Gugulethu Part 1

Sunday hinted at the transition to come in the focus of our program in South Africa, and Monday truly began our immersion into the lives of the majority of black South Africans. I don't want to necessarily describe this experience as a play by play of what we did, but at the same time it's important to know what we did to have an appreciation for the experience. Also, I think it is going to take a number of blog entries to fully document the last week. Every day was packed with activities, many of which I haven't even begun to digest, but I will do my best to translate what I have seen, felt, and experienced.

In a class I have been taking called Body Mind Centering, we have discussed the difference between two types of learning: that which is in the mind and that which comes of true experiential knowing, the latter being significantly deeper in impact and clarity. I think this week began a process, which is surely not complete, in which I am starting to truly know the meaning of adversity and the role of leaders in overcoming it. It sounds cheesy and overstated, but I really feel that my earlier opinions on such topics as race, poverty, socioeconomic disparity, and chronic disease were infused with pervasive naivety and self-serving bias. I often told myself that poverty is simply something that has and will always plague humanity; there will always be the haves and the have-nots, and they will always exist in equilibrium to some extent. I thought that the shifting of this balance was an unnecessary pursuit, as very little impact could probably be made on social systems that lay outside the vision of any individual at any time. While I won't say I was entirely wrong (I still think poverty is inescapable), I now fully believe that it is critically important to work to minimize the actual impact on individuals. It is hard for me to nail down exactly why this is so right now. Maybe it is simply because doing such a thing is just plain right. Maybe I'll rationalize this point of view eventually, who knows? I can't say just yet, but the reality of the work being done by the community leaders of the JL Zwane Center is indescribably warm and filled with the power of constructive righteousness.

Reverends Edwin Edwin Louo (I might have botched that spelling) and Spiwo Xapile were magnificent both as instructors and facilitators of our township experience. I can't begin to express how indebted I feel to them for opening my eyes to at least a partial understanding of AIDS in the South African community. They allowed us to enter into their community, ask questions, and witness the lives of many members of their congregations and community. I also feel similarly indebted to Aaron, who planned this trip and worked tirelessly to make sure our experience here was awesome. I feel like I got to experience a wide range of lecturers and saw some very intense and intimate places in Gugulethu. I feel that I am on the road to the experiential knowing of leadership in the struggle against HIV/AIDS, and it is exciting to come face to face with the real challenges that face a wide range of leaders and individuals working to positively change the experiences of those living with AIDS. It is clear to me now that the world needs many more people to contribute to this struggle, and I hope to do my part in the future as best I can.

Beyond HIV/AIDS, the journey to Gugulethu was a striking comment on the prevalence of poverty. I feel that my earlier perspective on this issue did not take into account the reality of those who are faced every day with the possibility that they may not find food not only for themselves but also for their children. I was able to maintain my composure and ambivalence for the first couple home visits, where we saw many people living in close quarters in filthy conditions with barely a roof over there head and typically no running water. As we saw more and more of this situation, however, I began to feel terribly sad for these people, which I also know isn't fair. They must live their lives as I must also, and it isn't my place to judge their conditions. I think my feeling on the issue is one of support. These individuals lack opportunities (jobs, government programs, community assistance, etc.) to raise themselves from a state of poverty should they desire as such. For now, I think it is my place, as someone born to greater means, to work to provide the opportunity for those who suffer to be included into society, have their dignity protected, and be provided with certain services should they desire them (ie: healthcare and education). This is a hard task, and no individual will ever conquer this. Additionally, it requires the cooperation and hard work of those who face the adverse conditions themselves in order to succeed.

Seeing the leaders at JL Zwane speak about their work and observing their efforts in action was an incredible experience. Working hand in hand with their community, the people of JL Zwane tirelessly seek to promote a sense of justice and raise their community from poverty to a community that encourages human dignity and self-respect. This is really all I can handle right now, as my computer is about to die and I need much more time to continue to process this experience over the next couple days. I will certainly be writing more on this in the near future as well as describing in more depth and chronological order the events of the last few days. So there is more to come soon! Additionally, I think I will post pictures relating to blogs after the text posts, as this system is much more time efficient. So stay posted for some new pics in the very near future.