I’m beginning to let things go and open up more – realizing that I was not as open as I thought I was coming in. I think the real shock/change is going to come though when I move into Langa township this Saturday. The two things on my heart have really been (i) living and learning with humility and (ii) hearing the cries of the afflicted. I’ve been asking God to give me His ears to hear the cries He hears from this country – the cries of the afflicted in particular.
. . . As we landed in Cape Town today I just took in the mountains and the ocean . . . awed by the beautiful combination! The airport felt much more international/western for some reason than the one in Johannesburg. Driving out of the airport we saw the slum shanty towns (the Cape Flats) right away, just off the road. It was really my first picture of dire poverty here in South Africa. When they pointed out Langa it definitely looked like miles of shacks. We were assured, however, that the place we’d be staying in Langa was a bit further into the township, where the houses are a bit different (brick permanent structures with running water and electricity). I’m excited for the homestay experience in this black township. All the nice restaurants and malls we've been at (one tonight was nicer than almost any I’ve been to in America) have been too much – not exactly the developing world experience I imagined for the semester. Some of the other students commented on how odd/uncomfortable it was to go to such a nice mall for dinner tonight after seeing the shacks this afternoon. It made me think about how we reflect on that here but we wouldn’t think twice about going to an equivalent restaurant in the United States.
Tonight we rode a taxi back from dinner for 30 R (little less than $5). As we pulled up to the corner of our hostel, a black young woman in a short skirt and an umbrella was standing on the curve. It was quite obvious to us in the car that she was a prostitute. People made a few jokes and comments, and Michael mentioned that this street is known for having prostitutes. My heart just . . . ah, was so burdened. My mind flashed to the GTIP report I was reading today, highlighting the prevalence of trafficking in Joburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Bloemfontein. I couldn’t help but wondering: is she a victim of sex trafficking? Even if not, what brought her to this place?
O GOD, I’ve been asking to hear the cries of the afflicted. Maybe you’re also giving me the eyes to see the faces of the afflicted. (kind of like the Steve Biko quote I prayed about on the plane over.)
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