Hey Gang,
Today will be a lighter post allowing for all of us to digest the heavy commentary I scribed yesterday. In some ways, today mirrors the hope instilled by the Masibumbane Mission, community togetherness in the maw of socio-economic unrest. Today was one of those days that is needed to replenish the soul and a reminder of how good God can be to us. Pietermaritzburg roared to life this morning in celebration of the annual Comrades Marathon. Over 25,000 people signed up to run a distance spanning some 90 km from Durban to the finish area a mere mile from the seminary flats. When I say the city turned out, it turned out. Roads were shut down and barricades erected to divide the onslaught of fans cheering on a multitude of runners as they neared the end of their lengthy jogging endeavors. I myself am not a jogger. Running or fast moment of any kind is not a mental disposition I possess. Unless of course edibles are involved, but, that is an entirely different ramble altogether. I attended the event with our married seminary friends, John and Carmen, as well as my compatriot and all around good fella Daniel. It was a cool sunny day, much better than South Africa's portrayal of Antarctica earlier in the week. That had been an Oscar worthy performance. In many ways the atmosphere reminded me of the rodeo hoo-hah back in the States. To avoid being marked as a tourist I often use the slang prevalent in the area, so if you desire to sound sophisticated look no farther than referring to our patriotic homeland as the States.
I know many of you didn't come to read a blog based solely on physical exercise. The reason being that thinking of a gentle cool breeze blowing across your neck as beads of sweat start to moisten your shirt can only lead to one thing, food. That is right. The marathon came complete with low priced highly authentic wonderful goodness in the form of the food tent area. I was thrilled to finally arrive. Being hungry in the midst of options makes life very challenging. I felt like Frogger trying to navigate chicken wraps marinated in authentic Indian spices and heat seeking foot long sausage dogs. Inevitably, the sausage dogs won, culminating in a brat induced euphoria. Hot dogs here are of far superior quality and cheaper price than back home. South Africans take their dogs seriously, as it where. They also incorporate spices into every wiener, which when combined with some familiar "tomato" sauce, makes for one heck of an experience. Food comes early and often here always greeted by a smile and napkin firmly tucked under my chin. I already dread leaving this new found love behind when I head home.
Beyond gorging myself, I found today a needed respite. The first week's exposure to several intimidating social issues left me little time to work and process through how I felt. Today, as we strolled through the streets taking in the sights of a thriving community atmosphere, I felt at peace and relaxed. I still don't have all the answers. Best for world I am sure that no one is leaving me in charge. Yet, genuine joy filled the streets and with happiness comes hope. Hope, that despite the conditions of yesterday the now can be more real and wonderful than any future. Not that we don't work towards a better tomorrow. We must as community grounded in love and the message of the Cross. The future however, should never take away from the blessings of today and revelation of God's majesty in the here and now.
Matthew 6:31-34
"31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Leave it up to Christ to say wise words on enjoying the pleasures of the now balanced with the concerns of what is to come. I couldn't have said it better myself.
Until next time,
Jamison
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
South Africa - Fellowship Within the Aids Pandemic
Hey Gang,
This is Jamison blogging from the comfort of my flat located in Pietermaritzburg. I find it hard to believe that I have already been here for over a week. How time flies when nothing around you is familiar and everything you do is for the first time. The "flats" refer to the seminary apartment complex where the students at Seth Mokitimi all live together in community. They share common areas, including laundry and the computer room. They also share transport and ride too and from school together on one of the three fine shuttles afforded them by the seminary. Our favorite is affectionately referred to as the "venture", a mid sized SUV from the mid nineties. A classic no one should be without when rolling through the majestic mountain tops surrounding the city.
No fears for those of you out there who are already worrying that I spend all my time blogging and sampling fine South African chocolates. When I am not in a sugar induced haze, I have been working with the Masibumbane HIV/Aids Mission in Mpophomeni of KwaZulu-Natal, the province we are staying in during our time here in South Africa. The town is approximately 35 km from the seminary in the mountains surrounding the city. Scenery is not found wanting in South Africa. The drive is breath taking, with gorgeous views of the valley below as you climb steadily up the side of the mountain. One thing that coats the landscape in regular fashion is the extreme disparity between those that have and those that have not. Across from majestic golf clubs are slums creating an eerie reminder of the tough political and social-economic struggles ripe within the South African context. Poverty is a real visible issue. I will take some poetic license to say that it is hard to think of any place back home in the States that can match the sweeping landscape of desperation and economic oppression present here. At all times, this is a sobering reality that envelopes our team.
