Meeting Desmond Tutu

"Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." - Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Desmond Tutu is a former Anglican bishop from South Africa who gained world wide recognition for his leading efforts during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission following the demise of the apartheid system. The TRC was a restorative justice program with an emphasis on reconciliation which gave thousands of victims and perpetrators an opportunity to share their truth. The process of the South African TRC was world renowned, having been studied and imitated by numerous countries across the globe. In addition to his contribution to the TRC, Tutu has been a prominent human rights activist, participating in campaigns against poverty, AIDS, racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. As a result of his tireless efforts, he has been the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in addition to many other awards and recognitions. 

So when I received an email at 9pm saying that we would be attending a mass led by Desmond Tutu that next morning at 6am, I couldn't be more excited and overwhelmed. The following day we groggily made our way to St. Georges Cathedral in the city center, and having fallen asleep during the car ride there, I desperately compiled strategies to keep myself awake for the service. I could just picture it; here is the amazing opportunity to attend a mass led by one of the world's leading figures in the implementation of reconciliation and forgiveness, and there's Jessa…snoozing away in the pew. 

Luckily, however, Tutu's service was filled with energy and laughter which kept me fully engaged (and wide awake). As the mass began, I couldn't help but take note of his stature; he was an incredibly short man with eyes that bugged out of his head in every direction. It wasn't long before I understood exactly what Nelson Mandela meant when he described Tutu as  "sometimes strident, often tender, never afraid, and seldom without humor." Entertainingly, that sense of humor was accompanied by a crazed hyena-sounding laugh that was absolutely contagious. I don't think I have laughed that hard in church since my grade-school days. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHUjnWVsYc0&feature=related

(Hopefully this short youtube video will give you a better understanding of that hyena laugh). 

The South African Faith and Family Institute

Throughout my semester in Cape Town, I have been volunteering 2 full days per week at the South African Faith and Family Institute (SAFFI). Founded in 2010, SAFFI works to link diverse sectors of society in an effort to devise collaborative solutions to help eliminate gender-based violence. Studies have shown that although South African women live in one of the most religious societies in the world, they also live in one of the most dangerous societies as well. This can be attributed to the rigid traditional patriarchal system that is often implemented throughout South African Townships.

In addition to being assigned the unfortunate title of ‘rape capital of the world,’ South Africa is facing increasing incidents of hate crimes, domestic abuse, and sexual assaults.  In an effort to counteract this phenomenon, SAFFI works to facilitate relationships between Non Governmental Organizations, Governmental Organizations and Religious Leaders to offer victims and those affected by gender-based violence with the most holistic intervention strategy possible.

My roles at SAFFI include co-facilitating discussions and conferences concerning the issue of gender-based violence activism and prevention, conducting research regarding holistic interventions, and composing articles regarding SAFFI’s recent efforts for local newsprint. My most recent project included coordinating a women’s pilgrimage on Robben Island, which offered a day of reflection and conversation inspired by sites of significance on the island.

This has been a unique service experience for me considering in past volunteer experiences, I have only worked directly with clients. In this new setting, I am able to work collaboratively with different organizations, allowing me to see all the different hats a NGO worker has to wear.  From influencing government policy and fundraising efforts to auditing reports and establishing inter-organization partnerships, my time at SAFFI has been both enlightening and slightly overwhelming.

If you are interested in learning more about SAFFI, visit our website at www.saffi.org.za

Easter Break in Namibia

This year, my Easter Holiday was celebrated in an unconventional manner. Instead of the usual church attendance, egg hunt and family brunch; I spent the 5-day weekend in Namibia on a rafting trip down the Orange River.

We left early Friday morning, driving nearly 9 hours to the Namibia/South Africa border. From there, our base camp was just a short 45 min drive away.  We spent the evening swimming in the river and preparing our boats for the rafting trip that would commence at sunrise the following morning.  The first hour of the trip was quite discouraging. Our 2-person raft clearly had a mind of its own and we spent about 5 km zigzagging down the river until we finally ‘mastered’ our paddling/steering abilities.  Regardless of our efforts, I’m pretty sure our guide considered us to be the ‘circus boat’ for the rest of the trip.

Each morning, we awoke at sunrise for a quick breakfast before getting back on the river.  Throughout the course of the day, we would have paddled 6-8 hours interrupted only by a short break for lunch along the riverbanks. In the evening, we set up camp alongside the river and spend the night sleeping beneath the stars. Lacking any type of city light pollution made for a breathtaking view of the nighttime sky.

The less glamorous side of the trip included the use of ‘jungle bathrooms’ (as our guide called it), finding scorpions in our clothes, and a stampede of wild cows raiding our campsite. In addition, I have discovered that my driving abilities in a boat are just as bad as they are on the road. Now, I have gotten into an accident with a rock in both a car and a boat! Check that off the bucket list J

Other than that, the trip went quite smoothly. Thankfully, we all made it home safely and not too waterlogged. All in all, this was an Easter holiday that I know I will never forget. 

Bungee Jumping at Bloukrans Bridge

Over our spring break, we took 10 days to backpack through South Africa. One of our stops was the Bloukrans Bridge, the world's highest bungee bridge. As many of you know, I am terrified of heights and even refuse to go on some of the larger roller coasters at 6 Flags. Heck, even jumping off a high dive is an issue for me. But somehow I managed to muster enough courage to jump off that bridge. And I am so proud that I did :)