Reflection on a dollar a day -- life in the townships

On Monday after our speaker, they told us we had an hour to prepare and pack before we departed to the townships. We were to go and live with a family and truly experience what it would be like to live off a dollar a day. I’m glad that this was not a planned event. It caught many of us off guard and brought people slightly outside their comfort zone which I think is healthy.
It didn’t really sink in what was happening until we got off the bus in the township. We were immediately greeted by many people and children with smiling faces. We split up into groups and met the mother of the family we would be staying with. Our mother was incredibly welcoming as she showed us around and took us to her home. I was immediately surprised how nice her home was equipped with a basic kitchen, three small bedrooms, bathroom, living room and even a television. Nonetheless, the square footage of the home was probably equivalent to some of our parents’ living rooms back home.
I spent the day outside interacting with the children in our area. After a couple playful games of rugby, I learned some other games they played involving string and marbles. I though it was amazing that although these kids have close to nothing, they are still so joyful and full of life. Our mother walked us around to other houses of her relatives and friends. We would walk in and see anther group of LEAD students singing or dancing with the people. It was very apparent to me how much these people valued friends and family and are content with what they have. One may say ignorance is bliss, but I think these people really know what life is all about. This experience will likely be one that many of us take the most away from.

--Jordan Drake

Reflection on a dollar a day -- life in the townships

On Monday after our speaker, they told us we had an hour to prepare and pack before we departed to the townships. We were to go and live with a family and truly experience what it would be like to live off a dollar a day. I’m glad that this was not a planned event. It caught many of us off guard and brought people slightly outside their comfort zone which I think is healthy.
It didn’t really sink in what was happening until we got off the bus in the township. We were immediately greeted by many people and children with smiling faces. We split up into groups and met the mother of the family we would be staying with. Our mother was incredibly welcoming as she showed us around and took us to her home. I was immediately surprised how nice her home was equipped with a basic kitchen, three small bedrooms, bathroom, living room and even a television. Nonetheless, the square footage of the home was probably equivalent to some of our parents’ living rooms back home.
I spent the day outside interacting with the children in our area. After a couple playful games of rugby, I learned some other games they played involving string and marbles. I though it was amazing that although these kids have close to nothing, they are still so joyful and full of life. Our mother walked us around to other houses of her relatives and friends. We would walk in and see anther group of LEAD students singing or dancing with the people. It was very apparent to me how much these people valued friends and family and are content with what they have. One may say ignorance is bliss, but I think these people really know what life is all about. This experience will likely be one that many of us take the most away from.

--Jordan Drake

Education week continued...

Today was the third day of education week for the Global L.E.A.D. program. The speakers for the day were Louis and Leone Van Der Linde and one of the many students they have impacted with their pay-to-read program. Though there are similar programs in the states, none I have heard about have been able to make such an impact, on so large a level. To be able to motivate a mass of students to read these books and actually incorporate what they have read into their everyday lives is truly amazing. Being able to hear first hand how the program was able to make such a strong impression on one of the students helped our group understand what the program was about. The program works to take some of the school’s most troubled students and transform them into the schools best.
Apart from speaking about the book program, Leone spoke about the power of giving and not only how it makes a difference in the lives of those you give to, but on yours as well. She spoke of the power of dreaming and always doing your own thing. The moment in her speech that stuck out the most personally was when she said that you should give like a tree. “The tree does not discriminate between the rich or the poor, it gives unconditionally.” What a way to live, you don’t think about giving, you just give to those who need it most. Leone then moved on to speak about our overnight trip to the township, which we learned she coordinated. Before we arrived in the township and even after we left, none of us knew where the food that the soup mothers provided the children came from. Today we learned that all the food came straight from the Van Der Linde’s. I cannot begin to express the inspiration I felt coming out of the speech this morning… I can only hope that one day I can make an impact somewhat similar to theirs.

--Josh Green

Education week continued...

Today was the third day of education week for the Global L.E.A.D. program. The speakers for the day were Louis and Leone Van Der Linde and one of the many students they have impacted with their pay-to-read program. Though there are similar programs in the states, none I have heard about have been able to make such an impact, on so large a level. To be able to motivate a mass of students to read these books and actually incorporate what they have read into their everyday lives is truly amazing. Being able to hear first hand how the program was able to make such a strong impression on one of the students helped our group understand what the program was about. The program works to take some of the school’s most troubled students and transform them into the schools best.
Apart from speaking about the book program, Leone spoke about the power of giving and not only how it makes a difference in the lives of those you give to, but on yours as well. She spoke of the power of dreaming and always doing your own thing. The moment in her speech that stuck out the most personally was when she said that you should give like a tree. “The tree does not discriminate between the rich or the poor, it gives unconditionally.” What a way to live, you don’t think about giving, you just give to those who need it most. Leone then moved on to speak about our overnight trip to the township, which we learned she coordinated. Before we arrived in the township and even after we left, none of us knew where the food that the soup mothers provided the children came from. Today we learned that all the food came straight from the Van Der Linde’s. I cannot begin to express the inspiration I felt coming out of the speech this morning… I can only hope that one day I can make an impact somewhat similar to theirs.

