Our first English Test

Our first test.

"You did terrible' I told Ntombekhaya.when I handed her her test results. Her face fell and then broke into a mega smile when she saw what I had written-Excellent-for her 99 percent grade. Truthfully, I had expected another student to do better but the results showed me who was understanding our English classes and how much work I and they need to do. It comes as no surprise to qualified teachers of English as a second language how hard it is to learn English and how the thought patters in the language are so different from other languages. This I believe is especially true of tribal languages and how I wish I had the discipline to learn the difficult Xhosa. Well we have a few months together and my hope is at the end that we all will have learned how to work with each other and better understand each other. My friend Johnni Johnson Scofield sent me an article about English in South Africa and how much it had come to dominate a culture that has at least eleven languages.

Where I live three are most used, iXhosa, Afrikaans and English. In other parts of the land it is Sotho or Zulu and others but is is true that English is used by Parliament and in all business dealings. If our students are to succeed in any entrepreneurial work or even work for others they must understand English so we try to help here. The skill level of our class is low and it is a challenge for them to think in ways they are not used to, but, in spite of some frustrating times for them and yes, me, for the most part, the greater part, we are having a lot of fun.

Another chance

Another start

Sylvia was one of the first graduates of our Evangeline Program which started in 2006. She distinguished herself with her excellent skills and was also one of the original bag ladies as they were called. Back then she made quite a bit of money from those bags which sold like hot cakes.

During the time she attended our classes, she had her fair share of tragedy and I remember the time her son was murdered and I prayed with her in her shack in the wetlands. She was also one of the first women to benefit from a buisness class we had then. Once she finished her course she went out on her own and for a time sewed another bag for another client. I had not seen her for a while until she showed up at the Ikamva Labantu Seniors Club at our site. She cooks for the ladies, fourof whom are part of our current sewing class. When I asked her how she was doing, she told me that she had no work now and even worse, her sewing machine had been burned in the shack fire last December. I had no answer but soon one came my way. The fabric shop in town had given us yet another recommendation and soon a call came for sewing help for a new business venture. Already I had been thinking of expanding the current crop of sewers and Sylvia was now the right person so head up this new venture. Once it grows, as it will, because the products are stunning and upmarket as they say here, other EM graduates will join Sylvia in this new venture. Now I will have money to pay for my kids, one at university and the other at college, she told me. Looking ahead, I am so excited because there are possibilities for the women to once again start their own business, this time with excellent local help from organizations that will help them organize, fund their work and mentor them. I had prayed so much about the next step and now that next step has become so clear and I will continue to let you know how we proceed.

English Classes

We are having so much fun in English classes. I wrote before that I always planned to do this but now the time seemed right to add it to the running of the class, cooking and buying supplies and all that is needed to make this program work. We have no books and I speak litle Xhosa and they broken English but we are on our way. We have begun with the basics, just like I learned so many years ago and instead of giving them handouts, I ask them to create their own learning documents and they enjoy the challenge of it.

This week I asked them to write theiw answers on the blackboard and they were so enthusiastic about it. Here is Susan, a fast learner, writing her sentence on the board. This is just another of the skills we give to help them make it here in their very challenging world.

We are One

We are one Human family
If only we all believed that to be true. If only I always believe that the differences we have do not in any way negate the truth that we are one human family and, I believe, created in God's image. And this along with some other reasons took me to a lecture on Geno mics and Global Health, where one of the principal speakers was Dr. Francis S. Collins, head of the National Institutes of Health. I went because I have a family member who works at NIH, because Dr. Collins , known for his leadership of the Human Genome Project is involved in Diabetes research, something that is in my family . But I was there also because he and others were there to speak about diseases such as HIV and AIDS. I did not understand any of the medical or scientific terms but I did understand the reasons for the outstanding genetic work that is being done, as represented by Collins and others. The conference that brought him to Cape Town was on Heredity and Health in Africa and he reminded his audience that after all, we believe humankind originated in Africa. I was so pleased to hear him speak too about his work as a missionary volunteer in a hospital in Nigeria which he said transformed his life. While he is concerned about HIV and AIDS and malaria and other diseases for which Africa is so well known, he wants to broaden the base of research in on the continent that show non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart problems kill many more people. And so many more are killed because of war. More and better research will lead to better treatment and prevention and health care reform. But my focus is on the spiritual and human underpinnings of his work.Through the study of genomes or genes we we see the shared humanity we all have he said and all of Africa and the future are knitted together. He shared that Archbishop Desmond Tutu had submitted his genetic code for testing because Tutu said, he wants to provide a voice for the region, for medical research and because all of us belong to one global family.
I left the lecture and after a brief meeting with Dr. Collins encouraged that in Africa I am at the right place at the right time and so thankful for people like Dr. Collins. Itis clear that what he does comes from a heart touched by Christ.