talk story

many of my blogs are not so concrete
but usually express dialy heart issues
i am dealing with
but i want to talk story today



we have been working with a woman in Masiphumelele
WENDY
she knows and is trusted
many people in the community come to her
in desperate situations
we have been working to provide food
for many of these most needy families
MANY
of you!
have been a part of making this happen!
yesterday and today
we bought 3 grocery carts full of food
from Pick And Pay
Rice
Mealy Meal
Flour
Sugar
Canned Fish
Coffee
Tea
Oil
then the 4 of us
Michelle
Sofia
Wendy
Me
Plus the Parking Lot Guard
piled all this food,
and ourselves
into a 1970 Blue Beattle.
turned the key
It wouldn't Start!
so we prayed
we called a mechanic
brad came-- in His 1970 yellow beattle
and we piled out
along with all the food
repacked his car
he took wendy home
and we popped th clutch on the beattle and got her started
today-
we get wendy
in the yellow beattle
go back to Pick and Pay
(we forgot Soap)
and then to a fuirt and Veg market
oddly enough it is named Fruiterers
and get spinach
and Potaoes!
we PILE in the Beattle once again
and drive back to wendy's house. organize all the food!
it was satifying
after all the months.
working toward helping these needy families/children
they range from
orphans
to
single Mom's lving in the last stages of HIV.



we met a new family today
the Mama had her grandchild on her back
we stood in their bare shack and smiled
she is a beautiful and strong woman
she is raising her daughter who is 17
and 2 neices who are orphaned
they are 17 and 20 -- both still in high school
She is a single mother.
a Widow
She had a 20 ish year old son
who, about a month ago,
was shot and killed at a party in Masi
by a gang that came from another township to make trouble
He was the only one in the family who worked
HE supported them all.
so now they go hungry.
the temptation to ask her daughter to drop our of high school
is strong
who else will support them all?
by giving them food each month
the girls will have a chance to get an education
to be a leader
to do more than
"JUST SURVIVE"




It is hard to explain to people in the western world
the mentality of people in developing countries
it is hard to understand myself!
and i see it,
i experience it second hand.
"HAND TO MOUTH"
daily survival.
no planning a head
not able to think of the future
today's needs are SO pressing


Brad, Michelle and Jeremiah
have gone into the elementary school these past few days
just to help take pictures of kids.
Some people who work with us are teaching Music and Art in the classrooms.
the list of questions
to go along with the pictures

Name:
Age:
Brothers and sisters:
What you do outside of school:
What do you want to be when you grow up:

Basic questions
right?
The answers to
What do you do outside of schoo:
were shocking...
The frequent answers were
"Clean"
"Do Laundry"
"Pick of my little sister from daycare"
"make food"
Want to know the average age?
10 - 12

this is the world they live in
necessity before anything else!

in the midst of all the suffering
people are finding hope.

i Talked with my friend Vivian (name changed) yesterday.
She was so moved to know that we are able to give her food monthly
She is sick with HIV
and has a 4 year old son
She loves Jesus so much
she was recently baptised
and also has recently got a job
her job pays 7.30 Rand and hour
(10R =1$)
but now at least she can pay back her friend that she is indebted to
she owed her 1600R
which she used for food when she had no work.
but she makes pennies
i told her about this amazing training program
some friends of ours are starting
called Farflung
it is a 2 year art/buisness school
for 10 women
they get a stipen to live on
(which is more then she makes working)
and they get to learn for free!
the goal is to make leaders out of women in the community
women who can start their own buisnesses and employ others!
when filling out the application with her
the question stated:
"Who will benefit from your training at Farflung?"
her answer
"The bible says we must help those who are suffering. with this training i can help them..."



She gets it...
and encourages me...