--Josh Green

Seven day Victoria Falls off week trip

During our off week, twelve of us had the opportunity to spend seven days visiting four countries: South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. Along the trip, we had tons of opportunity for adventure and exploration within the communities and interaction with the locals. Personally, my favorite part of the trip was the couple of days spent in Zimbabwe.

Our first fully day in Zimbabwe, the boys and girls split up for some adventure activities in the morning. The girls made their way toward the falls to go gorge swinging while the boys made their way to the Zambezi river for some fishing. Gorge swinging was incredible! I partnered with Jenny and we volunteered to go first, luckily, as we soon figured out its a lot scarier to watch then to actually gorge swing!

 In the afternoon, we all met back up to see the Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. They were truly amazing and beautiful to see! Unfortunately, a camera can't come close to capturing the scenery or majesty of this natural wonder, although part of me is glad that I experienced it for myself and not through a camera lens.

After walking out of the falls completely soaked by the mist, we returned to the backpacker to change for our Mighty Zambezi Booze Cruise. The Zambezi river splits four countries, two of which we had the opportunity to visit, Zimbabwe and Botswana, and one of which we made a short stop to on our cruise, Zambia. During our cruise, we saw elephants bathing in the river, hippos peering just over the water and alligators watching from the banks. We also had the chance to watch a purple/orange sunset unseen in the States.

On second day in Zimbabwe, we woke up early for a walking elephant safari. We all paired up and hopped on our elephants with a personal guide. At the end of the excursion, we were able to feed the elephants through their trunk as well as their mouths. It was so much more than I ever expected! Also, at the end of the safari, we were able to purchased a footprint of our elephant in order to fund efforts to reduce poaching, which many of us did.

After the safari, we finally had the chance to shop at the market, which was truly an eye-opening experience. Vendors wanted to negotiate prices and trade things with you. The items at the market were extremely impressive, all hand-carved figurines of the big five, bowls, bracelets, etc.

Visiting Zimbabwe was an amazing experience that I personally will never forget! The people, the scenery, and the adventures offered in the town surrounding the falls is unmatched by anywhere I have visited previously. I hope to some day return to Zimbabwe and give back a fraction of what I have taken away from my two or three days in the country!

-Brooke Ray

Seven day Victoria Falls off week trip

During our off week, twelve of us had the opportunity to spend seven days visiting four countries: South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. Along the trip, we had tons of opportunity for adventure and exploration within the communities and interaction with the locals. Personally, my favorite part of the trip was the couple of days spent in Zimbabwe.

Our first fully day in Zimbabwe, the boys and girls split up for some adventure activities in the morning. The girls made their way toward the falls to go gorge swinging while the boys made their way to the Zambezi river for some fishing. Gorge swinging was incredible! I partnered with Jenny and we volunteered to go first, luckily, as we soon figured out its a lot scarier to watch then to actually gorge swing!

 In the afternoon, we all met back up to see the Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. They were truly amazing and beautiful to see! Unfortunately, a camera can't come close to capturing the scenery or majesty of this natural wonder, although part of me is glad that I experienced it for myself and not through a camera lens.

After walking out of the falls completely soaked by the mist, we returned to the backpacker to change for our Mighty Zambezi Booze Cruise. The Zambezi river splits four countries, two of which we had the opportunity to visit, Zimbabwe and Botswana, and one of which we made a short stop to on our cruise, Zambia. During our cruise, we saw elephants bathing in the river, hippos peering just over the water and alligators watching from the banks. We also had the chance to watch a purple/orange sunset unseen in the States.

On second day in Zimbabwe, we woke up early for a walking elephant safari. We all paired up and hopped on our elephants with a personal guide. At the end of the excursion, we were able to feed the elephants through their trunk as well as their mouths. It was so much more than I ever expected! Also, at the end of the safari, we were able to purchased a footprint of our elephant in order to fund efforts to reduce poaching, which many of us did.

After the safari, we finally had the chance to shop at the market, which was truly an eye-opening experience. Vendors wanted to negotiate prices and trade things with you. The items at the market were extremely impressive, all hand-carved figurines of the big five, bowls, bracelets, etc.

