Oshoek- Visit 2

Wednesday 4th March- Karen's blog...

It's easier to leap out of bed at 6am ( eek!) when the sun is shining and it's already 25 degrees. 7am. Simon  and Bethuel- care-workers- travelled with us to Oshoek- on the Swazi border- where we walked with Sarai for a home visit.

I no longer have to imagine what it is like to sit in the dust with women alongside small children, outside their one-room shack- home for 12 people. We listened and watched as they told their stories.

The scene changed with the arrival of the 15 year old boy who had returned unhappily from school. Having to be in a class with 12 year olds was humiliating and he was NOT going back again,

Without an education his future is bleak and his whole family is depending on him to merely scratch out a future. Sarai and Bethuel quietly encouraged the boy to return to school.

Sitting in the dust with nothing to offer, say or do, except listen and simply be there, reminded me of the words of David Primrose at our Commissioning Service.

Isn't God great?!
Yeah!
Isn't Jesus great?
Yeah!
Isn't the this team going to Matlosane great?
Yeah!
STOP!
When they get there they will not be great. They will have nothing to offer, they know nothing and they go with empty hands.

David was right. All of our education, eloquence, abilities and gifts mean very little here. We can only sit in the dust alongside the people we meet and be surprised when they express hope in a hopeless place.

Hands at Work= hope at work.

Thnankfully the return to the Care Point brought some lighter moments as we enjoyed games and singing, fantastic fun and moments of real connection alongside the feeding of 50 children.

Back at Hands at work we considered how our team is like Chakalakka- lots of ingredients mixed up with a common sauce- or is it Source?