Friday

Friday was one of the most overwhelming, incredible, perspective-changing, crazy, fun, emotional, upsetting days of my life. There were so many things and emotions explored on this one day. So... get ready for a long post, or maybe a couple of posts.

Our day started at the Department of Education in Port Elizabeth. We were able to meet with the District Director and have a discussion with him about education in South Africa. We discussed the struggles and strengths of their education system. It was a great opportunity! From there, we headed to Emafini. On the way, Mr. January decided to stop by another primary school in Port Elizabeth. Here are some pictures from this school:

 

 As you can tell, this school is on the opposite end of the spectrum as Emafini. My heart was broken as I walked up the steps to Sunridge Primary. I knew that it was going to be a completely different experience as we drove through the development to get to the school. I didn't see any barbed wire fences around the house, and all of the homes were very nice. This school had sanitary bathrooms, posters on the walls, televisions in every room, name tags for each student, a remedial teacher, a music room with instruments, two computer labs, and so much more. The differences left me speechless. I was so upset for my students. I was upset for the fact that they will never see the things that these students see everyday. I was upset for the fact that they do not have any access to extra support. I was so upset... and yet this happens in the United States too. It happens in my own city... South Africa is on a slow road of healing from apartheid. It was evident in this school visit. It is a school of predominately white children because it is a neighborhood of predominately white families. It costs 700 rand per month to go to school at Sunidge, while it only costs 80 rand per month (most families do not even pay this because they are unable to). It broke my heart... We were able to talk out our thoughts on our way back to Emafini. We discussed the fact that schools in our own city could easily partner together in order to help one another. Something needs to change... we need a perspective shift. I am still processing all of these thoughts.

 Next, we arrived back at Emafini to a loud applause as we walked into our classroom. Our students had missed us, and we had missed them! I felt so much more at home as I stepped into our class at Emafini. Our classroom with nothing on the walls and a dirty cement floor. We did not have time to do anything with our students because once again the plan changed. We had to eat lunch quickly because we were going on home visits. I didn't know how I was going to make it through after getting so emotional at Sunridge... now I was going to a shanty town, a township, a slum. Before I knew it, we were driving through a township where 60% of Emafini's students live. I was speechless...

These picture do not even begin to represent the place where we were walking, the place where my students live, the place where millions of people in South Africa live. Their homes are made of scrap metal or wood. Their rooms are separated by an old blanket. Their roofs are held on by tires, pieces of metal, rocks, etc. They live within the four sides of a barbed wire fence. Their bathrooms are a shack in the back of the house. They have no running water and most of them have no electricity. The ground is the garbage can. Their wallpaper is coupons and newspaper articles. They share a "room" with two or three others. It is dark. It is infested with flies and bugs. Yet, they are full of joy.  Even so, they SING and they DANCE. They are thankful! We have so much... I have so much, and I have so much to be thankful for! I am blessed beyond words. I am learning so much from these people, their history, their hope, and their daily reality. I am in the process of exploring the implications that this has on my life. What can I do? How do I move from this place that my heart has rested? What is justice and what does it look like in South Africa and in America? This is part of my journey...

We returned to school to meet our driver, Neil, in order to then go to the Red Location Museum. It was a great learning opportunity. The museum is a memorial of the apartheid. Therefore, we were able to learn about the heroes and heroines, the lifestyles, the political leaders, the massacres, the changes, and the hope for the future. It is a wonderful museum. It added to the emotions that were already overwhelming...

We returned home and had a little bit of time to rest and relax. I needed some time to think through everything from the day and journal:) Then, it was time to get ready for our party. There will have to be a separate blog for this... what a night!