Everything comes down to this

Last Saturday I took my soccer team, 18 girls in all, to a soccer tournament in Richmond,which is about 30 miles away from Hanover. The tournament was sponsored by Grassroot Soccer, a non-profit organization that educates kids on HIV/AIDS prevention through soccer. The girls were extremely excited to go to the tournament, even though it meant they had to sacrifice sleeping in on Saturday. I told the girls to be at the school by 7:30, expecting all of them to be there by 8, but when I got to the school, about 8 minutes late, the entire team was there, and was making their way down the main street to get me, singing at the top of their lungs. I had to hire 2 “taxi’s”(14 passenger vehicles) for their transportation, as the school does not have a bus or a bus system. At the tournament, the girls played a lot of games that had a motif of not being able to tell who has HIV, in addition to playing soccer. The games were 7v.7 so I had two teams of 9. One of the teams got second in the tournament, but the other one didn’t do as well.
One of the girls hurt her knee, and the trainer on duty couldn’t do anything, so I had to go to the hospital. The hospital didn’t have an x-ray machine, so the only thing the doctor could do was assess her leg to make sure it wasn’t broken. The girl was in extreme pain, so they gave her a shot to assuage the pain, but there was nothing they could do to treat the problem without knowing what the problem was, so we left. That made me feel far more helpless than anything I have ever experienced thus far. There was nothing I could do to help her, and there was no way to diagnose her without driving an hour away. Nobody should have to be in that situation, no matter how third-world their country is.
I have 3 days left at Phakamisani, and my students are just reviewing their mistakes from their term test. I told them that they would have to retake the test until they had 60%, even though a passing score is technically a 30%. I don’t think the students thought I was serious, and on the first try only one girl passed. Once they realized I was serious, they all buckled down and committed to learning the material. I conducted extra classes every day after school for a week, but they all managed to pull through and get 60%. I don’t think any of their previous teachers had pushed them to succeed, so they weren’t expecting me to be any different. One boy who told me at the beginning of the term that he was going to fail the term got the 2nd highest grade on the test, a 72%. All he needed was someone to think he could succeed. So it’s been a great run and a very trying one as well. I hope the students keep up the standard I set after I leave, because they all have the potential to succeed.

halfway there, tragedy strikes

This week has been very trying for me. My host passed away February 28, and it had a huge effect on me. Throughout the week he had been having minor strokes, and was slowly deteriorating. On Saturday afternoon, something told me to go check on him and make sure he had called his son. We found him on the floor, unable to move. We called an ambulance, but it took more than an hour for the ambulance to arrive. When he got to the hospital, there was very little that the doctors could do. He was unable to breathe properly, and he had suffered a heart attack on arrival. He died peacefully, and without pain. His sson told me, "Even if you don't affect the lives of very many of the students, you made a man's death a lot more peaceful. If it wasn't for you, he probably would have died alone and in pain." So maybe the reason God brought me here wasn't primarily to change Phakamisani, but instead to change the lives of those I interact with. I was supposed to have gone to Cape Town for a week on a mini vacation, but at the last second my accomodation fell through. At the time, I was disappointed, but looking back I know God had it in his plan for me to be in Hanover.
This week will hopefully be less stressful, but with God by my side I know even if there is a terrorist attack on Hanover, God will be able to use me in a way only I can be used. I just have to listen and be ready for the opportunity.
On a different subject, the math students take their term test this Firday, so I will be able to judge how much I actually taught and the students actually retained. With a passing rate of 30%, I am not expecting the students to try their hardest. But if the class average is above what it was last year, I know I would have at least made a difference.
I had to diffuse two arguments at soccer practice last week, and I told the girls if it happens again that I would no longer be their coach. I hope that resonates with them, because I am smaller than many of the girls, so if a fight broke out I don't think I would be able to control it. The girls are getting better, and the team is growing every day. The other teachers tell me that the girls are always talking about it in class and inviting all of their friends because they are having so much fun. I am supposed to be taking the girls to a tournament in 2 weeks, but I am still struggling to find transportation for all the girls. I think I am going to have to solicit the services of the taxis, because they are the only ones who have the space to transport all the girls. The only problem with that is that I will have to send one group of girls alone in a taxi.

Last week I finally had my first soccer practice! 28 girls showed up, and they are all very eager to play. There is a tournament March 20 that I am hoping we will be able to participate in. Transportation to and from is the only hindrance, as the school has no bus system and there are no cars in Hanover big enough to transport all of the girls. I am trying to get a 14 passenger van, but that would mean that all of the girls would not be able to go to the tournament. The tournament is sponsored and put on by Grassroots Soccer, which is an organization that educates kids on HIV and AIDS prevention through soccer. Because HIV is a huge problem in Hanover, I think this would be a great opportunity to teach the girls using a common interest.

I have been teaching for 4 weeks now, and I think the kids comprehend what I am teaching for the most part. In order to pass their matric exams (the exams the seniors take at the end of the year), they have to have a 30%. Last year at Phakamisani, 21 students took the matric exams, and no one passed. The things that I am teaching the current seniors is 35% of the total curriculum for the year, so if they retain all that I have taught them they will all pass, even if they do not learn anything the rest of the year. If the students do not pass their matric exams, they can not attend college or get jobs. It is vital for these students to pass the exams in order to be able to support their families.

