Zebra and hippos and giraffes, oh my!

(See the rhino?? Me and my roommate Amanda Torres)

So this week I have been pretty tired. This was the only week of intensive work so far so I am very thankful, bus still, I'm very tired! Today I had an art presentation, tonight I'm turning in a 12 pg paper (which I already have about 7 pages of) and then tomorrow morning I'm speaking in chapel on Joshua 3&4 so I have to prepare for that.

But this week did not go without some fun too :) We had a great night at the Keg&Hedgehog (a restaurant down the road and the only place we can go at night basically...) on Tuesday. Wednesday I got to tag along with the Biology class and go to a game reserve. I will add pictures later because my camera died the moment we got there :( but it was SO great!! There were TONS of zebra, giraffes, hippos, white rhino, a warthog like Pumba!, lots of animal that look like deer but I have no idea what their names are. SO awesome! I REALLY felt like I was in Africa for one of the first times. Like the typical, Lion King Africa. It was hilarious because we were in a safari car like in Indiana Jones (and no doubt we sang the theme song...) and taking pictures like tacky tourists. Then the place we were at was a tourist site and had an awesome outdoor pool so we got to swim for a while.



When we came back from the safari we were realllly tired but had to go to dinner then right after go to an AWESOME presentation by Sean Wisedale, the first South African to climb Mt. Everest and the other 6 highest peeks on all the continents. His story was sooo awesome. I didn't know that you didn't just go up Everest when the weather was good. They were on the mountain for three months and he was the only one in his group that was strong enough by the end to go on. Wow! He had a really captivating presentation and story. Great speaker. And I guess he is a big celebrity here in SA.. it was hilarious we had to be TOLD that. It's like Michael Jordan coming to a meeting and you're just looking at him like a "normal" guy. Which is probably what we should always do, but it was funny being on the other side... ignorant!

We then went over and had a surprise birthday party for Laura Jane, chocolate cake and all :) THEN I got to finish my art presentation... about 10pm. The internet had been out since I got back and so that was frustrating as I was looking forward to talking to Jeremy. But this is Africa! No "unlimited" or "guaranteed"! The internet goes out mostly when there's a storm and man there was a huge storm last night! I love them here though. I don't really do my hair so I don't mind if it's wet. But I was happy to wake up this morning to a sunshine and hot day. Had art class and my presentation went well. Man, that class is so long though. 8:30-1p of lecture. *Yawn!* Now I'm in Life & Teachings of Jesus learning about the Gospel of Thomas and why it is not legit and Luke's account of Jesus' crucifixion.

Tomorrow after chapel we are going to Bonginkosi after chapel which is a preschool we have all been to before, and helping them plant a garden and playing with the kids. Then I will have my first free afternoon in a while :) Saturday morning we board the bus at 5:45 AM and have a FULL day of Battlefields tours. Haha... yeah, we're all SO excited about that. We get back at 7pm and I'm sure we'll be drained! Sunday hopefully we all can recover in time for finals week next week! I only have Art so it's not that big of a deal for me but the bio people have lots of work.

And that's that :) Hard to be away from home and Jeremy. But I have 10 weeks left here and am really enjoying it :) It's good I'm staying so busy because it makes time go by quickly! I just hate experiencing all of these awesome/growing things without some of the closest people to me! Glad for blogs and internet :)

With love from Africa,
Paige

Goooo Sharks!

Hello! It's been a few days. Much to tell!