Visiting Zimbabwe was an amazing experience that I personally will never forget! The people, the scenery, and the adventures offered in the town surrounding the falls is unmatched by anywhere I have visited previously. I hope to some day return to Zimbabwe and give back a fraction of what I have taken away from my two or three days in the country!

-Brooke Ray

Education Week -- a life application

Monday June 1^st kicked off Global LEAD’s education week.  Our group was fortunate enough to have Kevin Chaplin, the executive director of the Amy Biehl foundation, come speak to us on the importance of “The Power of Living.  The Power of Giving.”  He was an inspiring and relatable speaker – he mentioned many practical aspects of the business world and how one can be ethical and socially responsible while also running a successful business.  When he took over the Amy Biehl foundation in order to try to save it from going under – he had to personally fund the program for a while but he knew that in time, things would turn around, and they did.   

            After Mr. Chaplin’s talk Garrett “the Rule Breaker” Gravesen (better known as GG) stood up to close out our day.  Instead of breaking into our community groups to discuss our speaker’s lecture, as we have done before, Garrett announced that we would all be leaving in one hour for the slums.  He announced that we were going to spend 24 hours in the slums in order to see what it’s like to live off a dollar a day.  There were mixed emotions from the group at the news – some were very excited, some were apprehensive – no one knew what to expect.  We were told that we would be safe and that we’d be splitting into small group to sleep in the soup mom’s houses.  Soup moms are ladies who go to the school and cook for hundreds of children. 

            Stepping off the bus to children holding up notebooks to get my autograph isn’t the way I expected to be welcomed.  The purpose of this visit was for us to get a glimpse of what their lives are like on a daily basis.…. to put on their shoes for a while. I wanted to help with chores and they wanted to treat us like celebrities or royalty of some kind – that part felt pretty wrong.  Although a huge group of us just rolled up on a bus to invade their space for a bit I think that the intention of our visit was obvious – we came because we care and we would like to continue to bridge the racial, socioeconomic gap that plagues their country and ours too.  We want to learn as much as we can while we’re here.  Seeing the children (and adults) without teeth, proper health care, shoes, clothes, and other everyday essentials will hopefully weigh on the hearts of the group so that when our time here is through we’ll be able to give back… whether it’s in South Africa or Clarke County.             

            The experience was very interesting and also extremely overwhelming.  I’ve seen poverty and worked with poor people my entire life but I haven’t been able to put myself in their shoes like I tried to over the last 24 hours.   My group’s soup mom is Charmaine Steyn.  She was wonderful and treated us like her own children.  Her daughter Janine and her friend Jeremy walked us around the township and made sure we felt at home.  Janine wanted to show us all the pictures from her 21^st birthday and Jeremy is a talented guitarist and played for us.  My group of four went to church with Janine and Jeremy which was different than anything we’d ever experienced.  There is a major emphasis on family in the townships – everyone takes care of everyone else.  It’s not uncommon to have grown children living with their parents, usually it’s for financial reasons but they operate as a strong unit in what most would consider dire circumstances.           

            My only regret about the entire trip is that because we had no notice about the overnight stay – we didn’t have substantial food to bring with us.  We were only given two loaves of bread and some milk to give to our family.  Next time, and hopefully we’ll get to visit over the next weeks that we are here, I’d like to bring more food and prepare a nice meal for them instead of using their food and having them prepare food for us.   These 24 hours were important and I will never forget them.  This time grounded the group and brought us back to why we are spending this time in Cape Town.  

 --Liz Gaughf

Education Week -- a life application

Monday June 1^st kicked off Global LEAD’s education week.  Our group was fortunate enough to have Kevin Chaplin, the executive director of the Amy Biehl foundation, come speak to us on the importance of “The Power of Living.  The Power of Giving.”  He was an inspiring and relatable speaker – he mentioned many practical aspects of the business world and how one can be ethical and socially responsible while also running a successful business.  When he took over the Amy Biehl foundation in order to try to save it from going under – he had to personally fund the program for a while but he knew that in time, things would turn around, and they did.   

            After Mr. Chaplin’s talk Garrett “the Rule Breaker” Gravesen (better known as GG) stood up to close out our day.  Instead of breaking into our community groups to discuss our speaker’s lecture, as we have done before, Garrett announced that we would all be leaving in one hour for the slums.  He announced that we were going to spend 24 hours in the slums in order to see what it’s like to live off a dollar a day.  There were mixed emotions from the group at the news – some were very excited, some were apprehensive – no one knew what to expect.  We were told that we would be safe and that we’d be splitting into small group to sleep in the soup mom’s houses.  Soup moms are ladies who go to the school and cook for hundreds of children. 

