Considering Mission Work?

Hello everyone.

If you are 21-30 years old, I encourage you to pray about the Young Adult Service Corps. It is an experience that will challenge, confuse, and stretch you to new limits, through which you emerge with newfound strength and faith.

Their webpage has further information, including this video of former YASCers:  

Application deadline is January 4th. Direct link to the application is here.

Do you have questions? Would you like an honest, frank glimpse into the life of a YASCer? Let me know, and I will happily talk. Email: cameroninafrica@gmail.com

Give it some thought and prayerful consideration.

In Christ, 
-Cameron

Christmastime- Video

No recaps this time, just a glimpse into our Christmas play :)

 

Christmastime

Hello everyone!

After 4 weeks of rehearsing, students performed their Christmas play! The play itself, and the 2 rehearsals leading up to it, occurred in the Monastery chapel.

Walking to the Chapel for Rehearsal

Rehearsal, day before performance

By the time the play was over, each group of characters (angels, shepherds, etc) was featured, giving every student a chance in the spotlight.

The play drew enough people that late-comers had to stand!

Performance!

All talking parts were in Xhosa, and the singing was a mix of Xhosa and English.

The performance was simple, spirited, and well-received.

A lovely shepherd, right after performing

The next day, Br. Rob and I stayed after school to assemble Christmas presents. Thanks to your support, there was an abundance of gifts.

Sorting gifts in a spare classroom.

We had quite a few of these

...and these.

2 hours later, the bags are assembled!

Each bag had a mixture of cards, socks, dolls, Candy Canes, Jolly Ranchers, model toys, soap, more cards, and more socks.

(If you sent chocolate: We are storing it until Easter. There were enough sweets to cover both holidays.)

After some last-minute touches, the gifts were ready to go!

In the assembly room, waiting for children. This is one of two tables for the students.

Classroom gifts.

The giving itself was quick but meaningful. Br. Rob and I handed out the packages as students left for the year.

Thanks to Stephen Smith and our student teacher for the following pictures!

For some children, this might have been their first Christmas gift. We explained that these presents came from very far away with lots of hard work. Even if a child did not fully understand what was done for them, I feel we made an impact beyond material wealth.

More specifically, I feel YOU made an impact beyond material wealth. The school staff, including myself, were simply vessels through which your generosity was expressed. This would not have happened without your effort, sincerity, prayers, money, and generosity. If you supported this Christmas giveaway in any manner, Thank You.

“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” -Hebrews 13:2 (NIV)

Thank you, truly, for following along in this journey, and for partaking in it yourselves through prayers and lovingkindness.

Servant of Christ,
-Cameron S

A lot happens on Thursdays

*creates blog post*
*looks it over*
“Huh, this all happened on the same day….”
It seems Thursdays are the day for blog-worthy events :)

Enjoy!

Morning:
After a quick counting drill, students split into groups and matched the English name (“one”), Xhosa name (“nye”), number (“1”), and number of dots (“*”) for numbers 1-10. This activity was the main component of our math-focused morning.

Chaos early on

Success!

I had an impromptu counting test with a few students who finished early.

Playtime:
I have been fortunate to receive various postcards from friends and family in the US. This week was the first time a card arrived during school; hand-delivered by Br. Rob!

 

As you might guess, children love getting their pictures taken. As such, the postcard quickly became a magnet for photo shoots :)

Thank you to 815 (Episcopal Church Headquarters) for the touching message. 

Also, thank you to all who have sent me mail these past 4 months. The pictures and messages are wonderful reminders of home.

A glimpse into my room

Laptop Class:
For the past 2 weeks, we’ve been focusing on a maze game that familiarizes students with arrow keys. Several students have struggled, but nevertheless you see an overall increase in computer comfort level.

As you probably know, children can learn computer skills with ease. Considering the role technology plays in our world, I am glad to see these students learning at an early age.

After School:
Christmas is here!!!!!! …well, it’s close :)
Thanks to your response to our wish list, we have a plethora of gifts to give children. You can expect a post later about the impending give-away (and a post about our Christmas play, which was performed this week!!! We’re still sharing pictures with each other, hence no summary yet), but for now I give you this sneak peek:

Have a blessed week :)

In Christ,

-Cameron S

Thankful

Hello friends!
This is one of, if not THE most meaningful Thanksgiving for me.

After our typical morning greeting, Br. Rob ran back to me to say “Happy Thanksgiving!”. This kind gesture became proverbial butterfly wing flaps for the rest of the day, as I steadily smiled more, and found more meaning in our otherwise-typical day. After ‘hints’ of thankfulness throughout school -ex: discussing the gifts of the wise men during Religious Studies-, I had an early release thanks to nobody showing up for after-school clinic. (which didn't bother us one bit:))

Making gifts for baby Jesus

Success with the laptop!

