Cecilia is writing again this month for Tim and Cecilia.
Tim and I just returned from a 8 day silent retreat. It was the longest time that I have been on a retreat. Perhaps that is true for Tim also. It was a directed retreat which was also new for me. We met individually once each day with a director who talked with us about how the day was going and gave us scripture readings to consider until the next day. There was Mass daily.
The setting of the retreat was fantastic. It was near Durban, South Africa, on the Indian Ocean. The house was on a bluff overlooking the ocean and it took about five minutes to walk to the public beach. I did walk there every day and used that setting for meditating. I was also fortunate to have a bedroom with a window on the ocean side, so I could watch the waves and hear the water noises day and night. Truly awesome!
Besides the beauty of the ocean, there were also gardens in the front and back yard of the retreat house. Sometimes there were visiting monkeys in the yards. But there was always the beauty of flowers since the temperature is warmer than Johannesburg even though it is winter now.
We returned to work on Monday, and it was great to be told by both patients and staff that we were missed while we were gone.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
This blog is being written by Cecilia. Tim and I are both well. Tim has been under stress as the clinic downsizes from 1200 clients to a target of 200 clients. And things are also rough because three key people left in the last 6 weeks: the head nurse of the clinic, the head social worker, and the psychologist who did liason work with the community, taught inservices, and was a very supportive person all around. There were also government inspectors at the clinic for more than a week as part of the transition of patients to government facilities. This added to the staff's stress. Hopefully things will settle down soon.
The hospice has not been as effected by the changes even though the hospice is part of the St. Francis Care Center. The every day work at the hospice has been only a little different. However the patients now need to be transported by their relatives to other clinics to get their medication to fight AIDS. Sometimes the relatives just don't come. So it does make the overall care less consistent than when the hospice staff could just accompany the hospice patient across the street to the St. Francis Clinic.
Now to a new topic. I have had questions in my own mind about why some things are like they are in South Africa. I read something in a church bulletin from a neighboring Franciscan parish that answered some questions I have had. So I thought that I would include this paragraph in today's blog. "Central to the evil inflicted by Apartheid was its denial of human dignity. Twenty years later we are still living with the consequences of that denial manifested in different ways, but particularly in the extreme violence of our country. Apartheid taught people of all races to surrender their awareness of the innate dignity to themselves and others. Of all the evils needing to be undone this seems to be the most difficult. It requires that we first radically change our self image, and see ourselves as created in love by God. Secondly it requires us to see all other people as also being created in love by God. To see ourselves and others as God see us; as human beings with the dignity that comes from being made in God's own image."
This quote answers my questions when I hear on the TV news that the average number of homicides in countries around the world is 7/100,000. And in South Africa it is 35/100,00 (I am presuming that this figure is per year, but I am not sure). And on TV we hear about the high number of police men killed while on duty as well as the much higher number of citizens killed by the police every year. And in our local weekly newspaper we read about a great deal of violence in our local area. There is violence in many forms of course. But at this time I am focusing on the criminal forces used by persons on another.
And on another topic, we are into winter weather here. Compared to the U.S. winters, especially in North Dakota, the weather is not very cold. But since many people live without any form of heat, when it is about freezing temperatures outside, it can also seem cold on the inside of the buildings.
I hope that all of you in the Northern Hemisphere are enjoying great weather and long summer days.
Cecilia
The hospice has not been as effected by the changes even though the hospice is part of the St. Francis Care Center. The every day work at the hospice has been only a little different. However the patients now need to be transported by their relatives to other clinics to get their medication to fight AIDS. Sometimes the relatives just don't come. So it does make the overall care less consistent than when the hospice staff could just accompany the hospice patient across the street to the St. Francis Clinic.
