This summer, from July 31 to August 15, a group of young people from Ontario and two chaperons traveled to South Africa to work and live among the people there. This trip was arranged by Word & Deed and the Miskin mission liaison committee. Here is a report about what we learned, and some of our experiences while we were there. Certainly the experience of traveling to South Africa and being among the people has been a rewarding and spiritually insightful time. We were able to see that Christ's church is truly throughout the world and that the deeds of Christians are an important part of showing the gospel in action.

Orphan Care Centers (operated by Mukhanyo Community Development Center - MCDC)

There are five orphan care centers established in different areas surrounding Pretoria, South Africa. Approximately 60 to 80 orphans come to the care centers each day. These children are usually taken care of by their relatives, but there are cases where children live with 15 others in a shanty with their grandparent(s). This is one reason why the care centers provide food for the children. A single grandparent most likely does not have a source of income, and if he or she does, it will not be enough to provide for all these children.

Much of our time here was spent painting a new church at one of the care centers and erecting pit toilets for the children to use. Working with African workers at the care centers, we learned of their own life stories. One worker lost both of his parents at the young age of ten. Being the oldest of five, he had to leave school and find work and make money so his other siblings could attend school. This man will never be able to find a "good" job since he is illiterate. This is another area where the care centers provide help.

One afternoon we were given the opportunity to prepare a Bible story and some crafts for the children. One of the teachers translated the story of Noah and the flood into the Zulu language as we told it in English. The children all listened very attentively during the story. Afterwards, we did a craft with the children in relation to the story. They were very excited to be able to make something and take it home with them. While working, we also took the time to teach them songs and some simple English phrases. Children of all ages are simply fascinated with cameras. They never failed to flash bright smiles and pose happily for a picture. These children loved any attention we gave them because they receive so little.

It was difficult to communicate with the younger children as they do not yet know English but speak Zulu. It is in school where they learn to speak English; therefore the older children were able to speak to us. However, even though many of the younger children could not understand us and we could not understand them, we could still communicate love and compassion to them and it was readily received.

Nakekela Care Center (an MCDC project supported by Word & Deed)

The Nakekela Care Center is a clinic where people with AIDS are treated. Regular rounds are made in the clinic every day, where Dr. Sonja Miskin and her dedicated staff talk with each patient, discuss their treatments, and offer encouragement. Dr. Sonja Miskin also makes home visits to people who have AIDS.

The severity of the AIDS disease ranges from Stage 1 to Stage 4. One will not find a person with Stage 1 AIDS in the clinic as symptoms are not yet visible. Most of the patients in the clinic have Stage 4 AIDS, and treatment is mostly not effective except for a few cases (mortality is presently around 60 percent). The discovery that a person in the community has AIDS often brings a lot of shame and pain to the sick individual. It is vital that visitors and caregivers are sensitive to strict confidentiality. Such fear, however, presents a problem: by the time someone dares to seek help, the disease has most likely progressed and may have been transmitted to others.

A number of us were privileged to visit the clinic. We had the opportunity to make meals consisting of some meat, vegetables, and pap for the patients. In addition, we cleaned the clinic, visited with the patients, and helped them perform various exercises to loosen their limbs, as many suffer from strokes which are a result of having AIDS.

The effects of this disease are readily seen. AIDS patients are very thin and suffer from strokes, blindness, cancer, and seizures, and have difficulty walking. Many are so weak that they need assistance in even the simplest tasks such as eating their food.

It is difficult to comprehend the reality of what is really going on in many of the homes in South Africa. Those that are treated, and continue taking their treatments, are able to live at home and carry on with their daily lives, yet thousands do not receive the necessary care.

Personal Thoughts and Reflections

We were eager to go on this mission trip for the opportunity to provide help for the people in South Africa and make even a small difference in their lives. The trip itself was a humbling and eye-opening experience. We now have a much greater sense of what life is like for those who have much less than us, and how we should be ashamed for continually looking to materialistic things to make us happy and comfortable. It was especially humbling to see how thankful and content the people are with the little they have.

We are truly grateful for the opportunity to have been able to reach out to those who are less fortunate. It was an unforgettable experience, well worth the time to put a smile on the face of a child who has only known sadness and poverty, and many of us would consider visiting again. Pray for these people, that they might receive physical aid, but also that the Word, being brought with the deed, would be sanctified in their hearts.

Jennifer Byl lives in Burgessville, Ontario, where she attends the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation.