Thursday!

Last Thursday when I got home from work I said I was going to sit down and blog about the wonderful day I’d had. But, I did not. Therefore I am now going to have to give you the watered down version with bits and pieces that I can’t remember left lingering in the gloriousness that was Thursday. Because today is Monday and Thursday has gone away.

The week started really well last week because Monday was a holiday. It was Human Right Day so of course school was closed and I had the day off. I woke up and had breakfast and tea in the garden. Then Mpho came over. We had a photo shoot then spent the rest of the afternoon picnicking and having girl talk in Kirstenbosh Gardens which is a huge very popular collection of gardens right on the slopes of Table Mountain. We went to Woolworth’s and bought fruit, sandwiches, chips, chocolate and other snacks then took a taxi up to the gardens. It was really beautiful. We just talked and laughed and had a great time as usual. It started to get a little chilly toward the end, but besides that everything was perfect. Afterwards I came home and a meeting with Pastor Vusi. I told him the great news about the grant that I am receiving next month. He was ecstatic! And we also discussed orphanage plans and plans to help make my class be sustainable after I leave. As far as the orphanage goes we came up with a great fundraising plan. We need to raise $4,300 to buy the land for the orphanage and we found this grant offered by the US Embassy. But instead of just applying for the grant to use the money to build the orphanage we are going to submit a proposal to pay for two things. Firstly, we are going to buy a t-shirt printing machine. We went to the place to shop for it the other day and they have a package where you can get the machine, a bulk order of blank t-shirts, and the transfer paper all together. So what we are going to do (to continue with the “Art for Africa” theme) is design t-shirts and print them ourselves and sell them, then use the proceeds for the land fund. I am going to send a bunch home to the states and you all must sell them to everyone you know for $10 each. We are also going to sell them at his church here and at the University of Cape Town. Secondly, we are going to use the other portion of the money to buy materials and pay a local beading lady to make Art for Africa key chains in bulk that we can sell as well. I think it’s a great idea because its benefiting us by helping us raise money to buy our land and its helping the community by creating a job opportunity that will be very lucrative for such a poor but talented woman. Anyway, I’ve been dreaming (literally) about this orphanage a lot lately and I’m very excited about the project!
So Tuesday morning I woke up expecting to go to work but I got a text message from Pastor Vusi telling me not to ride the bus today because its dangerous. There was a taxi strike going on (not like American taxis. They are like little minibuses that carry many people around. They are the main source of transportation here). Because the taxi drivers were on strike he didn’t want me taking the bus because he was afraid that the taxi drivers would stone and burn the busses (which was a very legitimate fear). So, to be safe, I stayed home that day. But then the next day he said it still wasn’t safe, so including my usual 3 day weekends (I don’t work on Fridays) I had 5 days off work last week. I only worked Thursday which brings me to the point of this blog entry.

Thursday I went to school without too high of expectations. It was the kids last day of school before a 2 week long break and I hadn’t worked with them in 5 days. When I arrived Ms. Maseti got all the kids together and sent them out to me for drama class. This was the best class yet! The kids were so excited that I was there. The teachers were all telling me that everyday the kids were asking “Where is Nonceba? When is she coming back to teach us our drama?” Of course they were saying all of this in Xhosa though. So when we got to our windy outdoor classroom covered in broken beer bottles and litter I asked the kids if they felt like doing something calm or doing something really active. Almost all of them enthusiastically responded that they wanted to be active. We started with the warm-up which they really love. We do a shake down then some stretches and physical exercises. Then we so some vocal warm ups then move into the drama work. I let a different student lead the shake down each day and they are finally becoming enthusiastic about it and volunteering instead of shy and hiding behind one another to ensure that I don’t choose them. Anyway, I had them do an exercise that I created based on some things I learned in college mixed with some kiddie improv games and some of my own personal technique. It requires a lot of risk taking and thinking on your toes. I expected it to be very difficult for them, especially because I’m really trying to ease off of the translator and have them understand and speak English confidently. Anyway, as the exercise was going on and I saw them putting their whole hearts into it I had a moment. They were running through an imaginary jungle of fire and I saw the look on one of the girls faces. It was absolutely believable. She was totally lost in her dramatic circumstance. This shy girl who still giggles and runs off in embarrassment every time I say hello to her because she can’t get over the fact that I’m actually from the real United States of America, was totally and completely submerged in the dramatic circumstance. I then looked around and realized that they all were. For the first time since I’ve started they had finally let go of caring what others think or being afraid to be wrong and they were ACTING! I mean they were really acting! And then without me even instructing them to do so they began to add song to the drama. It was beautiful! They were totally letting their guards down. At the moment I was so happy because that’s what its all about. Its about getting lost in the drama and letting go of all the hardships of life. There is so much trouble in their little lives and you can almost see the worry weighing on many of their shoulders. But not while they were acting! They were having fun. They were being kids. They were being artists and it was beautiful. I literally heard myself say out loud “this is amazing”, and goodness it was!
After class however, I saw my little star named Esethu (she is freakin BRILLIANT, amazing actress and she wrote a whole 2 paragraph essay in English the other day with almost all the words spelled perfectly) crying on her way out… well we she was already out because my classroom is outdoors… but on her way away from class. I stopped her to see what was wrong but she was so upset and speaking in Xhosa so I couldn’t understand her. So I had Natalie, my friend and translator, come over and figure out what the problem was. Apparently some of the big boys at the school bully her and threatened to beat her up again today on her way home. Even as small a she is, she walks home alone. So Natalie agreed to walk her home that day and Bandile and I left.
As I was leaving I kept thinking about how thankful I was to be able to take her mind off of the bullies and all the other burdens of her life for just a little while. I was remembering being in high school and having all these problems that at the time felt insurmountable, but then going to drama class and to YEA and escaping them. It always felt so good….
I am sad because now the kids have a 2 week break so no school for me the next two weeks. I was supposed to attend a workshop today and tomorrow but the taxis went on strike AGAIN so I was stuck home again today. But Pastor Vusi says that they are doing the workshop again next month so I’ll go then. Tomorrow, if the taxis don’t decide to strike and Pastor Vusi thinks its safe enough, I am going to go work in the orphanage. I am going to work there this week since there is no school. I am very nervous about it. As I explained in my previous blog, the orphanage makes me shaky and emotional and makes me feel sort of ill. But, I am going to go tomorrow and try to make the best of it. I’m just going to remember that what I am doing is helping a little even if its just chipping little pieces of ice off the iceberg.
In other news, I miss my sisters, especially Tiff. I wish I could be there with/for her right now. But hey, all in God’s timing. Also, everyone please pray for God to provide a means for me to attend the Be the Change course this year. It’s a week long course in Italy on social entrepreneurship and how to start your own non-profit organization. OH YEAH!! Did I already blog about how I am now officially a registered founder of Abantwana Benceba?! It is officially registered as an NPO and if you look at the constitution next to the word founder is Nonceba B. Richardson!!! A couple months ago I made a list of goals I wanted to accomplish within the next ten years. By the end of May I will be able to check FOUR things off: get back to South Africa by March 2010, raise $10,000 for Art for Africa, start my own non-profit organization, and see Italy. Now this is cause for celebration!
Anyway, I love you all dearly. Thank you for reading!