Letters from Masiphumelele

Postcard from South Africa ~ A Visit to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital

masiletters — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:36:18 +0000

We met two-day old Imininam (Eemeeneenam) in Gertrude’s shack, where daughter Florence and baby occupied the only bed. Gertrude unwrapped the baby to show us her right leg, which was turned the wrong way. (Subsequently, on a hot day, someone unwrapped the towel from the baby and the leg was turned forward. “She cried like crazy, but the leg is fine now.”)

We picked up Gertrude, Florence, and three-week old Imi at 7 a.m. to drive to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital. Without the ride, it meant taking a taxi to the train station (taxi being a van of crowded people), the train ride, and another taxi. The referral was to check Imi’s eyes, which were observed to be “twisted” and perhaps infected.

We arrived around 8:30 a.m. to a registration area full of rows of chairs occupied by colored and black parents, babies, toddlers, and young children. The scene repeated itself two more times in the Eye Clinic and in the Pharmacy area. The hours passed slowly, with little outward impatience from the group. Florence and others nursed their babies when they were hungry. (The sign said no food or toys were allowed, because other children might cry, if they didn’t have any.) We bought a late lunch in a stark, Rotary-sponsored Tea Room. The pharmacy hurtle at the end of the day saw a crowd of drooping children and parents. We dropped our three St. Matthew’s friends in Masi at 5:00 p.m.

Reflecting back, what we saw that day seemed a holy time. There was much obvious love as we watched the small interactions between parents and children, an aura of hope and trust as each was called and, overall, a patient gratitude. What do you suppose might happen if we let go of some of our American impatience and sense of entitlement?

Faithfully and fondly,

Mary and Rich

On Studying Christian History

masiletters — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:30:59 +0000

This note, from Mary Nodar was written in response to readings from an Education for Ministry class at St. Paul’s:

I believe that studying the history of Christianity and doctrine is important, but not for the reasons of choosing sides between Eucharistic doctrines or transubstantiation or the relationship between faith and reason. Rather, it makes us aware of the swinging of Christian thought throughout the ages, so we can recognize our struggle in its context, the struggle of trying to find our way to God, or letting God find us. Because we know the long path behind us, we can feel more comfortable and confident that our seeking is in keeping with all that has come before us, and will come after us.

“Science– divorced from its earlier meaning of knowledge, come when it may- has usurped the domain of reason, and faith has become the acceptance of doctrinal propositions, however irrational they may be by the standards of science/reason.” This is what many of today’s thinkers/writers are grappling with. How much doctrinal acceptance is necessary to being a Christian? What are the “truths” worth seeking? The truths of transubstantiation or the truths of “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Are we seeking the scientific truth/reality of every Gospel narrative, or the truths of “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” How do we not disregard or disrespect the doctrines of the past, but acknowledge them for what they were at the time, while moving on to what is “doctrine” for us today?

Visitors Share Similar Journeys

masiletters — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:15:27 +0000

Two Anglican priests, four youth leaders, two adult chaperones, and nine young people from South Africa will be arriving at St. Paul’s for two weeks beginning June 24^th. Over half of our June visitors will come from St. Clare of Assisi Anglican Church, a cream-colored structure on a corner in Ocean View, a resettlement area for Cape Colored people following the South African Government’s Group Areas Act of 1969.

An empty, windswept, sandy hillside became a community, first of government-built, (rented) block-house flats for colored people forcibly removed from “whites-only areas”, even from homes which they owned. St. Clare of Assisi was built in 1971, but in recent years, men in the parish came on weekends for “bricks and braai” (barbecue) to build a large church hall next to the church. Rev Richard Martin, a wise, charismatic, warm priest has tended this flock for the last year and inspired them to add a knotty pine ceiling to the church, as well as to repaint and carpet the altar area. St. Clare’s is the mother church for St. Matthew’s Xhosa Chapelry in Masiphumelele, a mile and a half down the road.