Small side note, by our team, I mean fellow Dukies who made the journey to these distant shores. I am accompanied by John and his wife Joan, as well as Daniel, my bearded brother. Both John and Daniel also attend Duke Divinity School, where through the Field Education Office, this trip was made possible
Back to somber thoughts and harsh realities, Mpophomeni, where most of our week has been spent, is a township of roughly 35,000 people. Townships are areas surrounding major South African cities where the government forcibly relocated colored and black citizens during the apartheid regime. Thus, the community where we have been working is entirely black. The area has an 80% unemployment rate coupled with an HIV/Aids rate of over 50%. Take a moment to reflect on those statistics. Wrap your mind around the staggering realization that aids and poverty are rampant. Sadly, this is not an isolated instance. At all times these two issues are at the forefront of social work, and subsequently, at the forefront of the church's mission. Well, to not come off as an idealist set on changing the world with the force of critically acclaimed blogging, these issues should be considered as crucial components of the church's ministry effort. It is estimated that before ARVs and other necessary medications were brought to Mpophomeni, upwards of 25 people a week died from Aid's related illnesses. Smiling becomes a luxury when faced with the overbearing weight of what must be done here.
However, the primary message of the Gospel centers on the hope of Jesus Christ instilled in us through his sacrifice. In order to avoid the accusation of improper preaching and a lack of faithful adherence to the tenants of Scripture, let me comfort you with the work I have been apart of this week. Masibumbane Mission is an empowerment organization seeking to help those afflicted with HIV/Aids by training them in skills prudent to self-sufficiency. Central to this philosophy is the willingness of the clients to want to work. Masibumbane is not a charity, it is a ministry. Only the first three weeks of food given to families is entirely free. After that, individuals participating in the program are expected to join one of the business options the center offers in order to begin accumulating funds to support themselves and their families. Although this may come across as overly harsh, the center is committed to emancipating people from feeling that poverty is something they can never overcome. The center is focused on instilling the belief that individuals who have faced the trials of this community are still valuable members of society cherished and blessed by God.
Moving beyond my Spirit filled ambiguous remarks on the exact mechanisms of Masibumbane, perhaps a small overview of how the process works is in order. Clients come to the agency where they are offered assistance in securing grants from the government to secure monthly income. Clients are also encouraged to travel to local clinics to secure necessary ARVs, a drug primarily developed to combat HIV/Aids. For the first three weeks clients are given food for free, after which they are expected to participate in one of the sustainability projects offered by Masibumbane to continue receiving food for up to four months. I'll chose to focus on the garden initiative, as this is the most prevalent project. Essentially, clients are given seeds and training in gardening techniques suitable to the region and climate. Crops range from cabbage to corn, and the hope is that a client's garden will grow enough to enable reselling to the surrounding community. In this way a stable food source is achieved and extra income simultaneously trickles in. Gardens are checked on once a month by the staff, at which time, assistance and guidance are provided.
I am still struggling to understand exactly how I feel. So much has been experienced that for the present time I feel more shock than anything. As I begin to work through the complexities of this placement and my work with the agencies, I look forward to sharing it with you.
Until we blogg together again,
Jamison
This is Jamison blogging from the comfort of my flat located in Pietermaritzburg. I find it hard to believe that I have already been here for over a week. How time flies when nothing around you is familiar and everything you do is for the first time. The "flats" refer to the seminary apartment complex where the students at Seth Mokitimi all live together in community. They share common areas, including laundry and the computer room. They also share transport and ride too and from school together on one of the three fine shuttles afforded them by the seminary. Our favorite is affectionately referred to as the "venture", a mid sized SUV from the mid nineties. A classic no one should be without when rolling through the majestic mountain tops surrounding the city.
No fears for those of you out there who are already worrying that I spend all my time blogging and sampling fine South African chocolates. When I am not in a sugar induced haze, I have been working with the Masibumbane HIV/Aids Mission in Mpophomeni of KwaZulu-Natal, the province we are staying in during our time here in South Africa. The town is approximately 35 km from the seminary in the mountains surrounding the city. Scenery is not found wanting in South Africa. The drive is breath taking, with gorgeous views of the valley below as you climb steadily up the side of the mountain. One thing that coats the landscape in regular fashion is the extreme disparity between those that have and those that have not. Across from majestic golf clubs are slums creating an eerie reminder of the tough political and social-economic struggles ripe within the South African context. Poverty is a real visible issue. I will take some poetic license to say that it is hard to think of any place back home in the States that can match the sweeping landscape of desperation and economic oppression present here. At all times, this is a sobering reality that envelopes our team.