            Stepping off the bus to children holding up notebooks to get my autograph isn’t the way I expected to be welcomed.  The purpose of this visit was for us to get a glimpse of what their lives are like on a daily basis.…. to put on their shoes for a while. I wanted to help with chores and they wanted to treat us like celebrities or royalty of some kind – that part felt pretty wrong.  Although a huge group of us just rolled up on a bus to invade their space for a bit I think that the intention of our visit was obvious – we came because we care and we would like to continue to bridge the racial, socioeconomic gap that plagues their country and ours too.  We want to learn as much as we can while we’re here.  Seeing the children (and adults) without teeth, proper health care, shoes, clothes, and other everyday essentials will hopefully weigh on the hearts of the group so that when our time here is through we’ll be able to give back… whether it’s in South Africa or Clarke County.             

            The experience was very interesting and also extremely overwhelming.  I’ve seen poverty and worked with poor people my entire life but I haven’t been able to put myself in their shoes like I tried to over the last 24 hours.   My group’s soup mom is Charmaine Steyn.  She was wonderful and treated us like her own children.  Her daughter Janine and her friend Jeremy walked us around the township and made sure we felt at home.  Janine wanted to show us all the pictures from her 21^st birthday and Jeremy is a talented guitarist and played for us.  My group of four went to church with Janine and Jeremy which was different than anything we’d ever experienced.  There is a major emphasis on family in the townships – everyone takes care of everyone else.  It’s not uncommon to have grown children living with their parents, usually it’s for financial reasons but they operate as a strong unit in what most would consider dire circumstances.           

            My only regret about the entire trip is that because we had no notice about the overnight stay – we didn’t have substantial food to bring with us.  We were only given two loaves of bread and some milk to give to our family.  Next time, and hopefully we’ll get to visit over the next weeks that we are here, I’d like to bring more food and prepare a nice meal for them instead of using their food and having them prepare food for us.   These 24 hours were important and I will never forget them.  This time grounded the group and brought us back to why we are spending this time in Cape Town.  

 --Liz Gaughf

"Scatterlings of Africa" - Garden Route

Last week was designed to give those of us here in South Africa an extended chance to take advantage of all Cape Town and the surrounding region has to offer. Being of increasingly audacious spirit and curious mind, I decided before this trip began that I would be a participant in one of the "off-week" adventure tours the Global L.E.A.D. program would offer. In a country filled with numerous uplifting landscapes and opportunities to make memories unimagined before,the chance to lose myself in a week of boundless exploration and fellowship was an easy decision.
Beginning early Monday morning, fourteen others and I set off on a five day journey in which we explored and experienced South Africa's popular Garden Route to its fullest capacity. What an amazing time we had!
I'm not sure I will ever get another chance in my life to do so much in the spanof a week's time. Over the course of our five days, we went sea kayaking in thepresence of playful fur seals, canoed up a glassy river and hiked to the spectacle of a rhythmically flowing waterfall, encountered and rode elephants in theirnatural sanctuary, felt the adrenalin rush of the world's highest bungy, zip-linedthrough the air over the scenic earth below, rode on a game-drive in one of thecountry's twenty national parks, surveyed the chambers of caves millions of years in age, and visited an ostrich farm rich with history in the industry of meat processing and leather production. Talk about five days packed with tons of fun and excitement!
My favorite memory from the trip would have to be my mission of conquering Bloukrans Bridge, site of the world's highest commercial bungy jump at 216 meters. All throughout the trip, the thought of relishing in the adrenalin of this free fall stayed fixed inside my mind. I knew that if I didn't push myself to theedge and complete the jump, I would regret it for the rest of my time here in South Africa and probably forever afterward. The people at Bloukrans have a saying that goes, "fear is temporary, regret is forever." Bailing out was not an option. What I came away with was without a doubt the most exhilarating and breathtaking feeling I have ever felt. The jump is furious and tranquil all at thesame time. During the initial free fall you have no time to think about the enormity of the test you're putting your body through. Only after the fall is finally over, do you have the chance to look back on what just happened andfind yourself at peace with it. I'll never forget the vivid memories I have of before, during, and after the jump. My mother was very happy to hear I survived Bloukrans, but she would not be pleased to know that I would do it again in a heartbeat!
Beyond the incredible activities I experienced on the trip were the chances I got to get to know those around me every single day. Our days were filled encouraging each other to push ourselves to our limits and our nights werespent sitting around toasty fires gazing up at African skies, enjoying the company of one another, and savoring tasty meals with our most hospitable hosts. Those times are priceless. I learned so much about myself over thecourse of the week, but building friendships and learning about others is specialand can't be replaced.
We were especially fortunate to be led throughout the route by two very intriguing people, our guide Christo and our driver Jason. Very wise at 22 years of age, Christo has already faced so much in his young life and he had an incredible amount of knowledge to share with us about his time spent "in the bush" and his life as a young Afrikaner. Jason is an eccentric character whoreminded me a lot of my Uncle Max back home. His love for South Africa as anAfrikaner floats on every passionate word he speaks and even though he is older he is definitely still young at heart. On more than one occasion we foundourselves as the last two still awake, sitting around the fire listening to eachother's stories, sharing memories of days gone by and hopes of days to come.All of the people on the trip were amazing and this only strengthened the magnitude of the times we spent together.
We all have to let life happen, but the great thing about this life is how easily wecan control how we spend our days. Perspective and purpose, knowledge and wisdom. I feed on these things. This trip was awesome because I was surrounded by truly passionate people who want to get the most out of their time in South Africa just as I do. As we heard "the White Zulu" Johnny Clegg singso many times throughout the week, "spirit is the journey, body is the bus, I am the driver, from dust to dust, trying to be near you, searching for a way, listen to your life song, before it fades away."
My life song was playing loud and clear this past week...and I know fourteen other people who would agree with me. Great times with brilliant people, and many more to come!