Now to a new topic. I have had questions in my own mind about why some things are like they are in South Africa. I read something in a church bulletin from a neighboring Franciscan parish that answered some questions I have had. So I thought that I would include this paragraph in today's blog. "Central to the evil inflicted by Apartheid was its denial of human dignity. Twenty years later we are still living with the consequences of that denial manifested in different ways, but particularly in the extreme violence of our country. Apartheid taught people of all races to surrender their awareness of the innate dignity to themselves and others. Of all the evils needing to be undone this seems to be the most difficult. It requires that we first radically change our self image, and see ourselves as created in love by God. Secondly it requires us to see all other people as also being created in love by God. To see ourselves and others as God see us; as human beings with the dignity that comes from being made in God's own image."
This quote answers my questions when I hear on the TV news that the average number of homicides in countries around the world is 7/100,000. And in South Africa it is 35/100,00 (I am presuming that this figure is per year, but I am not sure). And on TV we hear about the high number of police men killed while on duty as well as the much higher number of citizens killed by the police every year. And in our local weekly newspaper we read about a great deal of violence in our local area. There is violence in many forms of course. But at this time I am focusing on the criminal forces used by persons on another.
And on another topic, we are into winter weather here. Compared to the U.S. winters, especially in North Dakota, the weather is not very cold. But since many people live without any form of heat, when it is about freezing temperatures outside, it can also seem cold on the inside of the buildings.
I hope that all of you in the Northern Hemisphere are enjoying great weather and long summer days.
Cecilia
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
THOUGHTS ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa as it is now is a new country; it’s been about nineteen years since the end of apartheid and the ratification of a new constitution. South Africans boast about having the best constitution in the world, and they may be right, at least theoretically. It was written with the realization that for South Africa to succeed as a country, it must truly be for all the people, and all must participate. In reality, existing problems preclude a quick transition into the free, productive, peaceful, commonweal-minded country that was envisioned. These problems include (but are not limited to) the following:
1. As of March, 2011, South Africa has the greatest income disparity in the world;
the rich are getting richer, and the poorest are getting poorer. In the last year ( I believe), we went from having ten billionaires to twenty-four.
2. There is rampant corruption at all levels of the government. It seems that most people running for office do so to enrich themselves rather than serve the people.
Here is a quote from the Minister of Transport as he unveiled a new national traffic intervention unit of “super traffic cops:” “Road safety in South Africa is essentially about eradicating deaths, crashes and bribery.”
3. HIV/AIDS. Twenty to thirty per cent of all South Africans are now HIV +
4. Unemployment -- now at 26%
5. A bad public educational system, including more than 30,000 unqualified
teachers, some of whom couldn’t read at a 4th grade level.
6. A hangover of prejudices, biases, and ways of thinking from the time of white supremacy and apartheid, not officially and overtly, but very real.
7. A sense of tribalism that makes it hard for many to think of themselves as
South African rather than Xhosa or Zulu or Venda, etc.
8. A vast inequality of access to resources: water, fuel, electricity, sewers, government services, etc.
South Africa is a fairly large country. Someone told me that if you were to eliminate the 3 or 4 largest U.S states, and the 3 or 4 smallest U.S. states, and pick randomly nine states from the remaining states, their area would approximate the area of South Africa.. South Africa is composed of nine provinces (roughly equivalent to U.S. states). Their names are: Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Northwest, Kwazulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga. The country is large enough to have some variety of climates. Winters are generally mild, while summers are hot in the low desert areas and nicely warm (70s and 80s F,) in the high country and coastal areas. I should add that within the outline of South Africa, there are two independent countries that are completely surrounded by South Africa: Swaziland and Lesotho.
South Africa has much natural beauty. It has mountains, lakes, rivers, forests, jungles, savannahs, deserts, plains, and two oceans. It has cities and suburbs, small towns and villages, farms and ranches, populated and unpopulated areas. It’s known for its large animals: elephants, lions, rhinos, hippos, buffalo, giraffes, kudus, and others, but it also has hundreds of species of other animals. It abounds in birds, flowers, and trees of all sorts. South Africans like to pride themselves as being the most “European” or “Western” country in all of Africa, and this may be true culturally in the cities, but within a one or two hour drive from anywhere in the country, you can find yourself completely away from “advanced culture,” perhaps among people living as they did 1000 years ago, or perhaps in a jungle without a hint or a sign of “civilization,” or perhaps on a savannah where all you can see are the grass, the trees, and the animals around you, and not another human being in sight.