The second part of the visiting South African Pilgrims comes from St. Matthew’s Anglican Chapelry in Masiphumelele. In the late 1980’s Xhosa tribal people came from their homeland in the Eastern Cape, looking for work in the Western Cape. They squatted on land legally designated as “whites only,” and their shack structures were bull-dozed repeatedly. Finally, in the Southern Peninsula, “Site Five,” was set aside for relocating blacks.

Site Five, now called Masiphumelele, was an area originally occupied by about 8,000 people, but the latest estimate is that it holds approximately 40,000 people in densely crowded shacks. Extreme poverty, substandard living conditions, high unemployment, high rates of HIV/AIDS/and tuberculosis characterizes this community.

Like the Anglicans in Ocean View, Anglicans in Masiphumelele held services first in their homes. Eventually they began renting larger spaces, and now they share the Roman Catholic Church in Masiphumelele. For the last two years, Fr. “Lukes” Ngesi, a thoughtful and devout Xhosa Navy Commander of Chaplains, has conducted Xhosa Anglican services in Masiphumelele. Together, he and Fr. Richard are the two shepherds for the Anglicans in this area and for the Pilgrimage group of visitors coming in June.

St. Clare’s and St Matthew’s histories have been shaped by South African colonialism and apartheid. Our June visitors have lived this history. St. Paul’s is in solidarity with both groups, as they continue their witness here in the United States in June. As we welcome these visitors to our St. Paul’s family, we pray their visit will give them additional spiritual nourishment to help sustain them on their combined journeys. Likewise, may we learn from their passion and strength how to stay the course throughout our own lifetimes.

In service,

Mary and Richard Nodar

Postcard From South Africa ~ “Seven Loaves”

masiletters — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:07:12 +0000

In 2002, we watched a handful of township dignitaries and a few others push a shovel into a dirt field at the groundbreaking for a future library. A smallish, one-story building was funded by the NGO called the Masiphumelele Corporation, founded by a New Hampshire, Episcopal couple, John and Carol Thompson. Two years later, a two story addition was added by another American, Bob Rothschild, who came to supervise the building himself. Last year, a courtyard surrounded by an office, small kitchen, four sclassrooms, and a large, all-purpose room were added, funded completely with South African money! Who knew nine years ago a library would be continually teeming with children, youth, and adultes?

We attended a breakfast for library volunteers on Saturday, with about 100 chairs filled with various NGO’s and volunteers in the great room, plus more extended into the courtyard. Sue Alexander, the gifted librarian from Fish Hoek Library, in charge of this satellite library, began by paying tribute to the Nodars from Ohio!

“The first year, Mary and Rich were the only two people volunteering at the library every afternoon — Dr. Rich teaching chess, and Mary doing reading, crafts, puzzles, and homework with the children. People in the community read about them in The Echo and were inspired to folunteer. Nine years later, this library is winning award after award in community outreach. But it all started with the Nodars. Even though they are only with us for thee months of the year, they are always with us in spirit.”

We refer you to Forward Day by Day, (Tues. Feb 1) “Miracles of love happen when we offer our ‘seven loaves’ to him.” Thank you, St. Paul’s, for enabling us to offer our “seven loaves.”

Faithfully,

Mary and Richard Nodar

Postcard from South Africa ~ A Story of Two Foster Homes

masiletters — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 17:11:53 +0000

