Journal Entry from Wed. March 5, 2008, J. Gaska
Malawi: She was Granny
Her contagious smile reveling teeth neglected, thinning extremities speaking days gone hungry, weather worn skin with wrinkles that marked an age unknown and a compassion that echoed and told a story far more potent and poetic than any Blockbuster hit. She was Granny. This is whose story lured me into Africa. Seared onto my heart like the dark lines tattooed on her weary face. I will not forget Granny. Granny is not alone. She is one of countless Grannies who thought their work was done when their children were grown. Culturally speaking, she should be enjoying the life of being cared for by her grown children. Instead, they have all passed away (most likely from AIDS related causes), leaving 10 orphans to be cared for. School fees, clothes, food are just the beginning of their needs, not to mention love. Granny has taken them into a 2 room house with a thatched roof, maybe 200 square feet. The youngest of the children was still breast-feeding when his mother died. Two children, too young for school, were there during our visit. They stood there in shirts too big, no pants, no shoes. They did not seem to notice that their attire was scarce. You could tell they knew they were loved and cared for. The children listened to Granny and she looked at them with affection in her deep eyes. I wonder when their last meal was? I wonder when their next meal is? Granny is too thin, how many times did she skip a meal in order to feed the mouths of her growing grandchildren?
Granny was selected by a local hospital to receive a new house. On her property stands the old house and new home- a glimpse of the past and a gift of hope for their future. She does not have much to give but what she gives is priceless. She is whose story cries out, the story that needs to be remembered and told. She is courageous, she is loving, she is selfless, she is Granny.
2.28.08
A question I struggled with tonight was: "How has your pain connected with the pain you have witnessed". As I reflect on that question what I struggle with is the world I was born into. I was born into a world in which I was taught to stand up for myself, to say "no" when appropriate, to follow my dreams, to have choices, to have education, to take a self defense class in high school for credit and the list can go on. I am pained by the contrast of our lives and struggling how now, to live in my reality.
2.27.08
Friends and Family,
We have made it to our next destination, Johannesburg. My bag arrived safely this time! We continue to meet with church leaders and hear of their triumphs, struggles and plans to combat HIV/AIDS, poverty, equality and more. It seems, as you can imagine, these issues are intertwined. You would have been so encouraged to witness the communities we have been spending time with. Yesterday the Church/ Community center (a mega church in the slums) is so involved in their community, not a day goes by without activity in the church. Programs such as after school programs, HIV/AIDS support groups, hospice programs, hunger programs and more. I am collecting many thoughts, struggling with many questions and building relationships. I anticipate being able to share more with you. Thank you for following with me and for your prayers.
Peace, Joy
Monday February 25
We will devote most of the day today to meeting with the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) staff, visiting in their offices and then visiting some of their projects. The URCSA is one of our partner denominations in South Africa. Evening: Reflections and Devotions
Tuesday February 26
Morning: We’ll visit at JL Zwane Uniting Presbyterian Church and Community Center in the township of Guguletu, visiting their AIDS Hospice, support groups, clinic and ministries of music and sport. Time permitting; we could do some other visits in the townships, and maybe a little shopping stop… Evening: Reflections and Devotions
Wednesday February 27
Depart early in the morning from St. Pauls for the Cape Town airport and our flight to Johannesburg. Upon arrival we’ll drop our luggage at the Emerald Guest House and make our way downtown to visit the offices of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa (EPCSA) (at 1400) and the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA) (at 1600) to hear from church leaders about their HIV/AIDS strategy.
EPCSA Staff: Rev. Titus Mobbie, General Secretary
Rev. Esther Maringa , AIDS Coordinator
UPCSA Staff: Rev. Vullani Vellem, General Secretary
Rev. Buhle Mpofu, AIDS Coordinator
Doug Welch, PC(USA) Area Coordinator for Africa and Doug Tilton, PCUSA Regional Liaison for Southern Africa, join us for the afternoon of visits and for dinner, reflections and devotions.
Flight: SAA 316 departing CPT at 840AM and arriving JNB at 1040 AM
Housing (2 nights) in Joburg:
Thursday February 28
We’ll begin our day with a visit to the Daveyton area and an AIDS ministry that Janet Guyer works with in that area. Then, we’ll go on to Soweto for a visit the Apartheid Museum and lunch at a local shabeen. After lunch, we’ll travel with the EPC AIDS coordinator to visit some of their ministries in the area.
Evening: Reflections and Devotions
Friday February 29
Morning: Departure from the guesthouse for the airport at around 9 AM as we catch our flight from Joburg to Lilongwe Malawi.
Flight: SAA 170 departing JNB 1150AM and arriving Lilongwe (LLW) at 215PM
Upon arrival, we may visit with the Minister of Health and a Member of Parliament, if all goes well! Following that, we’ll have some time to see the House of Hope ministry, a PCUSA supported orphan care home in Lilongwe. Evening: Reflections and Devotions
Housing in Lilongwe
Saturday March 1
Another travel day! We will go by bus to Dwangwa, about four hours north along the lake, stopping for a lunch along the way at a pottery shop. We will spend the evening at the Kasasa Club in Dwangwa and have dinner with some members of the Matiki Presbyterian Church in the Livingstonia Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP).
The villages of Dwangwa and Matiki are dominated by the British owned Kasasa Sugar Estate. We will stay at the Kasasa Club which offers a golf course, swimming pool, attractive club house with a bar and restaurant, and self contained chalets. Please don’t bring your golf clubs! We’ll be in double or triple rooms. We’ll be joined for dinner by some members of the Matiki congregation.
Evening: Reflections and Devotions
Sunday March 2
Morning: We will worship at the Matiki congregation, or one of their mission stations nearby. Afternoon, we’ll travel north to and Ekwendeni to meet our partners in the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia AIDS Program (LISAP). They will be our hosts and transportation for the next few days of visits to local church HIV/AIDS programs. Evening: Reflections and Devotions
Housing will be at one of the Ekwendeni Guest Houses
Monday March 3 and Tuesday March 4
We’ll divide into groups and visit local community projects around Mzuzu and Ekwendeni, hosted by the Livingstonia Synod AIDS Program (LISAP) and Ekwendeni Hospital.
Evening: Reflections and Devotions
Wednesday and Thursday, March 5-6, Traveling Back and then Home
LINKS:
Blog: http://presbyterian.typepad.com/peacemaking/
www.aidsmap.com
www.unaids.org
www.ccih.org (Christian Connections for International Health)
www.e-alliance.ch (a broad ecumenical network for international cooperation in advocacy on global trade and HIV and AIDS)
www.stopglobalaids.org (Global AIDS alliance)
READING LIST:
• 28: Stories of AIDS in Africa (2007). Stephanie Nolen
• Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence, Christian Churches and the Gobal AIDS Crisis, (2004). Donald E. Messer
• The Children of Africa Confront AIDS (2003). Ohio University Research in International Studies, edited by Arvind Singhal and W. Stephen Howard
• The Heaven Shop (2004). Deborah Ellis
• We are all the Same (2004). Jim Wooten