Friday we went to a possible service site for next month's community engagement month. It involves a lot of manual labor but is by far the most organized/appealing of the sites. I don't think I'll put that as my first choice but I know that will get a big response. I think I'm going to chose "Walk in the Light" which was last week's. It's an old prison that has been converted into a woman's shelter, school, business place, etc. and I think that my personality and strengths will fit best then. I'm not going to lie.. the women who come usually have babies or are pregnant (most likely from rape) and I would love to be with the babies!!! :)

Saturday was a long day but awesome! Well, the morning was pretty frustrating because we had a long and boring art time in a museum in Durban. BUT once that was over the day looked great :) Our driver dropped us off at a market on the beach we have been to before (might I brag- on the Indian Ocean!:)) and my friend Yvette and I did some great shopping! I got some stuff for my apartment next year and am SO stoked! Beautiful picture, coasters, etc. :) :) :) And all for such great deals. And I used my bargaining skills (thanks to Jim Bogear who taught me them while I was with his family in Jamaica) and got my prices low low low :)

It was SO HOT that day so we walked to the main restaurant and had some smoothies and met up with some of the group. We went to the beach, shopped around, showered/rinsed up and headed to the busses for the SHARKS RUGBY GAME! We all painted our faces and were wearing Red & Black (minus the guy I gave the curse of the elephant to who had to be Lion's fan wearing Red and White:))


The game was SO FUN! And that's not just because we won :) It's hilarious how much more entertaining it is than football. The play doesn't stop when the ball falls, there is no padding, and the two 40 minute halves went by so quickly and are SO intense!! Plus, we were all sitting together and by some awesome fans and we STARTED most all of the chants and the wave (which was seriously impressive to get the WHOLE stadium doing what we decided!). Such an awesome game. They had 16 inch hotdogs as their signature meal and beer was abundant. Overall: AWESOME night. We got back at about 11pm that night. Talked to Jeremy for a few then headed to sleep to wake up about 6 hours later to go to church.


Definitely shouldn't have gone because I was too tired. No sense in going to church if you're excited to pray because you have an excuse to close your eyes! Took a nap when I got back but the mood of that whole day with everyone was that we were all SO tired and had a lot of homework to do. As you can tell, we don't have much time to devote to homework as they keep us busy with activities and all our Saturdays are occupied. All day yesterday I replied emails then stayed up later to do my homework. (Late being in bed at 11:30... the perception time is just different being here) I got to talk to Barbie on Skype so that was a great break! I'm she could notice I was a little tired!

Today has been all class. Art which wasn't too bad (usually really boring), Life and Teachings which was great! (about healing and miracles in the gospels), and now I'm in History and Culture of SA which isn't too entertaining (thus why I'm writing the blog!)

This week is my big work week. Have a art presentation, Life & Teachings paper and giving the talk in chapel on Friday. Realllly excited because on Wednesday I'm going with the biology class to a nature reserve to see rhinos. Woo hoo! Busy busy. Other than that life is "normal".

Today we had chapel before classes where a man who is a mentor/leader here at AE came to speak. He talked about the destiny that God has for us, which at first I thought was a corny topic but as he went on he then challenged us to take a time of prayer in which, in my frustration I was talking to God about how I want to know so badly what kind of job to pursue and what to "do" with my life and God clearly challenged me, "Why? Why do you need to know right now? You want to know because you want security. Having total security is not living a life of faith. I am not going to tell you. You need to have faith. Take a step then see where I took you." I'm not going to lie- I was still frustrated in that moment. But as the day has passed I have been really encouraged and excited that God CARES about me enough to 1) reassure me 2) challenge and stretch me 3) have a plan for me that, even though I may not know, is STILL a plan to use me for His kingdom. How awesome! This is GOD we are talking about, people! God, the creator of the universe, told me today to just trust him and take steps of faith. How awesome.

Praise God for his faithfulness and the fact that he cares SO much for each one of us!

African Aerobics & My Curse

Part 1:

Oh to be in Africa..

A few times a week there are gym runs for the people who want to go. Today I thought, "Why not?! Easy way to avoid homework and not get fat!" so I got dressed and headed out with 6 other girls, including our leader Kelli. We went to the gym, got signed in, and headed to Step Aerobics. I have done step once or twice before... but Liz was my instructor and so she definitely kept an eye out for me and didn't make things too complicated. The room was PACKED! And everyone quickly took the spots marked out on the floor and guess what was left?!? FRONT & CENTER!!!!

