Day Four: Masikhanye [Mah-see-kahn-ya]

February 13

Forty women meet every week for Masikhanye, which means shedding light. They talk and learn about women’s rights. When they return to their area, they have cell groups to which they pass on the information. These women are very strong and committed to bettering their community. At the beginning, we did an initiative that I learned at MNSU with the Adventure Education Program. It’s called card identity and it relates to how people judge one another based upon their outward appearance. I enjoy sharing ideas with the staff at CATCH and working with interpreters. At the end, the women sang together. This is my favorite!

            Every day before devotions, I look to a few staff from Mzamomhle with a big smile and twinkle in my eye asking them to please sing. The woman that leads has a brilliant voice steadied with resilience. She shyly smiles and nods. The staffs treat one another like siblings. CATCH is filled with laugher, accents, several languages, skin colors and love. In the afternoon, we had reading club. Reading club allows the staff/volunteers to have one on one time with the children. They choose a book, and then read to us! They are learning English, and doing quite well. Sometimes they pause, gently tap my shoulder, and point to a word they need help with. One girl had a book that rhymed. We started working on words that rhyme. I wrote the word book, and then passed the paper. The girl next to me added hook. From this point, the game became as popular as Angry Birds to Americans. The girls contemplated each word and laughed when they guessed incorrectly. I started one round with the word Day, the next girl added Monday. I smiled and then racked my brain on how to explain why this is incorrect.

            At night, I am enjoying dinner with my host couple. It’s wonderful to be with a couple close to my age. They are informing me of all the places I must visit before leaving. It seems I might need to extend my flight! Tonight, I Skyped with my parents! They are all smiles as we chatted about life across the world. Tomorrow is Valentines Day! I’m so blessed by all my relationships. My relationship with my parents. My relationship with Jesus.  My relationship with several sets of ‘second’ parents. Relationships with my brothers & sisters. My relationship with the beautifully dysfunctional family at the Kato Rockwall. My relationship with my grandparents. Relationships with people at New Creation in fanning the flame for Christ. My relationship with Nike; she my gurl. I could keep going on and on. Hearts all around! XOXO