Zamani Again

So we went to Zamani Day care again on Friday. There was a German couple that chose to retire here in East London and they saw in the newspaper that Zamani burned down last August, so they wanted to help out and they came today to give their gifts and Mrs Yoyo wanted us to come, and we did. It was really great, so let me see if I can paint you the correct picture.

We got there before the Germans, so we sat with the kids and the teachers and waited for them to arrive. When they arrived they started the this amazing program of singing and dancing that was their way of showing thanks to those that donated to the school. It was really amazing! The young kids did a few numbers and man one of the teachers had a voice like non-other; it was AMAZING! I don’t want to dwell on the presentation (although it was amazing) because you really have to be there to appreciate it (I should have recorded it, my bad).
There were two main lessons that I learned from this experience: what it means to represent BYU here and reciprocity.

First, let me tell you what BYU means to Mrs Yoyo. Like I said BYU students have been going thre since 2003 and between then and now a professor has kind of adopted the school and put together a fund for them (about $10,000 if I remember right). This fund has paid to rebuild the school after its numerous fires have burned portions of it. BYU, or rather this professor independently, has done a TON for the school and really if that professor and other BYU students had not done all that they have done for the school, I really doubt that the school would still be functioning. This is what BYU means to Mrs Yoyo and the parents of the kids there. And to them, I and the other students represent all of that, so this whole presentation was for us as well even though these students have only been in South Africa for a few days and never really done anything for the school and I only went there a few times last summer and helped mop the floor and butter bread. Mrs Yoyo asked me to say a few words to the parents on behalf of BYU, and I said a few words about how much of blessing it is for us to be with them and what a great example of hope and love they are to us (of course right when I sat down I thought of all the millions of things I could have said). Then a parent got up and thanked us on behalf of the parents and it took me to tears. She thanked us for all that we do and how they appreciate that we leave our families and come to them and help. She even said that she and the other parents have seen changes in the kids when the BYU students started coming. I was touched that other have done so much for these people and hoping that I can do a little something for those around me. Another interesting this happened when they gave us food. Now keep in mind that we are in an informal settlement and all the people in that room have so little, and yet they put together this huge presentation for us and gave us a full meal with meat. This is huge given what little they have and that we are eating such a nice meal in front of them. It is really uncomfortable situation but so important that we don’t refuse, and I will explain why.

It was really hard to accept thanks for something we did not do and especially when we (and the other BYUs) did not expect or need anything in return. but to refuse the food or drinks or to refuse to sit in the “guest of honor” type seats would have bee rude and would have taken away a bit of their (and our) humanity. By refusing their thanks because we may have felt we did not deserve it or because we did not want them to give us food because they barely have enough to feed themselves we take away their ability to thank and take away the dignity that comes with being able to serve and help others in the best way that one can. I hope I am making sense. What I am trying to say is that we must (in all our daily interactions) give and take in an appropriate balance (reciprocity).

I was SO blessed that day to be with these wonderful people and feel of their love, hope, and thankfulness. It was truly inspiring and really got me thinking more about so many things, this post may not make much sense because I am still mulling things over, but I hope you can see what I am trying to say and the great importance of treating others with love and respect.

As I write this I cannot help but this of the Xhosa proverb: I am a person because of other people.

Ponder on that!

What does it mean to represent something greater than yourself and how does one handle that? and how does one master the balancing act that is reciprocity? . . .