We live in Gauteng province, in the high country. We came in July, in the middle of winter, and I never had to wear more than a sweater to work. Summer just ended for us, and I don’t think we had more than a day or two when the thermometer got up to ninety or more. We live in a semi-rural area, in the neighborhood of Everleigh, which is sort of a suburb of Boksburg, which is a suburb of Johannesburg. Gauteng is the smallest of
South Africa’s nine provinces, but it has more than 50% of the crime in all of South Africa. So far, we haven’t been victims of crime of any sort.
In a sense, crime is big business here. Most houses have all their windows and doors covered by ironwork --business for the ironworker. Most properties are ringed by high walls -- business for the mason. Most wall tops and gates are wired for electricity -- business for the electrician. Most homes (and businesses) have internal security systems -- business for people who install such systems. Many (perhaps, most) homes and businesses hire security services to respond to the internal security systems and to patrol the area -- BIG business for security services. Interestingly, I’ve been told by a number of people that the majority of people hired by the security services are ex-convicts.
Since we came here last July we (the clinic) lost phone service twice because thieves cut down and stole the phone lines along the street to sell for scrap copper. After the second time, the phone company refused to put up any more lines, so we had to go to wireless digital technology, In the past week or so, there’s been a rash of manhole cover thefts; they’re worth about $ 250.00 each, but I don’t know how much the thieves get for them. Most car thefts are done by hi-jacking, and there are a lot of them. Most street hold-ups are for cell phones and the money people carry. Many of the crimes seem to reflect a kind of thinking that does not consider the good of the community as a whole.
There can also be humor in crime. Consider these excerpts from stories in the latest local newspaper. In a story headlined “Alleged bank robbers escape from prison,” a police spokesman said, “They allegedly dug through the wall of their cell and cut one of the window bars. They then made a rope using their sheets to climb over the wall and escape. We are still investigating how they managed to escape. We tried to hunt them down but failed to find them…It is the first time we have seen this kind of an escape in our prison…This is the third escape from this prison since January this year.”
I didn’t mean for this to be a “downer” kind of blog; I merely wanted to help all you who read this to get a better idea of what it’s like to live and work here. We’re happy and contented and fulfilled with the work we’re doing and the people we interact with. We invite you to be adventurous; come visit us and have a great experience. T & C Marcy
1. As of March, 2011, South Africa has the greatest income disparity in the world;
the rich are getting richer, and the poorest are getting poorer. In the last year ( I believe), we went from having ten billionaires to twenty-four.
2. There is rampant corruption at all levels of the government. It seems that most people running for office do so to enrich themselves rather than serve the people.
Here is a quote from the Minister of Transport as he unveiled a new national traffic intervention unit of “super traffic cops:” “Road safety in South Africa is essentially about eradicating deaths, crashes and bribery.”
3. HIV/AIDS. Twenty to thirty per cent of all South Africans are now HIV +
4. Unemployment -- now at 26%
5. A bad public educational system, including more than 30,000 unqualified
teachers, some of whom couldn’t read at a 4th grade level.
6. A hangover of prejudices, biases, and ways of thinking from the time of white supremacy and apartheid, not officially and overtly, but very real.
7. A sense of tribalism that makes it hard for many to think of themselves as
South African rather than Xhosa or Zulu or Venda, etc.
8. A vast inequality of access to resources: water, fuel, electricity, sewers, government services, etc.
South Africa is a fairly large country. Someone told me that if you were to eliminate the 3 or 4 largest U.S states, and the 3 or 4 smallest U.S. states, and pick randomly nine states from the remaining states, their area would approximate the area of South Africa.. South Africa is composed of nine provinces (roughly equivalent to U.S. states). Their names are: Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Northwest, Kwazulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga. The country is large enough to have some variety of climates. Winters are generally mild, while summers are hot in the low desert areas and nicely warm (70s and 80s F,) in the high country and coastal areas. I should add that within the outline of South Africa, there are two independent countries that are completely surrounded by South Africa: Swaziland and Lesotho.
