Every year the students of HOPAC (my cousin's school) spend a week serving the local community - from drug rehabilitation centres, to deaf schools, to street kids, to orphanages. Mona Lisa managed to get me involved with this years 'Service Emphasis Week.' I was placed in a small group (6 students, and 2 teachers) that went on a 5 day residential trip to Bagamoyo Children's Home, around 1 hour from Dar Es Salaam (my current home away from home, or as one of the students clarified, my home home home. Home home being England, and Home being South Africa...the quandry we faced is that the word home could be interpreted in MANY different ways, I mean if one felt quite comfortable under a tree, then perhaps that would count as home.. hum. If that IS that case, I think I'd be on home home home home home home home home by now. Anyway, I digress..)Our group had some really good fun, being the oldest teenager, I felt like the ancient of ancient's, but we all got on really well and had some good laughs!
The orphanage is situated on a 4 acre farm, and when I say farm, I'm not referring to a cultivated English farm.. this was the type of place where you have to drive on dirt roads in a 4X4. The accommodation was simple, but comfortable. We were pretty much on roll up matteresses (sp?!) on a cement floor (the comfy option deluxe) without running water or electricity - yes, this did all make me grateful for my comforts back at homebase, but I have to say that I REALLY enjoyed 'roughing it.' :)
If I had to sum up the experience in one word, make that two, it would have to be 'Humbling' and 'Eye-opening'
Eye-opening that people can live in simple conditions, but with such joy. These kids are capable of just enjoying God, others, and life. They live in relationship, and the competitiveness you see amongst us Westerners was non-existent among these kids.
Humbling because serving is, in reality, being served. I found myself wondering who the poor person REALLY was, and who was serving who. I came away feeling like I'd received so much, but how could someone with so little in the world's eyes give me so much? mmmm, deep stuff to ponder.. anyway, on that note I shall love and leave you all.. I haven't really got into the 'news' side of things, but hey ho, as long as we're under the sun, there'll always be more things to write about - personally, I'd rather be under the sun, at least while I'm right under its shadow :P
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