To provide context to this next part, let me introduce you to Matt Kellen.
A former YASCer, Matt first came to Grahamstown in 2007, where he served many of the students that I help today. After returning to the US, Matt opted to go back to South Africa, where he married a woman he met during his YASC experience! The couple now lives just 20 minutes away from the Monastery.

Back to school:
During the day, Stephen received word from Matt about possible dinner plans. Two phone calls later, we were part of a 6:30 reservation. Stephen and I arrived a little early, had a nice talk at the bar/waiting area (Don’t worry, we weren’t crazy :)), and were soon met by Mr. and Mrs. Kellen. 

Having woken up with no plans, I was now part of a lovely dinner after a day sprinkled with happiness.

Stephen, Mr. and Mrs. Kellen, and me.

Among other things, we discussed YASC friendships, future trips, and the inspiring work of the Monastery -all of which I am thankful for. 

My night concluded with a FaceTime call to Texas that had surprisingly high quality. I got to see my grandparents, father, brother, and a clip of Thanksgiving football; yup, it was Texas alright.

Being away from the US helped me appreciate the meaningfulness of Thanksgiving. Rather than be preoccupied with travel plans or food comas, I instead am dwelling on the reasons to be thankful; considering all that has happened to me this year, there is a lot!!!

Thank you very much for following me in this journey.











…and thanks to YOUR support, we have some Christmas gifts to give :)
God Bless!!!

Christmastime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Work Hard, Play Hard -a Visit from 815

Today I am thankful for the relationships made in YASC.

Last Thursday, Episcopal Church Staff David Copley and Mary Brennan travelled to South Africa. After picking up YASCers Jared Grant and Holly Milburn, the entire crew flew to Port Elizabeth on Monday, where I met and drove people to the Monastery.

The next 3 days were filled with blessings.

The trip, admittedly, had plenty of moments devoted to leisure.

Jared and Holly

Southern Africa YASCers. Don't be fooled -Holly is the tallest.

We still had work, though, and our friends bravely accompanied us to school and met the students.

A good time was had by all :)

Photo courtesy of David Copley

Cameraman Andrew Watson was also part of the crew -he shot footage for a YASC promotional video.

Break between interviews

The days involved driving, filming, and staying up late. It was all very refreshing.

I am extremely grateful for the chance to reconnect with friends, sincerely discuss our YASC experience, and receive genuine guidance and care from David Copley and the 815 staff. The trip is already a highlight of my year.

Thank you for your support, and I wish you a blessed day.
In Christ,
-Cameron S

Around the world in 90 days -reflections

3 months ago, I boarded a plane for South Africa.

Here are some reflections thus far:
 
What has surprised you so far?
A real monk vs. Our imagination of one

The monks are people. They have personalities, senses of humor, and likes/dislikes. They are willing to make fun of themselves and each other in a light-hearted way. They have hobbies, favorite coffee shops in town, and interests outside monastic life. When it comes to church, there are some parts they like and other parts they don’t -much like with you and me. And perhaps most surprising (in a great way), is they have sarcasm. Do not be bothered by this -it is the sort that makes you smile after a long day.

Me with Br. Josias

Are you meeting different peoples?
Yes! …sporadically.

We don’t have guests every week. Furthermore, some guests are on silent retreat, meaning no chance to converse.

However, when guests are in attendance -individual or group retreat- and are allowed to talk, there have been many meaningful conversations, usually in our living room:

Here is a glimpse of people I have met:

Students and faculty at the local Seminary, usually here for a weekend ‘break’. Several have been repeat visitors. Collectively, there is a wide range of callings, life situations, and past experiences, allowing for enriching conversation. (side note: this is the only Anglican Seminary in Southern Africa; people travel from all over to attend).

A married couple biking/backpacking their way across Africa who needed a place to regroup after being robbed. They were very vulnerable about their trip experiences and how they were processing it. They also opened up about spirituality and life philosophies at large. I was privileged to have such close conversation with them.

A professor at Rhodes University, in his mid-30s, who received a Masters degree at SMU before returning to South Africa for a PhD. He was very clear-headed about life goals, education in the US vs. SA, and finding joy in the mundane. He offered highly stimulating questions for self-discovery.

Each of these people have been like new friends on the journey, bringing new insight with each conversation. It has already been a highlight of my experience in South Africa.

How do you keep sight of your initial vision/calling in the midst of the daily routine?

In the abstract sense, I don’t.
I’ve been very ‘zoomed in’ at school. I’ve had little awareness of upcoming events, what I did last weekend, etc. This is partly because so much is new to me - new students, new language, new philosophies on education, new mandates from a new department of education, etc. There is a lot to process, and if you try to absorb it all you may forget the bigger picture; you might also develop ‘deer in the headlights’ syndrome and forget to be an active member.

For mission work:
The initial vision/calling to serve the world, engage in the Anglican Communion, and be an active relational follower of Jesus Christ is very much present. We are, as said before, simply more ‘zoomed in’ to how this mission is carried out. Rather than ‘just’ talk about the gospel, our day might entail helping a child who became sick, ensure students can brush their teeth, or address a temper problem that would otherwise be ignored. Belief in God comes over the long-term. 