South Africa has much natural beauty. It has mountains, lakes, rivers, forests, jungles, savannahs, deserts, plains, and two oceans. It has cities and suburbs, small towns and villages, farms and ranches, populated and unpopulated areas. It’s known for its large animals: elephants, lions, rhinos, hippos, buffalo, giraffes, kudus, and others, but it also has hundreds of species of other animals. It abounds in birds, flowers, and trees of all sorts. South Africans like to pride themselves as being the most “European” or “Western” country in all of Africa, and this may be true culturally in the cities, but within a one or two hour drive from anywhere in the country, you can find yourself completely away from “advanced culture,” perhaps among people living as they did 1000 years ago, or perhaps in a jungle without a hint or a sign of “civilization,” or perhaps on a savannah where all you can see are the grass, the trees, and the animals around you, and not another human being in sight.
We live in Gauteng province, in the high country. We came in July, in the middle of winter, and I never had to wear more than a sweater to work. Summer just ended for us, and I don’t think we had more than a day or two when the thermometer got up to ninety or more. We live in a semi-rural area, in the neighborhood of Everleigh, which is sort of a suburb of Boksburg, which is a suburb of Johannesburg. Gauteng is the smallest of
South Africa’s nine provinces, but it has more than 50% of the crime in all of South Africa. So far, we haven’t been victims of crime of any sort.
In a sense, crime is big business here. Most houses have all their windows and doors covered by ironwork --business for the ironworker. Most properties are ringed by high walls -- business for the mason. Most wall tops and gates are wired for electricity -- business for the electrician. Most homes (and businesses) have internal security systems -- business for people who install such systems. Many (perhaps, most) homes and businesses hire security services to respond to the internal security systems and to patrol the area -- BIG business for security services. Interestingly, I’ve been told by a number of people that the majority of people hired by the security services are ex-convicts.
Since we came here last July we (the clinic) lost phone service twice because thieves cut down and stole the phone lines along the street to sell for scrap copper. After the second time, the phone company refused to put up any more lines, so we had to go to wireless digital technology, In the past week or so, there’s been a rash of manhole cover thefts; they’re worth about $ 250.00 each, but I don’t know how much the thieves get for them. Most car thefts are done by hi-jacking, and there are a lot of them. Most street hold-ups are for cell phones and the money people carry. Many of the crimes seem to reflect a kind of thinking that does not consider the good of the community as a whole.
There can also be humor in crime. Consider these excerpts from stories in the latest local newspaper. In a story headlined “Alleged bank robbers escape from prison,” a police spokesman said, “They allegedly dug through the wall of their cell and cut one of the window bars. They then made a rope using their sheets to climb over the wall and escape. We are still investigating how they managed to escape. We tried to hunt them down but failed to find them…It is the first time we have seen this kind of an escape in our prison…This is the third escape from this prison since January this year.”
I didn’t mean for this to be a “downer” kind of blog; I merely wanted to help all you who read this to get a better idea of what it’s like to live and work here. We’re happy and contented and fulfilled with the work we’re doing and the people we interact with. We invite you to be adventurous; come visit us and have a great experience. T & C Marcy
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Trust the "Reshaping"
Tim and I are blessed with many opportunities for prayer and reflection. Each week there is Sunday Mass in the big hall at the St. Francis Care Center. And on Thursdays and Fridays there is Mass at the Chapel at the Center. And the chapel is always open for private prayer and visits.
Yesterday Tim and I went to a day of recollection at the Cathedral in Johannesburg. The day was led by a Dominican Sister and was for caregivers of AIDS patients at various locations in the diocese. There were about 25 of us present.