So I ask a few people if they want to switch and no answer. Grrreat. And luckily I'm semi-coordinated because this was an advance step class. I actually did pretty well until the end where she basically stopped teaching the steps- and everyone was grapevining in circles, on top of and around their step and i literally just stood there until I could pick the sequence back up at the beginning. BUT I'm clearly a foreigner, front and center, and should not have been in advance step.. or at least in the back with the rest of the girls!

That's my story. And seriously the woman behind me was wearing an '80s leotard & leggings. So funny!

____

Part 2:

About 2 weeks ago someone decided to start "The curse of the elephant". In our hang out room there's a carved wooden elephant that has been passed around each day to a new person with a curse on it. It started off as having to bawk like a chicken when someone said CJ's name. Amanda had to mark her face every time she walked through a door with a pen so she had tallies all on her cheeks. Katrina had to walk on a ladder everywhere she went- picking it up, walking on it, and picking it up again.... At Shaka Land both Lauren and Ashleigh were tied together with a string... ALL day (so funny!). Megan Goeman couldn't sit all day so she had to kneel or lay or squat... and so on. This evening I came back from DGroup and found that elephant on my desk, screamed and nearly gave my roommate a heart attack!! My curse:

"Tomorrow you may not use utensils, or your hand to eat anything... have fun face first! Love, Katrina"

Luckily I eat cereal for breakfast... wait.... ha! oh it will be a messy day! All in love :) Can't wait to pass the curse on!

Heartbroken...

*sigh* Today was another day Megan and I got to go to the hospital. Basically every Wednesday for the next 3 weeks you can predict a message similar to this one.

We got to go for about 2 hours today. So little time and we both come out so changed. We went straight up to the children's ward where we were last time and met re-introduced ourselves with the nurses ("sisters"). They remembered us and quickly dismissed us to let us play with the kids. It was about 11a and many of the kids were asleep. There are four rooms of six beds we are able to go into (where the kids aren't contagious). The kids for the most part were asleep and their moms were SO tired. Each one seemed so drained. Since the kids were asleep, including the two we spent the most time with last week, we decided to go check out the other wards. This hospital is HUGE! Like, amazingly huge. So it took us about 10 minutes to find the maternity ward, then ask for permission and get redirected upstairs. All the babies up there were with their moms so we were told "not today". But I'd rather have those babies with their moms than needing people to hold them! But as you probably know- I LOVE babies and would have been so excited to hold some!! Especially bran new ones! :)

So Megan and I took the long walk back and headed to the children's ward. More kids were awake and we started talking with the moms and hearing what was wrong. Many of the mom's had only general guesses as to what was wrong- which was hard to see the defeat in their eyes as we would ask and they wouldn't really have an answer. We went into the room what had started to feel like home, where Olwe and the little boy were. Olwe slept for the next 30 minutes as we played with then fed the little boy. But this was the hardest part. Remembering Evie at 11 months, when we were walking her around as she was holding our fingers and as she was sitting up and crawling... this little boy couldn't sit up without us having a hand on his side. I changed his diaper and things were seriously wrong down there. We asked the nurse, who we were starting to get to know, Cynthia, and she said it was because his mother had neglected him he had so many problems. We had also noticed more.. once we picked him up it was almost a reminder to him of how it felt to be carried around and he DID NOT want to be put down. So Megan held him and I fed him. His eyes had a twitch and were a little cross eyed. He had two sores on his tiny left arm. He needed a bath so I used paper towels and wiped and dried him a little.. but not enough.I don't know if you have seen a baby with an IV in.. but it is just the saddest sight. Megan and I didn't cry because it wasn't the setting- but we were heartbroken. This baby is lucky to be fed, given an IV, looked after but still leaving him in such awful conditions was unbearable. This is his third time in the hospital and after the first time his Mom brought him in she just stopped coming back to care for him. The nurse Cynthia was equally as saddened by his condition. She has a 13 and 6 year old and could not believe a mother would stop caring for her child. And he is ELEVEN months old.. unimaginable. And to think that he still had one of the cutest and biggest smiles I've seen is amazing. Such a picture of pure love. Pure helplessness as any child has. The simple joy that comes with simple things such as a touch.