Small side note, by our team, I mean fellow Dukies who made the journey to these distant shores. I am accompanied by John and his wife Joan, as well as Daniel, my bearded brother. Both John and Daniel also attend Duke Divinity School, where through the Field Education Office, this trip was made possible
Back to somber thoughts and harsh realities, Mpophomeni, where most of our week has been spent, is a township of roughly 35,000 people. Townships are areas surrounding major South African cities where the government forcibly relocated colored and black citizens during the apartheid regime. Thus, the community where we have been working is entirely black. The area has an 80% unemployment rate coupled with an HIV/Aids rate of over 50%. Take a moment to reflect on those statistics. Wrap your mind around the staggering realization that aids and poverty are rampant. Sadly, this is not an isolated instance. At all times these two issues are at the forefront of social work, and subsequently, at the forefront of the church's mission. Well, to not come off as an idealist set on changing the world with the force of critically acclaimed blogging, these issues should be considered as crucial components of the church's ministry effort. It is estimated that before ARVs and other necessary medications were brought to Mpophomeni, upwards of 25 people a week died from Aid's related illnesses. Smiling becomes a luxury when faced with the overbearing weight of what must be done here.
However, the primary message of the Gospel centers on the hope of Jesus Christ instilled in us through his sacrifice. In order to avoid the accusation of improper preaching and a lack of faithful adherence to the tenants of Scripture, let me comfort you with the work I have been apart of this week. Masibumbane Mission is an empowerment organization seeking to help those afflicted with HIV/Aids by training them in skills prudent to self-sufficiency. Central to this philosophy is the willingness of the clients to want to work. Masibumbane is not a charity, it is a ministry. Only the first three weeks of food given to families is entirely free. After that, individuals participating in the program are expected to join one of the business options the center offers in order to begin accumulating funds to support themselves and their families. Although this may come across as overly harsh, the center is committed to emancipating people from feeling that poverty is something they can never overcome. The center is focused on instilling the belief that individuals who have faced the trials of this community are still valuable members of society cherished and blessed by God.
Moving beyond my Spirit filled ambiguous remarks on the exact mechanisms of Masibumbane, perhaps a small overview of how the process works is in order. Clients come to the agency where they are offered assistance in securing grants from the government to secure monthly income. Clients are also encouraged to travel to local clinics to secure necessary ARVs, a drug primarily developed to combat HIV/Aids. For the first three weeks clients are given food for free, after which they are expected to participate in one of the sustainability projects offered by Masibumbane to continue receiving food for up to four months. I'll chose to focus on the garden initiative, as this is the most prevalent project. Essentially, clients are given seeds and training in gardening techniques suitable to the region and climate. Crops range from cabbage to corn, and the hope is that a client's garden will grow enough to enable reselling to the surrounding community. In this way a stable food source is achieved and extra income simultaneously trickles in. Gardens are checked on once a month by the staff, at which time, assistance and guidance are provided.
I am still struggling to understand exactly how I feel. So much has been experienced that for the present time I feel more shock than anything. As I begin to work through the complexities of this placement and my work with the agencies, I look forward to sharing it with you.
Until we blogg together again,
Jamison
Monday, May 23, 2011
South Africa - The Methodist to Methodist Connection
Hey Gang,
This is an initial posting concerning the beginning of my ministry experience in South Africa. For the record, my name is Sweeney Jamison Doehring, IV. I am working and living within the Seth Mokitimi Seminary in Pietermaritzburg. I will be here a total of ten weeks, roughly 78 days. I state this just in case anyone has happened upon this blog and wishes to congratulate the exquisite prose that is sure to follow. Any concerns should be addressed to Katherine Hester in the comment section. She is our resident academic and moderator of our combined summer reflections. Not to mention she is my really cute and wonderful girlfriend. Hey Kid!