The theme was Trust in God. There was a power point presentation, sharing among the large group, meeting in small groups with one or two others, meeting in groups of six, sharing the small group material with the large group, music at appropriate times throughout the day, and finally a meditative use of clay to be molded by each of us.
The theme of the day was coordinated with Sunday’s scripture readings with the theme that God will never forget us. So the theme of trust was emphasized with scripture and song and peoples’ shared experiences. The images were of God as Abba or Father. And we as the clay to be molded. And this much was not new for me.
But the idea that struck me was that God not only shaped us, but he reshapes us. And we must trust Him in this process. Wow! What if we have gotten used to how we are after many years of life? What if we take our abilities of thought, memory, decision making, personality, physical well-being, general functioning and skills for granted? What if the reshaping means that we have to accept many fewer gifts?
So as we age, the qualities that make up who we are will gradually change, likely they will diminish. But we need to trust God in this new, reshaped, person that we become? Scary? Is this where the “acceptance” comes in after the “denial”? And for the AIDS patients or anyone with a life threatening illness, this diminishing of abilites comes at all ages, some quite young.
Here are a couple of quotes that we were given and I am presently considering: “Your part is to trust God no matter what happens. God’s part is to take what happens and to turn it into something good.”
Another thought is “Thank God for what you have. Trust God for what you need.
I will be giving this thought: Trust God in the Reshaping in the weeks to come.
I hope that you have a good month of March.
Cecilia
Yesterday Tim and I went to a day of recollection at the Cathedral in Johannesburg. The day was led by a Dominican Sister and was for caregivers of AIDS patients at various locations in the diocese. There were about 25 of us present.
The theme was Trust in God. There was a power point presentation, sharing among the large group, meeting in small groups with one or two others, meeting in groups of six, sharing the small group material with the large group, music at appropriate times throughout the day, and finally a meditative use of clay to be molded by each of us.
The theme of the day was coordinated with Sunday’s scripture readings with the theme that God will never forget us. So the theme of trust was emphasized with scripture and song and peoples’ shared experiences. The images were of God as Abba or Father. And we as the clay to be molded. And this much was not new for me.
But the idea that struck me was that God not only shaped us, but he reshapes us. And we must trust Him in this process. Wow! What if we have gotten used to how we are after many years of life? What if we take our abilities of thought, memory, decision making, personality, physical well-being, general functioning and skills for granted? What if the reshaping means that we have to accept many fewer gifts?
So as we age, the qualities that make up who we are will gradually change, likely they will diminish. But we need to trust God in this new, reshaped, person that we become? Scary? Is this where the “acceptance” comes in after the “denial”? And for the AIDS patients or anyone with a life threatening illness, this diminishing of abilites comes at all ages, some quite young.
Here are a couple of quotes that we were given and I am presently considering: “Your part is to trust God no matter what happens. God’s part is to take what happens and to turn it into something good.”
Another thought is “Thank God for what you have. Trust God for what you need.
I will be giving this thought: Trust God in the Reshaping in the weeks to come.
I hope that you have a good month of March.
Cecilia
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Cecilia's experience working at the hospice
Tim has written the blog for the past couple of months. So we thought that I should share some of my thoughts and experiences. I have been working at the adult hospice of the St. Francis Care Center since early in December. My tasks have evolved a little in that time. But now I help with serving the breakfast, mid-morning tea, and the noon meal. Sometimes I help feed one of the patients.
But the majority of my time I have been massaging the patients feet and legs. There are several reasons why this is important and appreciated. The disease of AIDS can cause peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities which causes pain and poor circulation. Some of the strong medications given to combat AIDS also cause the same leg problems as a side effect. Then there are also many of the AIDS patients who also have tuberculosis. A number of these people have tuberculosis of the spine which causes them to be paralyzed from the waist down. And some of them are then having problems with contractions of the muscles in their legs. So the massage is useful for them.
There are two or three women who massage professionally that volunteer at the St. Francis Care Center one morning a week. So I have had the opportunity to observe and try to imitate some of their helpful work. And since I am there five mornings a week, I am able to give some relief to the patients on a more frequent schedule.