As you sit in your pew, worshiping at St. Paul’s on Sunday mornings, please remember that this church, you the people of St. Paul’s, extends far beyond the walls of its structure on Fairmount Boulevard. You significantly funded two foster homes in South Africa. St. Paul’s House of Hope at 12 Cheetah Street in Ocean View employs foster parents, Warren and Sally Abrahams, members of St. Clare’s Anglican Church in Ocean View. They are fostering four young children at the moment, one of whom attends first grade. A third bedroom is currently being added, so there will be six children in all. Warren plays in the St. Clare’s Church band, and Sally is a nurse and former preschool (crèche) assistant.
The newest Anglican foster home in the Diocese of False Bay at 2554 Kanana Road, Masiphumelele, employs a member of St. Matthew’s Anglican Chapelry as foster mother, Joyce Matomane. She is also the aunt of two student pilgrims coming to America in June. Four preschool girls have been taken into this foster home, one of whom is a baby. Unlike the Ocean View house, the Masiphumelele home was designed and built from scratch and it shows. Spacious, open, and airy, with a tank to catch rainwater during the winter, and a small covered play-yard for the children; it is a simple, but impressive accomplishment by the St. Francis Trust members. (One of you, who sent funds with us, is purchasing a vacuum for this home.)
Part of why we are here is to minister to these two foster homes. Tomorrow we will take Sally and the children to church, because Warren goes in early to practice with the band. (Neither foster home has a car.) Our capital campaign responds to the current and future needs of St. Paul’s structure and grounds, while at the same time, you, the living church, are responding to critical human needs at home and abroad. As for us, we are your hands and feet here in South Africa; where we go, you go, and what we do, you do. When we hold these foster children, you are holding them too.

In service,

Mary and Richard Nodar

Postcard From South Africa: What Will Make A Difference?

masiletters — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 13:36:03 +0000

The problem of inequality for South African women and the high incidence of rape, molestation, and femicide are well known. On the one hand, we sit in church every Sunday with unbelievably strong, single Xhosa women such as Pat Namhla and Gertrude Mhlabeni. Pat and Gertrude are lay ministers, both are former church wardens, both earn their living as charwomen, both are grannies raising a nest of grandchildren single-handedly, both are Diocesan representatives of Masi’s Chapter of the Anglican Mother’s Union, both are joyful, devout Anglicans, — pillars of St. Matthew’s Chapelry in Masiphumelele. We see this kind of strength in many women in Masiphumelele, as they struggle to survive in small shacks, without electricity, using a free-standing, common toilet, a single spigot of water, doing laundry by hand, some with husbands, many without.

In a recent speech, South African ANC President Jacob Zuma suggested the government provide “sanitary towels” (pads) to women who could not afford them. Since condoms are available to men throughout the country, this would promote “gender equality.” Health Education Africa Resource Team (HEART) estimates some girls lose 156 learning days in the 144 weeks of high school due to menses. As disturbing as this problem is for women, Cape Times editorials point out that unless government also addresses other matters as well, females will continue to live in constant fear of rape and violence. Please pray for Pat, Gertrude, the women in Masiphumelele, and women throughout the world who cope with almost insurmountable conditions of need and inequality.

Peace,

Mary and Richard Nodar

Postcard from South Africa: The Creator’s Mighty Show

masiletters — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 15:30:01 +0000

This is the ninth year we write to tellyou we arrived safely in South Africa.

After being commissioned by St. Paul’s on Sunday, we left the next day, Monday, January 10, 2011, at 7:30 a.m. After three flights and a rental car drive, we pulled up to our door in Simon’s Town at midnight, Tuesday. Boarding our third and last flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town (2 1/2 hours south) the western sky was flushed pink, but still bright blue in the dome overhead. Cruising at 900 km an hour, we watched the sky’s lingering light deepen and deepen to midnight blue, while iridescent tangerine remained on the horison and the half moon and evening star emerged brightly.

With my forehead against the plane’s window, I stared intently at the Creator’s mighty show. St. Paul’s mission in South Africa reminds me of those 2 1/2 hours of grace. During our time here, we gaze intently out of a certain window on the world, and we pay attention. May we all experience the gift of paying attention “with Gospel eyes” as Sam McDonald used to say. Please know you are very much with us in spirit.

Faithfully and fondly,

Mary and Richard Nodar

Postcard from South Africa~ A Joyful Noise

masiletters — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:54:39 +0000

After over a year, when Busisiwe saw me outside her classroom, she beamed and walked directly into my arms and hugged me.