-Scott Sumner

"Scatterlings of Africa" - Garden Route

Last week was designed to give those of us here in South Africa an extended chance to take advantage of all Cape Town and the surrounding region has to offer. Being of increasingly audacious spirit and curious mind, I decided before this trip began that I would be a participant in one of the "off-week" adventure tours the Global L.E.A.D. program would offer. In a country filled with numerous uplifting landscapes and opportunities to make memories unimagined before,the chance to lose myself in a week of boundless exploration and fellowship was an easy decision.
Beginning early Monday morning, fourteen others and I set off on a five day journey in which we explored and experienced South Africa's popular Garden Route to its fullest capacity. What an amazing time we had!
I'm not sure I will ever get another chance in my life to do so much in the spanof a week's time. Over the course of our five days, we went sea kayaking in thepresence of playful fur seals, canoed up a glassy river and hiked to the spectacle of a rhythmically flowing waterfall, encountered and rode elephants in theirnatural sanctuary, felt the adrenalin rush of the world's highest bungy, zip-linedthrough the air over the scenic earth below, rode on a game-drive in one of thecountry's twenty national parks, surveyed the chambers of caves millions of years in age, and visited an ostrich farm rich with history in the industry of meat processing and leather production. Talk about five days packed with tons of fun and excitement!
My favorite memory from the trip would have to be my mission of conquering Bloukrans Bridge, site of the world's highest commercial bungy jump at 216 meters. All throughout the trip, the thought of relishing in the adrenalin of this free fall stayed fixed inside my mind. I knew that if I didn't push myself to theedge and complete the jump, I would regret it for the rest of my time here in South Africa and probably forever afterward. The people at Bloukrans have a saying that goes, "fear is temporary, regret is forever." Bailing out was not an option. What I came away with was without a doubt the most exhilarating and breathtaking feeling I have ever felt. The jump is furious and tranquil all at thesame time. During the initial free fall you have no time to think about the enormity of the test you're putting your body through. Only after the fall is finally over, do you have the chance to look back on what just happened andfind yourself at peace with it. I'll never forget the vivid memories I have of before, during, and after the jump. My mother was very happy to hear I survived Bloukrans, but she would not be pleased to know that I would do it again in a heartbeat!
Beyond the incredible activities I experienced on the trip were the chances I got to get to know those around me every single day. Our days were filled encouraging each other to push ourselves to our limits and our nights werespent sitting around toasty fires gazing up at African skies, enjoying the company of one another, and savoring tasty meals with our most hospitable hosts. Those times are priceless. I learned so much about myself over thecourse of the week, but building friendships and learning about others is specialand can't be replaced.
We were especially fortunate to be led throughout the route by two very intriguing people, our guide Christo and our driver Jason. Very wise at 22 years of age, Christo has already faced so much in his young life and he had an incredible amount of knowledge to share with us about his time spent "in the bush" and his life as a young Afrikaner. Jason is an eccentric character whoreminded me a lot of my Uncle Max back home. His love for South Africa as anAfrikaner floats on every passionate word he speaks and even though he is older he is definitely still young at heart. On more than one occasion we foundourselves as the last two still awake, sitting around the fire listening to eachother's stories, sharing memories of days gone by and hopes of days to come.All of the people on the trip were amazing and this only strengthened the magnitude of the times we spent together.
We all have to let life happen, but the great thing about this life is how easily wecan control how we spend our days. Perspective and purpose, knowledge and wisdom. I feed on these things. This trip was awesome because I was surrounded by truly passionate people who want to get the most out of their time in South Africa just as I do. As we heard "the White Zulu" Johnny Clegg singso many times throughout the week, "spirit is the journey, body is the bus, I am the driver, from dust to dust, trying to be near you, searching for a way, listen to your life song, before it fades away."
My life song was playing loud and clear this past week...and I know fourteen other people who would agree with me. Great times with brilliant people, and many more to come!

