public school requirements and go onto University. These students learn how to find a passion in a productive and healthy area.
I spent my first real day there today. Students will not start coming for two more weeks so the Kuyasa staff can get everything organized as last week was the first week back after Holiday. So I helped out Cindy (the Learning Center director who's American but has lived in SA for 5 years) with organization of the 30 week curriculum she created last year for the different grade levels. I am still in awe that she put everything together herself!
I met a girl in grade 9 and we were talking about how school was going. She said it was good except she really didn't like her natural sciences class. She said it was too hard and was in shock when I told her that's what I studied! We've made an agreement that if she works hard I will make sure she will pass natural sciences this term. It's that kind of thing and relationship that gets me so excited! I've come back to Pnx today happy and excited for tomorrow! However, something else I'll have to work on with her is her infatuation with the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus. I'll need to convince her that just because it comes from American doesn't mean it's cool :) She was surprised when I told her I didn't know them personally. She said, "You are all from America, how do you not know them?" Maybe I should have told her I do know them and gained popularity among the girls!
I also attempted to figure out a problem with some of their computers. I have a basic enough grasp of computer things that I can usually fake my way through something and stumble upon the solution but I had no such luck this time. After struggling with it for about an hour it was brought to my attention that the last time this happened, and maybe the reason for the current problem, the rats had chewed through the wires...to which I could only reply with This Is Africa!
As a suggestion from the one and only Beth Olson, I'm going to start an occasional shout out section in my blogs. Pretty much, I don't see why not so it is now an official section!
Also as a suggestion from Beth, my first shout out goes to LUTE! Gotta love those red headed Iowans :)
So Lute...Hallo van Kaapstad! Ek hoop jy doen is wonderlik!
Disclaimer: I haven't actually learned any substantial Afrikaans. I cheated and used Google Translate.
"The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladess and the world's deep hunger meet."
This quotation seems to have come to life for me. I've decided to spend most of my time at Kuyasa in Kayamandi purely because the fit of my passions and loves with their needs and wants is too perfect to be a coincidence. They need a chemistry tutor, a female sports coach and some basic computer/administrative work done...all things I can do and enjoy! There is a deep hunger for hope in escaping the norm of early teenage pregnancy, alcoholism and HIV. And my heart gets excited to know I have the ability to help out in a small way.
Kayamandi is a black township about a 25 minute drive from Pneumatix. They have an incredibly high HIV/AIDS rate and girls are getting pregnant well before any American school would think of having a serious sex education lesson. It is also an area controlled by alcoholism. Across the street is a colored township with a huge gang and methamphetamine problem. But Kuyasa is a shining light in a hurting area. Kuyasa commonly has kids finish their program alongside the public school requirements and go onto University. These students learn how to find a passion in a productive and healthy area.
I spent my first real day there today. Students will not start coming for two more weeks so the Kuyasa staff can get everything organized as last week was the first week back after Holiday. So I helped out Cindy (the Learning Center director who's American but has lived in SA for 5 years) with organization of the 30 week curriculum she created last year for the different grade levels. I am still in awe that she put everything together herself!
I met a girl in grade 9 and we were talking about how school was going. She said it was good except she really didn't like her natural sciences class. She said it was too hard and was in shock when I told her that's what I studied! We've made an agreement that if she works hard I will make sure she will pass natural sciences this term. It's that kind of thing and relationship that gets me so excited! I've come back to Pnx today happy and excited for tomorrow! However, something else I'll have to work on with her is her infatuation with the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus. I'll need to convince her that just because it comes from American doesn't mean it's cool :) She was surprised when I told her I didn't know them personally. She said, "You are all from America, how do you not know them?" Maybe I should have told her I do know them and gained popularity among the girls!
I also attempted to figure out a problem with some of their computers. I have a basic enough grasp of computer things that I can usually fake my way through something and stumble upon the solution but I had no such luck this time. After struggling with it for about an hour it was brought to my attention that the last time this happened, and maybe the reason for the current problem, the rats had chewed through the wires...to which I could only reply with This Is Africa!
As a suggestion from the one and only Beth Olson, I'm going to start an occasional shout out section in my blogs. Pretty much, I don't see why not so it is now an official section!
Also as a suggestion from Beth, my first shout out goes to LUTE! Gotta love those red headed Iowans :)
So Lute...Hallo van Kaapstad! Ek hoop jy doen is wonderlik!
Disclaimer: I haven't actually learned any substantial Afrikaans. I cheated and used Google Translate.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Somewhere Over the Rainbow...
Hello from the most beautiful place on earth!
