Dangerous and Inspiring

Sorry no pictures today. You get to read my awful writing :) This is a really long blog but you you really need to read. Today we discovered the second most dangerous thing about this trip. Don’t be worried they aren’t things that can threaten us, they are only things that can make us extremely fat. Well Tuesday night we discovered the most amazing pudding that the hotel restaurant serves which we then managed to eat on Wednesday night too. It is a warmed chocolate syrup cake that is baked on top and gooey on bottom. Literally to die for!! 

Tonight as me and my roommates were hanging out at our kitchen table trying to do our homework due tomorrow we all wanted some ice cream. Thanks to the front desk we discovered Mr. Delivery. They will deliver anything and everything right to your front door. It’s like bulldawg delivery but in Cape Town. Thanks to Mr. Delivery we had McDonald’s milkshakes (real American I know) delivered right to our front door. We have only been here 5 days and have already eaten the chocolate pudding twice and now found Mr. Delivery. Don’t worry mom and dad I plan on hiking Table Mountain again to work off all my sweets and alcohol.

It currently sounds like we are sitting through a hurricane. The wind is going insane outside. It is supposed to rain all day tomorrow but I am hoping it will rain tonight and be sunny and clear tomorrow. The weather has been amazing since we have been here which they say never happens. I guess Mother Nature is excited that we are here!

Anyways, today we had our first look into a township in Cape Town and let me tell you it was an eye opener. I honestly don’t understand how a family can live there. The houses were shacks made with either bricks or cements blocks and others were made with scraps of metal or wood just thrown up. The houses were almost on top of each other stretching for miles and miles each direction. As we were driving by on our nice leather seat charter busses all the little kids were running outside jumping up and down waving at us. They were so excited to see us coming and you couldn't help but smile waving back at these little kids. Even the adults would wave and smile welcoming us to their home. I was amazing that they were so inviting and wanted us to be there. When everyone on the bus waved to the locals their faces lit up with joy like we just made their day for saying hello. Just seeing day made my day too. 

While in the township we went into one of the schools part of the Amy Biehl Foundation. Amy Biehl was an American women volunteering in South Africa during the 1990s committed to making a difference. She was an advocator for voting rights and was helping to create and free and democratic South Africa. She made many friends white, black, and colored forgetting the negative connotation her skin color could have. One day she was driving her colored friends home when a political mob stopped her and forced her out of the car. She was then stoned with bricks and stabbed to death. Her life ended when she was 26 and just two days before she was planning on returning home to America. The four men that killed her were sentenced to 18 year of prison. When the Truth and Reconciliation Act was established the four men applied to be released and with the help of Amy’s parents and their forgiveness of these four men they were released from prison after just 5 years. Amy’s parents were able to forgive the men that killed their daughter because they believed that the apartheid robbed these boys of their childhood and the apartheid thought them to hate white people. Amy's parents believed in the truth and reconciliation process and today Amy’s mother and one of the men that killed Amy actually travel around together to tell their story. The Amy Bielh Foundation was then started in honor of her. 

The foundation was started to help kids in the townships stay off the streets and have a better education. They put on an afterschool program where the kids learn about education, playing instruments, dance, playing sports, and much more. We went to one of the programs today and watched the children play the flute, guitar, drums, and violin. They put on an awesome performance where they danced and sang. The African dance was so cool to watch and everyone was screaming away for them as they performed. When we arrived at the school the kids were so excited for us. We went into one classroom where a girl stood on a chair and gave a speech about how they were learning about plants and animals and how plants and animals are not discriminated against one another because of their type or differences. She then asked us why are people discriminated against one another. We are all humans. Everyone was in awe after this girl spoke. She was the best public speaker and captured everyone attention and maybe only 13 years old!

Most of the workers at the programs are volunteers. One girl was from Holland and staying for 4 months to teach the flute. She was only 18! How inspiring is that?? When it was time for us to leave all of the kids kept asking us if we were going to come back. They did not want to see us leave and were so happy we came and watch them perform even if it was only for a few hours. The passion that they all have for the activities they are learning about is inspiring. I was speechless when I left and I literally cannot wait to go back during our service week. I impact these kids have made on my life after just one day was insane. I can only imagine how I will feel after a week of serving. 

Here is the link to the Amy Biehl Foundation incase anyone is interested…

http://www.amybiehl.co.za/

Goodnight to all and thanks for reading!! :) 

-D