I wont belabor you with my flight details, sufficient to say 15 hours on a plane at 6' 9'' provides ample opportunity to experience being cramped in all its compact glory. I arrived at the seminary 2 days ago and from the beginning, the radical hospitality of this place was evident. There are 11 official languages in SA meaning that names come in varied forms of spelling and pronunciation. Yet, no matter how many times I asked to hear names repeated and spelled out, the seminarians and their families always maintained a smile. Thankfully my incompetence was not a hindrance to formal introductions. Tea time is an official past time here as well. At almost every social engagement, either in homes, the seminary or even following church services, tea is offered. I have never fancied myself as a tea man. But, I have discovered that with a 1/4 a cup of milk mixed with brown sugar, tea is inescapably delicious. I plan on bringing this realization back to the states. May we as an American people finally overcome the aftermath of the Boston Tea Party.
Today, May 23, I attended the portion of the seminary where classes are held. To avoid any confusion, the flats, which the apartment buildings are referred to as, are located a little over a mile from the actual campus. For any of you curious out there, my flat is Wallhaven, pronounced with a distinct German "V" in place of the "W". Back to my initial point, I attended the seminary today where I was allowed to peruse the library as well as attend a first year church history class. The library situation is fascinating. The seminary works almost completely off of book donations. That being the case, there were several familiar volumes from my studies at Duke. Fascinating that theology, no matter how obscure, manages to find its way to the far reaches of the globe.
I already find that much of my reflection revolves on just how normal everything feels here. Seminary classes, although perhaps different in intensity and prerogatives, cover much of the same material. Listening to the lecture by Professor Delme, I could not help but feel like I was sitting back in CH 13 with Warren Smith as I relieved the tales of the Cappadocians. Church history is church history. Its a good thing too. I would feel lost without a little academic consistency.
This week I begin my first active duty with one of the agencies in the surrounding townships. I look forward to reflecting on these inevitably transformational experiences.
Until we meet again,
Jamison
This is an initial posting concerning the beginning of my ministry experience in South Africa. For the record, my name is Sweeney Jamison Doehring, IV. I am working and living within the Seth Mokitimi Seminary in Pietermaritzburg. I will be here a total of ten weeks, roughly 78 days. I state this just in case anyone has happened upon this blog and wishes to congratulate the exquisite prose that is sure to follow. Any concerns should be addressed to Katherine Hester in the comment section. She is our resident academic and moderator of our combined summer reflections. Not to mention she is my really cute and wonderful girlfriend. Hey Kid!
I wont belabor you with my flight details, sufficient to say 15 hours on a plane at 6' 9'' provides ample opportunity to experience being cramped in all its compact glory. I arrived at the seminary 2 days ago and from the beginning, the radical hospitality of this place was evident. There are 11 official languages in SA meaning that names come in varied forms of spelling and pronunciation. Yet, no matter how many times I asked to hear names repeated and spelled out, the seminarians and their families always maintained a smile. Thankfully my incompetence was not a hindrance to formal introductions. Tea time is an official past time here as well. At almost every social engagement, either in homes, the seminary or even following church services, tea is offered. I have never fancied myself as a tea man. But, I have discovered that with a 1/4 a cup of milk mixed with brown sugar, tea is inescapably delicious. I plan on bringing this realization back to the states. May we as an American people finally overcome the aftermath of the Boston Tea Party.
Today, May 23, I attended the portion of the seminary where classes are held. To avoid any confusion, the flats, which the apartment buildings are referred to as, are located a little over a mile from the actual campus. For any of you curious out there, my flat is Wallhaven, pronounced with a distinct German "V" in place of the "W". Back to my initial point, I attended the seminary today where I was allowed to peruse the library as well as attend a first year church history class. The library situation is fascinating. The seminary works almost completely off of book donations. That being the case, there were several familiar volumes from my studies at Duke. Fascinating that theology, no matter how obscure, manages to find its way to the far reaches of the globe.
I already find that much of my reflection revolves on just how normal everything feels here. Seminary classes, although perhaps different in intensity and prerogatives, cover much of the same material. Listening to the lecture by Professor Delme, I could not help but feel like I was sitting back in CH 13 with Warren Smith as I relieved the tales of the Cappadocians. Church history is church history. Its a good thing too. I would feel lost without a little academic consistency.
This week I begin my first active duty with one of the agencies in the surrounding townships. I look forward to reflecting on these inevitably transformational experiences.
Until we meet again,
Jamison
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