After 36 wonderful travel hours and 17 hours in the same flying metal tube, we were descending into Johannesburg with an absolutely beautiful full rainbow arching across the sky. Although I am yet to find the leprechaun and pot of gold in South Africa, it was an amazing greeting Monday night that brought to me a great sense of peace! Making this even better is the fact that rainbows are by far my favorite part of nature. I can't help but think of the rainbow in reference to God's promise to Noah never to destroy creation again and the formation of a covenant of partnership, love and dedication. Needless to say, the rainbow was quite the blessing! This was a sure sign of my God's kindness and compassion!
Daily breakdown...
Tuesday: After a significant amount of sleep and some unpacking, Maryna (Pneumatix's hospitality director) took me around Cape Town to pick up a few supplies and to see the sights. Most people are either mountain people or beach people. In Cape Town you don't have to decide! There are breath-taking mountains that go right up to the edge of the sea. It is hard to find the words to capture it's true beauty and a photo doesn't come close to doing it justice.
Wednesday: I spent the day at Kuyasa in Kayamandi township which is an after school program of sorts. They do an incredible amount of work in the township through a sports program teaching the skills and rules of basketball and soccer while incorporating life skills, a feeding scheme for about 250 pre-schoolers to third graders, a learning center to supplement the community school, a dance team...just to name a few. They knew nothing about me except that I am American so when I first introduced myself I tried to give the basics...I graduated with a degree in chemistry and I like sports. Jenny, the director, got all sorts of excited and told me they are in desperate need of a chemistry tutor/teacher, a female soccer & basketball coach and someone who can organize and create a database to keep track of the progress of their 450+ students. Funny how my interests and training are needed in South Africa, of all places!
Thursday: I visited Ubuntu House for a couple hours. It's a half-way house for newborns to 3 month old babies who are being adopted, are orphans or were abandoned by their mothers. This couple hours was really a challenge for me considering I've spent most of my life purposefully avoiding kids that are too young to walk and talk! I've declared on more than one occasion that I would be happiest when I had kids if I gave birth to 3rd graders :) But these babies need to be loved on and I've got 2 very capable arms to hold them. They deserve to know they were created on purpose and just because their mothers threw them out, does not mean they are worthless.
Friday: The day was spent at Agape in Grabouw. Agape has a lot going on with a house & school for special needs children with everything from autism to non-functioning legs and a separate creche for 2 to 5 year olds. I spent my time at the creche in the 3's & 4's room coloring, counting, playing outside (getting sunburn) and having a couple meals. These kids were adorable!
Early next week I will determine my weekly schedule. I would love to spend the majority of my time at Kuyasa as I feel that my passions and gifts will be best combined there. But I also had a ton of fun at the creche and am needed at Ubuntu, so we'll just have to see where I'm led!
Every day consisted of going up into the mountains or to the beach purely because it's too beautiful not to. Since Pneumatix is an arts school my eyes have been opened to the intricacies of our surroundings with the very specific colorings, shadings, placement and organization. We live in a very amazing place! Everyone's also been trying to teach me Afrikaans and my lack of language learning abilities has not helped the situation. Afrikaans originated as a Dutch & German combo but has turned into a crazy throaty language requiring a lot of phlegm to pronounce anything correctly and my nasally west Michigan accent seems to be getting in the way. Needless to say, I'm not learning too quickly. Cois (the director of Pneumatix and my original contact in South Africa) asks me everyday if I still feel American and has made it his goal to turn me into a full-fledged African! I've also spent a lot of time trying to explain why America is the way it is and that there is more to it than Obama, Iraq, cowboys and skinny celebs. It's funny because I feel like I've spent a good amount of time trying to break down American's African stereotypes and now I'm trying to break down the American stereotypes found in Africa.
All in all I'm doing well and have really enjoyed my first few days in Cape Town!
P.S. I also just found out I was accepted into the University of Michigan School of Public Health to complete a Master's beginning next fall!
After 36 wonderful travel hours and 17 hours in the same flying metal tube, we were descending into Johannesburg with an absolutely beautiful full rainbow arching across the sky. Although I am yet to find the leprechaun and pot of gold in South Africa, it was an amazing greeting Monday night that brought to me a great sense of peace! Making this even better is the fact that rainbows are by far my favorite part of nature. I can't help but think of the rainbow in reference to God's promise to Noah never to destroy creation again and the formation of a covenant of partnership, love and dedication. Needless to say, the rainbow was quite the blessing! This was a sure sign of my God's kindness and compassion!
Daily breakdown...
Tuesday: After a significant amount of sleep and some unpacking, Maryna (Pneumatix's hospitality director) took me around Cape Town to pick up a few supplies and to see the sights. Most people are either mountain people or beach people. In Cape Town you don't have to decide! There are breath-taking mountains that go right up to the edge of the sea. It is hard to find the words to capture it's true beauty and a photo doesn't come close to doing it justice.