I have my first soccer game today. It has been raining for the past 5 days(in Africa!), so I wasn't able to have another practice since the first practice. The game is a "friendly match" so it doesn't have very much weight if we lose or win. I am going to have the girls wear the uniforms I brought, so that is exciting!

Because of the rain, many of the students didn't come to school because they did not want to walk in the rain. I continued my lessons with the students that were present, but the absent students are expecting me to go back and reteach the topics we covered to those who were absent. So I am in a bind: if I go back and reteach the students next week, I lose the week I have planned for review before the term test. But if I move on and continue with the lesson plan, the kids will have a gap in their learning. Which do you think I should do?

teaching

I have been officically teaching at Phakamisani High for 5 days now, and I have a completely new respect for teachers. It is hard work. But I love it. The kids respond very well to me, and seem to be grasping the concepts I am introducing. After school, I sit on the veranda of a hotel on the main road in Hanover, and when kids pass by and see me they all stop and try to talk. The language barrier is still a complication, but slowly I am learning how to interpret the gist of what the kids are saying. I hope to begin a girl's soccer team this week, but things tend to move very slowly in South Africa. I met another American from Washington state who works for an organization called Grassroots soccer that educates children on HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment through soccer. I am hopefully going to take the girls, once I have a team, to one of the workshops that Grassroots does. I have also begun helping with the choir at the school because I can read music and am familiar with the piano. And I am currently tutoring 6 kids in math. I hope to increase that number significantly as students begin to need more help. I find that I can accomplish a lot more in 10 minutes one on one with a student than I can in 50 minutes in a classroom of 33 kids.
Please continue to pray that my actions will speak louder than my words. Perhaps an American who has very ambitious goals and does not drink or smoke or do drugs is just what this town needs. They can easily identify with me because we look similar, so pray that I can use that to my advantage. And vigorously pray that the people will stop abusing alcohol. That is still the most shocking thing I have experienced here. It is very widespread as well. It saddens me to see people with talent just throw it away because they do not want to work hard.

Hanover

I am officially in Hanover! I arrived yesterday morning, and took a tour around the town and township. The relationship between the town and township is similar to that of the village and Lompoc. The town is where the shops and hotel and some people live, and the township is where the majority of the people of hanover live. The biggest difference is how segregated the town and township are. The majority of colored and black people live in the township, while the white people live in the town. Black and colored are two different races in South Africa. Black is the same as in America, the Africans. But the coloreds are those that are mixed of white and black. They speak a different language, and have a completely different culture.
As with any small town, when a new person arrives the entire town wants to meet the new person. The fact that I am new and from America is very intriguing to a town of 200. The fact that I am from California is even more intriguing to the people of Hanover. Everyone here is quite friendly and welcoming. Sometimes a little too friendly, but that is to be expected. It is a very safe town, and there is virtually no untriggered violence. The people are very trusting and trustworthy. There are 17 churches between the town and the township, but there is a definite lack of God here. From what I have observed so far the vast majority of the population are alcoholics. They use alcohol as a means of escaping their problems, and many are drunk or on hangovers daily. AIDS is obviously a big problem, but FAS, or fetal alcohol syndrome, is also a prevalent problem. I am beginning to understand why President Roosevelt(i think) pushed for prohibition. I begin teaching Tuesday. I have also been given an opportunity to volunteer at the medical clinic, and I start there on Tuesday as well.
Pray that the students will be receptive to me, as well as that I will be an example of God to the people of Hanover. While they are a struggling town with serious needs, their number one need is God. And as of yet there has been no one to be that example of Christ. Not even their pastors.

Arrival

I have arrived in South Africa safe and sound! The South Africans are very proud that they are hosting the world cup. As am I
So far I have learned about apartheid, Hector Pieterson, the Big Five, African pizza(american is better), and UNICEF.
The man I am staying with works for UNICEF, and he is very fascinating. He is helping coordinate the World Cup with the UN, which I think is awesome. And the woman who is showing me all the touristy things around South Africa, Penelope, works at a college here. She works with kids who stutter, but also with the students at the university. one of her clients, Mfundu, gave us a tour of Soweto, the township where Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu grew up. We went to the Hector Pieterson memorial and I learned all about how prevalent apartheid was and is in South Africa. Tonight and tomorrow night I am staying at the Pilansberg Game Reserve, and tomorrow I am waking up very early to go look at lions and hopefully leopards. I am slowly adjusting to the South African cuisine, but I miss spaghetti.

On the way to the reserve I waws able to see how the majority of South Africans live, in shacks and huts with tin roofs. I feel as though I have stepped in to a movie. And many of these people who live with so little are eager to help others. They are way more thankful with much less than what I have. I think they may impact me as much if not more than my impact on them.

I will put up pictures once we go on the game reserve tour so check back soon!
And if you have questions feel free to leave comments and I will gladly answer them.


Tootsiens, Rebekah

packing

so i have finally begun packing. all the preparation, anxiety, prayer, and talking is FINALLY becoming a reality! wahoo!
I am very excited to see what God has in store for me there. sorry this is so short. i just wanted to give a brief update!
more next week!!!
♥ Rebekah