Life has twists and turns like a road zigzagging through the mountains. I feel like I’ve travelled a long distance on that road in the last six weeks. I came to South Africa to help at a mission house – and for two weeks, I did so. Then a shootout in Hillbrow meant that two mission workers and I had to be moved to a safe house for two weeks. Following on from that, we travelled together to Impendle where my eyes were opened wide. As you’ll see from the photos, this is Africa in the rough. Mud huts, limited fresh water, and no electricity. The toilet was a long drop and we bathed in the river. In spite of the simple lifestyle, I felt safe there. The locals did not speak much English but their body language, smiles, and laughter showed me I was accepted.

I met a woman dying of AIDS in Impendle and was able to apply salve to open sores on her body. She died a few hours later and I saw firsthand how a Zulu funeral is conducted. The whole experience was overwhelmingly sad, especially when you consider that there are millions of people in South Africa who are HIV positive. That brings me to the AIDS orphans. Their picture is near the bottom and I wished I could provide more than just a little food for them. The need in South Africa is immense. Until I lived among the locals, I could not comprehend just how big it is.

One big surprise was discovering an Aussie in the middle of Impendle. She works as a nursing sister and has been there for over two years. We had dinner with her one evening and it was a lovely time of sharing stories and talking about Australia and New Zealand.

At the moment, I’m in a motel in a city by the name of Pietermaritzburg. Why I’m here is a story for another day. I’ll be flying home soon and suffice to say for now that the air conditioned comfort feels decadent after the rawness of Impendle. I still have dirt engrained in my feet and feel almost guilty when I see hot, clean water swirling down the drain. My skin is browner, my hair lighter but I know that all of this will eventually revert to normal. My prayer, however, is that the internal changes are here to stay. I know that fragments of Africa will be embedded in my heart forever and I think that’s a good thing. In fact, I’ve asked God to keep them there as a reminder of how He’s changed my life for the better. Of how He’s helped me turn pain and tragedy into healing and blessing.

I look forward to seeing all of you again soon.

With every blessing, Savannah 

Day Fourteen

Today I accompanied Bob, Blake and Pumzile to a block of flats in the Hillbrow area. Bob was asked to check up on a prostitute who apparently was beaten up the night before. We went to her room on the seventh floor of an abandoned building and found she had a broken arm as well as abrasions and cuts. Her young daughter is in grade one and attends our after school program each afternoon. I had never met her mother and almost cried when I saw the conditions they live in. The building is filthy and infested with vermin and cockroaches. The power is disconnected and they use kerosene for lighting and cooking. The room they live in does not have a bathroom and the little girl tells me she uses a pot for a toilet at night as her mother is at work and it’s not safe for her to go out. The ambulance came to collect the mother and she asked if we would care for her daughter while she was gone. Mercy House provides emergency accommodation in such cases and we were able to give her a good meal, a hot bath and hair wash, and a clean comfortable bed for the night. Pumzile gave me a lesson in braiding hair and we had a good evening with the little one. She’ll probably be going home tomorrow and my prayer is that she won’t forget her time with us. That the love we showed her will give her hope for her future and a desire for something better then she’s experienced so far in life.

 Thanks again for all your prayers. I couldn’t do this without your support.

Street Evangelism

Yesterday was Sunday and Joseph, Thokozane, the team from the UK, Blake, Pumzile and I spent some time doing street evangelism. Hillbrow is quieter on a Sunday and even the minibus taxis seem to take a day off. We set ourselves up on the corner of two main roads and started by singing a few well-known Zulu songs. Then Joseph preached a five-minute message about God’s healing and love. Some people stopped and listened while others paused briefly. The breakthrough came when he offered prayer for those in need. The crowd around us grew as we placed our hands on people’s shoulders and asked God to meet with them. There is an openness to the gospel in South Africa that I haven’t witnessed in New Zealand and men, women and children came forward to commit their lives to Jesus when Thokozane invited them to. The need in this place is immense, the physical poverty is overwhelming and life is harsh and difficult. Please continue to pray for the people in Hillbrow.

Day Seven

I’ve been in Hillbrow for a week now and the sights and sounds are becoming more and more familiar. I normally awaken before dawn when the air is slightly cooler and the thump of minibus taxi music reverberates through the streets. My jet lag has faded and I’ve learnt the names of each of the children that come in each day. Most of them speak some English and I’m able to communicate with them fairly well. In the afternoons, I help the older children with their homework and sometimes do arts and crafts with them. As I was warned, Hillbrow is a violent area and I’ve heard gunshots and screaming at night and witnessed a street fight from my flat window yesterday. These people need God and I continue to pray that He will use me while I’m here. Thank you for your encouraging comments and prayers, which mean more to me than I can say. Until tomorrow. Sav.