We were all exhausted after donating everything. And I'm thinking, it was one of the first things that made us feel like we actually could help with something here for once.
Our usual structure during the next following days are lectures in the mornings and home visits in the afternoon, with an amazing lunch from the community center, dinner by a homestay family, and spend the night and evenings with our homestay families.
Yvonne was our first lecturer. She is a reverend and works with donation items and makes many visits to homes. She talks about how 100 dollars will last for four days for a family that has nothing. For a while she worked as an AIDS worker, and she works with donated items, because she looks and thinks of happiness, for the children. She said she doesn't have an answer for what is happening, its difficult to talk about HIV/AIDS in church, and that sex is considered a taboo, and people are never taught about relationships. She says she is not in an emotionally good place and it is hard for her to keep that balance. I can imagine. Yikes.
Now the discussion starts to get really heavy. Nombeko comes and talks to us, she is a member of the congregation and support group. She was gang raped in 1997, and became HIV positive. She has a 17 year old son, and is now watching after a 2 and a 1/2 year old. She describes what happened to her as her soul being taken away. It was a trama for her and her family, she became mentally ill, and eventually came over that barrier with that persistance that she needed. The only thing she regrets is that she said she would have rather been with her partner, because then it would've been nice. I teared up at that point. Can you imagine getting the disease and you didn't even have a choice? I chose to ask her a question and I asked her, "How do you deal with others and their feelings once they are infected?" She responded, "It's your choice to live or die with HIV." This woman is so happy, and thinks she is inevitable. And I admire her for that. She does not go around anymore feeling sorry for herself, and I think that is something many of us should start keeping in mind, including myself.
After those two heavy lectures, we had an amazing lunch and started our home visits. Words will not do justice about what I have seen, but I will talk about one woman in particular. This woman has 11 children in her home. Her name is Priscilla and she has two of her own, and the rest are foster children. Now I don't know if you know, but the government gives 210 rand per month for each child, that means it is about 30 dollars. PER MONTH. She has only two beds for this whole family of hers, and is trying to make ends meet. Again, the children hit me because they were so happy to see everyone. Here is a picture of some shacks that people live in here. Priscilla has a house, but it has a bathroom, living room, kitchen, and one bed room.
So after visits we had the options of going to an HIV support group (I went, but the frustrations I dealt with some Americans made me want to throw a shoe at them, I will explain later. But below is a picture of Thandile. Thandile is 6 years old, and she learning how to read and write. This girl did not have a place to sit at a table, so I sat next to her, and did not have a sharp pencil with an eraser on it. But of course, she was still happy as usual.
Then it was a fabulous dinner at my mama's house (ThoBeka), dancing (Chicken dance, no, not the one in the states), and we didn't get to talk to our mother that much because she was so tired. So Sonazi tried to teach Elisa and I some of the Xhosa language and clicks. I will tell you this, I did not succeed.
Then it was off for another heavy day of emotion. Elisa and I were pooped and in bed by 9:30.
Today I was wine touring, and Mom and Dad you'll love what I got you. HOpefully it makes it back to the states. I'm off to church tomorrow and a surprise. Yay, love surprises.
Its weird to be back in what my life is here, compared to what I have experienced this past week. It was weird to go out to bars last night, knowing I had money to spend. I'm glad I came back earlier with Brian and Hilary, because I wasn't ready to head back to reality yet. I haven't hit a low yet on this trip, and it hit me today during our wine tour. During study abroad you hit a bump at one point. It starts off loving life and being excited, to a low point, and back up again. Then when you get back you have a low point again. I hit my low point today. I wasn't talking, I was bitter, compared to my mood yesterday running around, to today not talking was definitely my sign. There's so much to process in my brain, that I do not know where to start.
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