-Scott Sumner

Each day this week, those of us who stayed in Cape Town on our off-week have had the opportunity to do extra service work.   One organization that we have gone to work at, Themba Care , is a hospice for children with HIV/AIDS.  Today my group went to go play with and nurture the children who are there.  When Themba Care was created in 2002, the death rate was 77%, but today its only 2%.  Themba Care has become a place where children can go and get healthy so that they can return to their homes.  Even though many of the children have families, there are several that will have to be placed in foster care after they leave Themba Care.

Most of the children there were babies and young toddlers.  We got to hold them, give them their bottles, and love on them. Our group lucked out because no one needed their diaper changed.  There were two toddler girls who were probably two years old, and they loved playing with sunglasses.  They would put them on and pose for us.  It was really cute to watch them try to put the sunglasses on themselves—they always ended up upside down or hanging on one ear.  After we were there for a little while, some older children came into the center when school was out.  They were around five years old and immediately decided to make Mark a human jungle gym.  They just laughed and laughed when he would lift them up to touch the ceiling, and it didn’t take long for everyone to want a turn.  Some of the older girls also liked to play with our hair, and we taught them how to put it in a pony tail.  Even though several of them were very shy, it did not take long for them to start laughing and playing.

Being at Themba Care was both a rewarding and humbling experience.  I realized that the smallest actions, like holding a child, giving a child a high five, or helping caregivers out by feeding a child a bottle,  can make a difference.  I also remembered how fortunate I am to have grown up healthy with parents who always take care of me.   

--Lia Conrad

Each day this week, those of us who stayed in Cape Town on our off-week have had the opportunity to do extra service work.   One organization that we have gone to work at, Themba Care , is a hospice for children with HIV/AIDS.  Today my group went to go play with and nurture the children who are there.  When Themba Care was created in 2002, the death rate was 77%, but today its only 2%.  Themba Care has become a place where children can go and get healthy so that they can return to their homes.  Even though many of the children have families, there are several that will have to be placed in foster care after they leave Themba Care.

Most of the children there were babies and young toddlers.  We got to hold them, give them their bottles, and love on them. Our group lucked out because no one needed their diaper changed.  There were two toddler girls who were probably two years old, and they loved playing with sunglasses.  They would put them on and pose for us.  It was really cute to watch them try to put the sunglasses on themselves—they always ended up upside down or hanging on one ear.  After we were there for a little while, some older children came into the center when school was out.  They were around five years old and immediately decided to make Mark a human jungle gym.  They just laughed and laughed when he would lift them up to touch the ceiling, and it didn’t take long for everyone to want a turn.  Some of the older girls also liked to play with our hair, and we taught them how to put it in a pony tail.  Even though several of them were very shy, it did not take long for them to start laughing and playing.

Being at Themba Care was both a rewarding and humbling experience.  I realized that the smallest actions, like holding a child, giving a child a high five, or helping caregivers out by feeding a child a bottle,  can make a difference.  I also remembered how fortunate I am to have grown up healthy with parents who always take care of me.   

--Lia Conrad

Today was just an ordinary day. We saw the most southwestern tip of South Africa, traveled through various bays along the coastline, and were forced to visit a penguin colony. Life is tough. A group of us arranged a tour of the Cape Town Peninsula, which follows much of the southwestern coastline of Cape Town. This adventure lead us to visit the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point (they are not the same thing as we once thought). Cape Point is the most southwestern tip of South Africa, which allows its visitors to hike up to an old lighthouse and look out over the Pacific Ocean. The views were stunning and the weather was perfect. As we left the great peninsula, we then traveled to a penguin colony located in Simon’s Town, a small community along the coastline. Hundreds of penguins waddle around in tuxedo suits playing with each other and enjoying an occasional dip in the ocean. To finish the day off we enjoyed a lunch at an old seafood restaurant in Kalks Bay. One-day-old fresh tuna and fish and chips were of the favorites ordered in our group. The rest of the Global Lead group left today for Victoria Falls and the Garden Route. The few of us who have stayed in Cape Town will hopefully enjoy more adventures around this beautiful city!