Zimkhitha Qotoi and Busisiwe Shabangu, eighth grade girls in Masiphumelele High School, each have severe to profound, bilateral hearing losses. Zimkhitha, fit with two hearing aids last year, lost them in the July shack fires. We took them from school to the Bastian School for the Deaf near Cape Town to have their ear molds made, which took two trips, because of faulty materials.

The highlight for the girls was their KFC lunches with ice cream cones. Busisiwe says little, and her speech has touches of “deaf speech” when she talks, but she watches intently. Zimkhitha, a regular hearing aid wearer, was valuable in helping teach Busi about wearing her aids because Busi lipreads her native Xhosa far better than English. As I turned up the volume of her aids for the first time, her body stiffened and she broke into the most amazing, wide-eyed, mouth-open smile. Yes, Starkey Hearing Foundation provided the hearing aids and the year’s supply of batteries, and St. Paul’s provided me.

Psalm 62:5 “For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.”

Thank you St. Paul’s for helping break their silence.

Gratefully,

Richard Nodar

Postcard from South Africa~ The Spirit of the Lord

masiletters — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:40:44 +0000

After two years of prayer, St. Paul’s gives thanks continually for the gift of Alan Gates. St. Matthew’s has been praying for a priest to help lead them through their wilderness to a vibrant Anglican community in Masiphumelele. It seems, God has raised up leaders for both groups.

Fr. Lulamile (Lulameeleh) Ngesi (long a) the new Xhosa Commander of the South African Fleet of Navy chaplains, arrived with his wife, Linda, and four children at the Simon’s Town Navy Base in January of this year. Born in Walmer, a township near Port Elizabeth, his mother was raped and murdered when he was six, and he was brought up by his great grandparents. His great grandfather was a lay minister of “Anglican catechism,” so Lulamile, a child of the church from the beginning, decided to become a priest at age six. Because of township apartheid education, he did not matriculate until he was 24.

Fr. Ngesi stands in front of the room, holding his Bible to preach. Looking directly at everyone, his eyes travel from face to face, and he speaks and gestures with simple eloquence. Heads nod, occasionally a soft “Yes,” comes from someone. When blessing the children after communion, Father looks at every child, and each one knows he or she has had a moment of grace. Leaving Fr. Ingesi’s first service in Masi, I shook his hand and said,

“I understood everything you said, even though I understood nothing you said.”

Perhaps that is part of the mystery of the spirit of the Lord being upon someone.

Faithfully,

Mary Nodar

Postcard from South Africa~ Searching for Souls in Masiphumelele

masiletters — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:30:27 +0000

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Ash Wednesday was Ash Thursday here, because Fr. Ngesi was traveling for the Navy.

“We are going to light the fires of Anglicanism in Masiphumelele by having Wednesday Lenten services in people’s homes,” announced Fr. Ngesi. With their permission, the Wednesday evening Lenten service was in the shack of an Anglican couple not currently active in the Chapelry.

Children in red acolyte robes were kicking a ball outside, while members of the Mother’s Union and St. Bernard Mezeki Men’s Guild in black and purple uniforms and others squeezed into two rooms about the size of St. Paul’s clergy room. Occupying every possible inch, we perched on scant furniture, and borrowed chairs, benches, and stools. The tightly packed group sang in harmony; swaying, clapping, almost breathing as one. Folks stood in place to do the readings and prayers, and Father Ngesi preached in the doorway, so those inside and out could hear. At the end of the service, the host couple thanked the Chapelry.

We poured out into the darkness still singing, swaying, clapping to the music, and hugging goodnight. As we climbed into our parked car between a numbers of shacks, I said,

“Father, what do you call this?”

“It’s like a revival,” he answered. “They recommitted themselves tonight, so we are two more.”

Faithfully,

Mary Nodar