The
action has slowed for the past weeks here in Cape Town. I was supposed to go
skydiving, but it became too windy for us to jump. I almost miss the excitement
and pace of orientation but it is to be expected. I am certainly not
complaining--this means that I’m truly embracing life here day by day. Also, I
have no doubt it will pick again once we go to Johannesburg for our excursion.
This
past week the director at my internship asked if I’d be interested in working
at the school’s hostel. I agreed and I came later than I usually would for
work. He wanted me to get familiar with the many aspects of City Mission, and I
couldn’t agree more. The hostel houses many of the students that attend the
school during the weekdays. I mostly hung out with the girls. I’ve worked with
a few of them at the school so it was nice seeing them out of uniform. They
asked the standard questions--how old am I, what my school year was and what
America is like. I asked about their background; they all came from the Delft
Township. I had visited there two weeks prior so I had an idea where they came
from. There is a lot of informal housing there--many of the homes are
constructed with tin and scrap. When I visited, I sat in a large tent that
served as a church there and was told about the gang violence and the child
prostitution that occurs. I silently thanked God that these children at CMES
were spared from it during the weekdays at the hostel. Instead of tutoring them
on their English they asked me to draw a picture of a woman who worked at their
hostel. She passed away weeks ago at the age of 28, and let a toddler behind
who was running around the kitchen. As I drew her, I thought if I visited the
hostel a month ago maybe I would have met this woman that greatly impacted the
lives of these children. 
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