--Nancy Wilfong

Today was just an ordinary day. We saw the most southwestern tip of South Africa, traveled through various bays along the coastline, and were forced to visit a penguin colony. Life is tough. A group of us arranged a tour of the Cape Town Peninsula, which follows much of the southwestern coastline of Cape Town. This adventure lead us to visit the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point (they are not the same thing as we once thought). Cape Point is the most southwestern tip of South Africa, which allows its visitors to hike up to an old lighthouse and look out over the Pacific Ocean. The views were stunning and the weather was perfect. As we left the great peninsula, we then traveled to a penguin colony located in Simon’s Town, a small community along the coastline. Hundreds of penguins waddle around in tuxedo suits playing with each other and enjoying an occasional dip in the ocean. To finish the day off we enjoyed a lunch at an old seafood restaurant in Kalks Bay. One-day-old fresh tuna and fish and chips were of the favorites ordered in our group. The rest of the Global Lead group left today for Victoria Falls and the Garden Route. The few of us who have stayed in Cape Town will hopefully enjoy more adventures around this beautiful city!

--Nancy Wilfong

Today was another ordinary day in a nation that is eerily reflective of the United States. I spoke for a few hours today with one of the front desk attendants of Lagoon Beach, the hotel/apartments in which we stay. His insight into South African economic and social development provided a new perspective which we had yet to receive. He grew up in a townships and through hard work, pulled himself, and his six-year-old son out of the grip of poverty that so tightly holds millions of citizens of Cape Town. Though we’ve observed that racial integration has been smooth, he recounted stories of discrimination similar to our home in the southeastern US. As a contrast to the US, nearly all jobs, including those in the fast food industry require a minimum education of what is essentially a high school diploma. This seems like a hinderance in allowing uneducated township citizens to better their lives by obtaining jobs to provide for their families. He told us about the corruption within the current government, a widely shared sentiment among locals. They appear to be embezzling tax revenues through the Bureau of Labor. He was unsure of any potential solution for this problem.The most interesting comment he made was regarding the current two party system that existed in South Africa. He commented that it seemed as if neither party was willing to put its own political ambitions aside for the betterment of the general populace. Sound familiar Americans?

--Eric Friedman

Today was another ordinary day in a nation that is eerily reflective of the United States. I spoke for a few hours today with one of the front desk attendants of Lagoon Beach, the hotel/apartments in which we stay. His insight into South African economic and social development provided a new perspective which we had yet to receive. He grew up in a townships and through hard work, pulled himself, and his six-year-old son out of the grip of poverty that so tightly holds millions of citizens of Cape Town. Though we’ve observed that racial integration has been smooth, he recounted stories of discrimination similar to our home in the southeastern US. As a contrast to the US, nearly all jobs, including those in the fast food industry require a minimum education of what is essentially a high school diploma. This seems like a hinderance in allowing uneducated township citizens to better their lives by obtaining jobs to provide for their families. He told us about the corruption within the current government, a widely shared sentiment among locals. They appear to be embezzling tax revenues through the Bureau of Labor. He was unsure of any potential solution for this problem.The most interesting comment he made was regarding the current two party system that existed in South Africa. He commented that it seemed as if neither party was willing to put its own political ambitions aside for the betterment of the general populace. Sound familiar Americans?

--Eric Friedman

Today was definitely an intriguing experience as we journeyed to Franschhoek for a vineyard tour and wine tasting. For someone that's never tasted wine or was fully aware of the proper wine tasting techniques, I learned a ton. We were told the in's and out's and the wine industry and devastated to learn that the grapes weren't juiced via foot stomping. =) Our guides also dispelled my myth that red wine comes from red grapes and white wine from white grapes. It takes about 5 years maximum to produce a bottle of wine, and at this particular location they have the added hassle of fighing off wild animals such as baboons and leopards. After our tour, we then embarked on the highlight of our trip for most, wine tasting. I took this opportunity to learn the 3 fundamental steps of wine tasting: swirl, smell, and taste! We were given two types of white wine and two types of red wine. The white wines were generally sweeter than the red but none of the four pleased my taste buds. Following the wine tasting we proceeded into the town for lunch. I met a man named Alfred, from Malawi, who was selling crafts and jewelry with his wife and son. He approached me with a warm, welcoming spirit and began to talk about some of the items that sparked my interest. He mentioned how he saw me as his long lost sister, and how he dreams of coming to the states and interacting with his extended family. Our discussion was so heart warming. We learn in school that African-Americans generally descended from Africa and to come to South Africa and hear somebody call me their "sister" is amazing! That interaction was more meaningful than my wine tasting experience. It reminded me that this trip is about more than being a tourist in a foreign country; it's about the moments. My moment-interacting with a total stranger and feeling as if I’m among family.