That's pretty much a Readers Digest version of the day. Olwe ended up waking up while we were feeding the little boy and a nurse fed and changed her then left. She just laid there crying. I almost couldn't take it. We were already late for getting our ride so I couldn't give her attention...

As I was writing this my roommate Amanda had on Jack Johnson and the song "If I Could" came on.

A brand new baby was born yesterday,
Just in time
Papa cried, baby cried
Said, your tears are like mine
I heard some words
from a friend on the phone,
didn't sound so good
The doctor gave him two weeks to live
I'd give him more if I could

You know that I would now
If only I could
You know that I would now
If only I could

Down the middle drops one more
grain of sand
They say that
new life makes losing life easier to understand
Words are kind
they help ease the mind
I miss my old friend
And though you gotta go
we'll keep a piece of your soul
One goes out
One comes in

You know that I would now
If only I could
You know that I would now
If only I could

Makes me cry... as it was so applicable to my experience today. "If only I could" be there every day to give that little boy and Olwe human touch and affection. So brokenhearted. Wondering what is MY role in this world.. in making these problems better. I HAVE to do something. And so do you. Children are being raised with 2 meals a day, random baths and don't know any basics in hygiene. Are we seriously going to sit around and just pray for them??? We are the hands and feet of Jesus. How will we move them? I no longer will have compassion for people who "don't know what to do" to help the situation. FIND OUT A WAY. Seriously, think of all the organizations out there. Sponsoring a child. Adopting a child. Sending money to hospitals or missionaries... I don't know what it is for you but I challenge you to not go unchanged.. not to click away from here to Facebook and resume life. Something needs to happen. I don't know how it looks for you and I'm not going to pretend I do... but I am looking at injustice, poverty, death and sickness and can not act like it's not happening. It is.

Tuesday Update

Hello! I made a little video :) So here you go!



In addition to that here's some more news:
Classes here are really low key. The professors teach as much as American professors but the work load- probably just with this study abroad program- has been light. And praise the Lord because I we have so many community outreach things we can do that we wouldn't be able to do if we had huge papers. I am learning a lot in my Life & Teachings of Jesus class and enjoying that a lot. Not really liking my art class anymore because we stopped doing art and now are just learning theory. For 4 hours at a time. BORE. So that's kinda a bummer but we have 2 more weeks, finals, and I'm done!! Trying to keep that perspective!

Here's a layout of this week's plans
Monday: had classes from 8:30a-6:00p, tea, dinner, out with friends to a restaurant, stay up late with two girlfriends, and email throughout the day.
Tuesday (today): skype conference call with dad, mom, brooke, josh, jeremy, and brennan. short discussion class from 8:30-9, talk with Jeremy, read, make videos, email people back, lunch, try to work on homework but fell asleep, sleep, dinner, "speed friendship" for an hour, check email because EVERYONE is online and i am about to go to bed, talk to Jesus, sleep.
Wed: My one day of NO class! Sleep in, skip breakfast? get ready, tea time, possible trip to the preschool or to the hospital, gym run, work on homework like a mad woman, discipleship group at a local missionaries' house, and go to bed :)
Thurs: Skype people, breakfast, class until 4:30, (art and life and teachings of jesus), tea, dinner, hang, homework, discipleship group.
Friday: 830am Chapel! (on chapel team so I help run them), visit a service site we could work at in a few weeks when we start Community Engagement (classes end and basically we have a full time volunteer job in the community), lunch, life and teachings of jesus 2-4, tea, email, dinner, probably go to the mall (which has a movie theater, grocery store, etc. etc.)
Saturday: 7am Go to Durban (40 min) with my art class to go to a huge museum. Trying to remember that I am thankful for that opportunity..... then stay there until the SHARKS RUGBY GAME!!!! Highlight of my week for sure.
Sunday: 730 church, lunch, our leader talked with her masseuse (sp?) and got her and a few people to come from 1-5 for anyone who wanted to get manicures, pedicures, hair cuts or massages. DEFINITELY getting a massage!!!!!! it's $22 for an hour massage (with US money).