Wednesday: I spent the day at Kuyasa in Kayamandi township which is an after school program of sorts. They do an incredible amount of work in the township through a sports program teaching the skills and rules of basketball and soccer while incorporating life skills, a feeding scheme for about 250 pre-schoolers to third graders, a learning center to supplement the community school, a dance team...just to name a few. They knew nothing about me except that I am American so when I first introduced myself I tried to give the basics...I graduated with a degree in chemistry and I like sports. Jenny, the director, got all sorts of excited and told me they are in desperate need of a chemistry tutor/teacher, a female soccer & basketball coach and someone who can organize and create a database to keep track of the progress of their 450+ students. Funny how my interests and training are needed in South Africa, of all places!
Thursday: I visited Ubuntu House for a couple hours. It's a half-way house for newborns to 3 month old babies who are being adopted, are orphans or were abandoned by their mothers. This couple hours was really a challenge for me considering I've spent most of my life purposefully avoiding kids that are too young to walk and talk! I've declared on more than one occasion that I would be happiest when I had kids if I gave birth to 3rd graders :) But these babies need to be loved on and I've got 2 very capable arms to hold them. They deserve to know they were created on purpose and just because their mothers threw them out, does not mean they are worthless.
Friday: The day was spent at Agape in Grabouw. Agape has a lot going on with a house & school for special needs children with everything from autism to non-functioning legs and a separate creche for 2 to 5 year olds. I spent my time at the creche in the 3's & 4's room coloring, counting, playing outside (getting sunburn) and having a couple meals. These kids were adorable!
Early next week I will determine my weekly schedule. I would love to spend the majority of my time at Kuyasa as I feel that my passions and gifts will be best combined there. But I also had a ton of fun at the creche and am needed at Ubuntu, so we'll just have to see where I'm led!
Every day consisted of going up into the mountains or to the beach purely because it's too beautiful not to. Since Pneumatix is an arts school my eyes have been opened to the intricacies of our surroundings with the very specific colorings, shadings, placement and organization. We live in a very amazing place! Everyone's also been trying to teach me Afrikaans and my lack of language learning abilities has not helped the situation. Afrikaans originated as a Dutch & German combo but has turned into a crazy throaty language requiring a lot of phlegm to pronounce anything correctly and my nasally west Michigan accent seems to be getting in the way. Needless to say, I'm not learning too quickly. Cois (the director of Pneumatix and my original contact in South Africa) asks me everyday if I still feel American and has made it his goal to turn me into a full-fledged African! I've also spent a lot of time trying to explain why America is the way it is and that there is more to it than Obama, Iraq, cowboys and skinny celebs. It's funny because I feel like I've spent a good amount of time trying to break down American's African stereotypes and now I'm trying to break down the American stereotypes found in Africa.
All in all I'm doing well and have really enjoyed my first few days in Cape Town!
P.S. I also just found out I was accepted into the University of Michigan School of Public Health to complete a Master's beginning next fall!
Monday, January 4, 2010
So what exactly are you doing??
Through a lot of patience and a lot of conversations with a lot of different people I am set to go to Cape Town! I will be leaving January 10 and returning in June with enough time to re-acclimate and get ready for grad school. During my stay I will be living at a Bible College called Pneumatix. My contact in Cape Town, Cois, is the director of Pneumatix. I will stay in one of their guest rooms, eat meals with the students and have a driver...at least until I get used to driving on the other side of the road! There are a few organizations I will be working with...Horizon International in their Kuyasa Kids program, Unbuntu House, Agape Family Church and in orphanages in Cape Town and Grabouw. Kuyasa does a lot for the local children in Kayamandi Township with leadership, schooling, sports programming, dance & choir teams and feeding programs. Ubuntu is a half way house for orphaned babies. All of these organizations are heavily focused on the HIV/AIDS crisis and the huge number of children and teens impacted by the disease. Pneumatix students are involved with several ministries in and around Cape Town and I will be able to learn about the various ministries and get involved once I arrive. I may also have the opportunity to work in a basketball ministry and a prison ministry. It all just depends on how busy I'd like to be! Cois has made a point to emphasize the beauty of Cape Town and that I will probably want time to climb the mountains and sit on the cliffs over-looking the ocean every so often.
These are some websites associated with the work I will be doing...
Pneumatix
Pnx Guest Facilities
Google map of Somerset West
Horizon International
Kuyasa Kids
Ubuntu
These are some websites associated with the work I will be doing...
Pneumatix
Pnx Guest Facilities
Google map of Somerset West
Horizon International
Kuyasa Kids
Ubuntu
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