--Cori Pinkett

Today was definitely an intriguing experience as we journeyed to Franschhoek for a vineyard tour and wine tasting. For someone that's never tasted wine or was fully aware of the proper wine tasting techniques, I learned a ton. We were told the in's and out's and the wine industry and devastated to learn that the grapes weren't juiced via foot stomping. =) Our guides also dispelled my myth that red wine comes from red grapes and white wine from white grapes. It takes about 5 years maximum to produce a bottle of wine, and at this particular location they have the added hassle of fighing off wild animals such as baboons and leopards. After our tour, we then embarked on the highlight of our trip for most, wine tasting. I took this opportunity to learn the 3 fundamental steps of wine tasting: swirl, smell, and taste! We were given two types of white wine and two types of red wine. The white wines were generally sweeter than the red but none of the four pleased my taste buds. Following the wine tasting we proceeded into the town for lunch. I met a man named Alfred, from Malawi, who was selling crafts and jewelry with his wife and son. He approached me with a warm, welcoming spirit and began to talk about some of the items that sparked my interest. He mentioned how he saw me as his long lost sister, and how he dreams of coming to the states and interacting with his extended family. Our discussion was so heart warming. We learn in school that African-Americans generally descended from Africa and to come to South Africa and hear somebody call me their "sister" is amazing! That interaction was more meaningful than my wine tasting experience. It reminded me that this trip is about more than being a tourist in a foreign country; it's about the moments. My moment-interacting with a total stranger and feeling as if I’m among family.

--Cori Pinkett

Swimming with the sharks.. what?!

Today was absolutely amazing! Although we had to wake up bright and early to load the buses at 5:30 am, we didn’t mind because we were full of excitement and eager to go shark cage diving! I have to say that I was quite nervous and my stomach was completely full of knots, but everyone in our group came together to support and encourage one another. After we arrived and unloaded the bus, we settled down to a nice breakfast before we faced the great white shark- another creature that was probably getting ready to feast on his own breakfast (and we were just hoping it wouldn’t be us!). The captains then escorted us to the boat so we could begin our adventure at sea. The sight we were brought to is nationally known for it’s numerous great white sharks, and it is actually feeding season in South Africa so the chances of seeing a great white doubles! We were then divided into groups of four to go into the cage where we would be dropped into the ocean to experience some one-on-one time with a great white shark. As we climbed into the cages and dropped down into the cold water, our fear suddenly turned into anticipation and excitement! The crew was able to lure in quite a few sharks, and they came within touching distance to our cage. We could physically touch this man eating creature if we wanted to- we were that close! At one point, one of the sharks came close to biting the edge of the cage and we were able to see his enormous, sharp, and intimidating teeth. It was such an incredible experience, and every one in our boat was lucky enough to see at least one shark while submerged in the cage. The adrenaline that overcame us was extraordinary, and it was such a rush to swim with one of the most feared animals in the ocean. I have to say that today was yet another incredible day in South Africa. This country never ceases to enchant me.

-Liz Stone

Swimming with the sharks.. what?!

Today was absolutely amazing! Although we had to wake up bright and early to load the buses at 5:30 am, we didn’t mind because we were full of excitement and eager to go shark cage diving! I have to say that I was quite nervous and my stomach was completely full of knots, but everyone in our group came together to support and encourage one another. After we arrived and unloaded the bus, we settled down to a nice breakfast before we faced the great white shark- another creature that was probably getting ready to feast on his own breakfast (and we were just hoping it wouldn’t be us!). The captains then escorted us to the boat so we could begin our adventure at sea. The sight we were brought to is nationally known for it’s numerous great white sharks, and it is actually feeding season in South Africa so the chances of seeing a great white doubles! We were then divided into groups of four to go into the cage where we would be dropped into the ocean to experience some one-on-one time with a great white shark. As we climbed into the cages and dropped down into the cold water, our fear suddenly turned into anticipation and excitement! The crew was able to lure in quite a few sharks, and they came within touching distance to our cage. We could physically touch this man eating creature if we wanted to- we were that close! At one point, one of the sharks came close to biting the edge of the cage and we were able to see his enormous, sharp, and intimidating teeth. It was such an incredible experience, and every one in our boat was lucky enough to see at least one shark while submerged in the cage. The adrenaline that overcame us was extraordinary, and it was such a rush to swim with one of the most feared animals in the ocean. I have to say that today was yet another incredible day in South Africa. This country never ceases to enchant me.

-Liz Stone