And that's a typical week :) Packed... but fun. Keeps time flying by!!
With love from South Africa,
Paige

Valentines Day SURPRISE!!!!!!!

Although it wasn't him that was delivered to my door step... it was the second best thing :)



I had left lunch kind of early to check email before class and a friend, Megan, came and got me and had a big smile on her face and told me I had to come with her. I got a liiiittle nervous because I had NO idea why she was looking at me like that but I went and a bunch of girls were waiting at the dining hall for me and turned around and gave me the present!! I instantly started crying (apparently that's how I react when I'm REALLY happily surprised... it's a reoccurring theme!) and opened the note and saw they were from him... it made me SO happy! Total surprise :) :) :) Good job, Babe! And now I can't stop smiling :) P.S. That chocolate is AMAZING!

That's my story for today :) So happy!!!!

Lovelovelove,
Paige

Best day... ever.

To preface this: I won't be able to describe everything that went on today and my emotions that along.. but all I can say is that I have been changed.

There is a public hospital down the street from the AE center where I'm staying. My friend Megan and I decided to go today. There was a group going downtown to shop from 10:30-1 so we got dropped off there and picked up when they came back. This morning I was praying for our safety and for God to provide us with opportunities. When we got to the hospital Megan and I went straight into the bathroom to get away and prayed God's hand of blessing over the day and for guidance. We went to talk to the person at the information booth and she said we had to go to the building over to get permission from the managers on the 3rd floor to volunteer. So, Megan and I went there and the person was not going to be in until 1:30 her secretary wouldn't give us permission. We went back hoping that the woman would allow us in anyways but she wouldn't. So we had to go back to the 3rd floor and find SOMEONE who would give us permission... I feel like we did it more than 2x. We went down a short hall of offices and there were two open doors. We went in to the one on the right and the woman listened to our awkward introduction,
"Hi, we're wondering if we can volunteer? *silence* We're from the US studying abroad"
*silence" and she says, "Oh so you're medical students?"
we reply, "Um no.. we are just here because we wanted to come and talk to the people who don't get visitors. *pause* We have done it before in nursing homes and know that people really appreciate a listening ear so we wanted to come visit people..."

and after a series of awkward questioning and answering she phoned a doctor and took us to go see him. We had our introduction a little better by that point but REALLY had to smile our way into getting him to allow us to do it. We had to write a paper explaining why we were there and for what time and what reason and he signed it eventually.

Praise the LORD! We had access now to any of the wards (children, maternity, urgent care, etc. etc.). I don't know if many of you know but it's my dream job to go to hospitals and rock babies and feed and play with them. Something about giving love to a child who is alone is a passion of mine. So Megan and I are walking around this HUGE hospital and decide to start off in the children's ward to get ourselves warmed up to being in the hospital and getting comfortable, as children are so easy to be around!!

I felt like every decision we made was a guided one. We ended up going on a wing of the children's ward and asked a nurse where we could go to be of any help. She showed us the wing of rooms we weren't allowed to go into because the children were contagious and the hall where we could go. We just had to wash our hands as we went from one room to the next so we didn't spread anything around. The rooms were set up with 6 cribs/beds in each one, so as we walked in the first one there were some Mom's taking care of their children or sitting by them and some nurses checking on their patients. It was really hard for me to stay in that room as there was a child who was probably 4 holding her own oxygen mask and each breath was a gasp. She looked so tired and her Mom and little sister were just sitting beside her, so exhausted as well. We got to talk to the moms, ask them their names and why their child was in there. Most of the people understood some English but PRAISE THE LORD Megan is taking the Zulu class so she knows much more than I do!