I value this opportunity to be of service in a manner that is helpful to others. I find that it is fitting my faith life at this time. I am grateful to be a part of the Franciscan Mission Service and to be working as a missioner.
But the majority of my time I have been massaging the patients feet and legs. There are several reasons why this is important and appreciated. The disease of AIDS can cause peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities which causes pain and poor circulation. Some of the strong medications given to combat AIDS also cause the same leg problems as a side effect. Then there are also many of the AIDS patients who also have tuberculosis. A number of these people have tuberculosis of the spine which causes them to be paralyzed from the waist down. And some of them are then having problems with contractions of the muscles in their legs. So the massage is useful for them.
There are two or three women who massage professionally that volunteer at the St. Francis Care Center one morning a week. So I have had the opportunity to observe and try to imitate some of their helpful work. And since I am there five mornings a week, I am able to give some relief to the patients on a more frequent schedule.
I value this opportunity to be of service in a manner that is helpful to others. I find that it is fitting my faith life at this time. I am grateful to be a part of the Franciscan Mission Service and to be working as a missioner.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Reflections at the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011 (Tim’s thoughts)
Greetings, friends (or Sawubona, abangane, as we say in Zulu). Here I am a half a world away from relatives and old friends, from familiar places, from situations in which I am reasonably secure and comfortable, and from most of the comforts to which I had grown accustomed. I’m working with and for people of a vastly different culture, mostly the poor, the dying, and those suffering from HIV/AIDS, and in less than ideal circumstances, - - - and yet somehow I’m happy from morning to bedtime; I’m living in a quiet kind of joy each day the whole day long. This realization prompted the idea of finding out what made South Africans happy.
So, I asked ten people (white, black, mixed, relatively rich, dirt poor, highly educated, poorly educated, professional workers, menial workers, young, old) the following question, “What makes you happy; what gives you joy?” Here are their answers. (shortened, but containing the essence)
1) Sitting and talking with people.
2) Having a job that I like doing, and being able to do it well.
3) Being around people that I like and that care for me.
4) Waking up alive each day feeling good (healthy).
5) Serving other people; having a job that allows me to serve them.
6) Having my family (children & grandchildren) close.
7) Being close to God.
8) Having everything I need. (?) You know, food, cosmetics, money
to do whatever I want, and friends.
9) Having time to do what I want instead of always working because
I have to.
10) When we get together for celebrations, with food, and music, and
story-telling and talking.
There’s nothing very profound here. Would people in the U.S. have similar answers? How would you answer? To me, these answers under-score our basic humanity; that despite our differences, our commonalities as human beings far outweigh those differences. Our cultural, religious, political, economic, racial, occupational, generational, and individual differences merely add spice and variety to the beings we call the children of God. We truly are all brothers and sisters. Sala kahle. (Zulu: remain well)
So, I asked ten people (white, black, mixed, relatively rich, dirt poor, highly educated, poorly educated, professional workers, menial workers, young, old) the following question, “What makes you happy; what gives you joy?” Here are their answers. (shortened, but containing the essence)
1) Sitting and talking with people.
2) Having a job that I like doing, and being able to do it well.
3) Being around people that I like and that care for me.
4) Waking up alive each day feeling good (healthy).
5) Serving other people; having a job that allows me to serve them.
6) Having my family (children & grandchildren) close.
7) Being close to God.
8) Having everything I need. (?) You know, food, cosmetics, money
to do whatever I want, and friends.
9) Having time to do what I want instead of always working because
I have to.
10) When we get together for celebrations, with food, and music, and
story-telling and talking.
There’s nothing very profound here. Would people in the U.S. have similar answers? How would you answer? To me, these answers under-score our basic humanity; that despite our differences, our commonalities as human beings far outweigh those differences. Our cultural, religious, political, economic, racial, occupational, generational, and individual differences merely add spice and variety to the beings we call the children of God. We truly are all brothers and sisters. Sala kahle. (Zulu: remain well)
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