We walked into the next room and that's where we both fell in love. There was one baby crying in her crib all alone. She was actually 3 years old, about the size of a 2 year old and beautiful as can be! Her name was Olwetau Abokadi (yeah, i can't pronounce it either..) and I went up to her and stroked her arm and was trying to sooth her when a nurse came up and told me she was blind. She said the little girl just wants to get up and walk around but they can't walk her 24-7 (Barbie, I'm sure you understand this!) but they said I could. And let me tell you, this girl's face BEAMED with joy when I picked her up and stood her on the ground. She wasn't too strong so I had to hold one of her hands, but for a good 40 minutes we walked up and down the hall and then the other nurses and doctors, seeing that I was now in love with this baby girl, started to warm up to and like me as well. And this girl soaked UP any attention she could get. Smiles are all around. When she was done walking and I picked her up she kept hitting my chest because she liked the sound and I was too happy that she was enjoying it to care to stop her. I had her feel where my necklace was and she held on to that for a while too. I was told that the volunteers who watch her "are white people too so she probably understands you" so that was helpful. Comforting someone is basically the same in any language, but I was so glad that I sounded familiar.. even if I didn't have a British accent!

In the mean time Megan found a PRECIOUS little boy, probably about 15 pounds and my guess would be 9-11 months. He was hooked to an IV and in there for, what we could understand, was tuberculosis. He was a little skeptical at first but she got a bear and once she made him laugh he really warmed up to her! And the moms and nurses watching us then started to get comfortable. So Megan and I got to laugh and play with these babies. I'm SO sad I didn't get a shot of Olwe (her nickname) smiling because with those big brown eyes and dimples... couldn't get cuter! It was lunch time while we were there and so we got to feed them as well. Olwe was in there because she is not developed enough for a 3 year old and is too small, but MAN does she have an appetite! Every nurse who came by told me "Oh this girl won't stop eating!" :) I fed her rice and potatoes and beef and yogurt... they had great meals which made me thankful.

The boy next to Olwe was 8 years old and in there for seizures. It was heartbreaking as literally the ENTIRE time I was in there he was moaning or seizing. My heart broke as I could not imagine how tired his body was. I think it even happens when he sleeps. His eyes were rolling back and feet twitching too. I talked to him while I fed her but it was even hard to do that. I tried to treat him like a normal 8 year old boy but it was hard. A few times I would start talking to him in a soothing voice and he would become still for a few moments which I was beyond thankful for. About every 10 minutes someone else would come over and put his blanket back around him that had been pushed aside. I just sat there and prayed and prayed for healing and courage and guidance in those two kids' lives who will be controlled by these physical setbacks.

We could tell that the nurses appreciating us looking after the two kids too. Even at one point a nurse came and sat on the bench with me and was able to have a moment to take a deep breath. It was a great witnessing experience as both Megan and I know a Zulu song translated as:

"I'm walking, walking
Nothing, nothing
I'm searching, searching,
Nothing, nothing
I'm turning turning,
Nothing, nothing

There's no one, there's no one like Jesus
There's no one there's no one like him (2x)"

and as women would pass and hearing us sing those as lullabies or singing Jesus Loves Me they would stop and listen and hopefully realize we are Christians. Since being here I have been more comfortable with sharing my faith openly. Probably because it is not taboo in the culture to talk often and openly about politics, religion, health/AIDS, problems, triumphs, etc. So walking down the hall telling Olwe that she was beautiful and Jesus loved her was not a problem at all. And I knew the doctors were peering over at me to see why I was hunched over!

12:30 came and we had to go. We washed our hands and said our goodbyes.. but Olwe did not understand obviously why I had left and started crying and looked so confused in her crib as she was going from side to side. I couldn't leave with her so upset so I tired to comfort her and rub her back and let her know I was there and she mellowed down eventually praise God and by the time we left she had fallen asleep. I was fighting back tears though. Still am now!

So that was my morning. I could honestly do that for the rest of my life and never have one regret. I am SO looking forward to going back and hopefully Megan and I can go each week at least once or twice. I wish I could go every day, even if it's to relieve the stress of the nurses of having to care for so many patients.

That's my story :) Can't wait to tell you guys more!