In fact, I feel if you told the monks that nobody would believe in God after experiencing this, the brothers would still have done all this to help the community. Jesus who said “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) also said “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,” and “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:35 & 40). 

I am not an essential piece of the puzzle; I am helping the pieces come closer together, and trusting that the next person/people will help it progress further. This is not ‘finished’ in just one year- this is a ministry set up for the long haul. I am privileged to be a part of the experience.

Seeing the world from the other side of the globe, what would you say to the American Episcopal church (and/or the world)?

That the church is active. …no, seriously.

The churches here are the backbone of their community. It is at church that people find strength to persevere. South Africa is hindered by intense bureaucracy, racism, and unfathomably bad education, yet despite all this, people thrive. You will see a church give food to people truly lacking it, re-awaken a faith smothered by depression, provide education when there truly was none available, and be that light in a faded world. In my experience, the people are invested, connected by faith, and are illuminating the world.

This is not just Anglican, by the way. Roman Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran,….The World Church is alive and vibrant.

Cathedral Building, Downtown

St. Augustine's Building, in the Township

Thanks for the great questions, and have a blessed day!!!
In Christ,
-Cameron

The Monks go Marching Two by Two

Hello friends!

First, I ask your prayers for those affected by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy. As you know, it has affected the northeastern US, in addition to parts of the Carribbean, and many people were unprepared for its effect. I’m glad to hear those I personally know are all safe, but I know that many were not as fortunate.

Also, if you are pressed for time, I recommend skipping to the bottom of this post. Otherwise, read on!

The Monastery publishes a quarterly newsletter entitled “uXolo”, which means “Peace”. I was quite humbled to be mentioned in the latest edition, pictured below.

The newsletter gives an informative picture of what has happened over these past few months. If you would like one, let me know! You can also find it on the monastery website in due time: http://www.umaria.co.za/uxolo.html

Here are some other updates about the community:

Believe it or not, Christmas is coming soon!! Holy Cross has already started practicing for a Christmas play. This is a new endeavor for the school, with hopes of it becoming a tradition.

Learning Christmas Songs

Only 5 weeks remain until our winter break! If you have a Christmas package to mail to us, please do so soon. For more information, click here.
Many thanks to my grandparents Nana and Grandpa -your package arrived yesterday!


One thing I cherish about our school is it’s flexibility. With experienced head teachers, and a low student:teacher ratio (14:2 and 14:3 in our classes), it is quite easy to ‘call an audible’ and change the schedule with ease. 

For example: when student absences postponed a group project, the head teacher set up a new activity while I lead morning routine. You wouldn’t have guessed we changed plans -I myself didn’t realize it until after she set it up! Our new activity was to cut-and-paste letters to form their names.

Almost Got it!

It was a clever learning tool. Several students still struggle with writing certain letters, but this activity let them focus solely on word construction. I consider this a ‘things-an-experienced-teacher-can-think-of-in-no-time’ activity.


I have no pictures for this last point, but I think it is worth mentioning:

Calling Holy Cross a ‘school’ is a slight understatement. Holy Cross center-for-things-needed-to-raise-a-child would be more fitting. The school covers a wide array of needs in addition to basic education, including:

-Dental Care. Students visit the dentist twice a year, during school, on the school’s dime. They average one tooth extraction per child, per visit -not the best record, but at least it’s being addressed. 

The school keeps a toothbrush for each child, which they have to use every morning. I do not believe the children brush teeth at home -over weekends, or during holidays. 

When the students smile (which is a lot!), you notice some with missing teeth, and others whose teeth contain black spots. This is off-setting at first, but you quickly remember they are wonderful children despite less-than-ideal oral hygiene.

…on that note, thank you mom, dad, and Dr. Heerssen for providing me with excellent dental care :)

-HIV Testing. You would not notice, but virtually every student is at-risk. They are tested every 6 months, during school, on the school’s dime. So far, none have been positive.

-Individual medical care. When a student needs to see a doctor, the school schedules the appointment, transports them to the clinic, and pays the bill. On multiple occasions, I have seen the school handle this with no initiative seen by the parent (more on this later).

Case in point: One student, who was presumed to be very quiet, recently got diagnosed with a severe hearing disorder. With the help of our social worker, he was taken to an ear doctor, received proper testing, and was recommended hearing aids that cost R18000 each ($2080 US). The school purchased one thanks to a donation, and is seeking out donations for the second one.


With many of these needs, the school handles them almost out of necessity. Most students’ home lives involve inadequate housing, little-to-no money, unsupportive parents, and/or parents and grandparents stretched too thin with responsibilities. This is not true for every student, but many leave school each day and are “back in hell”, to quote our principal. How they got in that situation varies case by case, and it’s important not to judge; some involve poor decisions, but many involve factors beyond the family’s control. What’s important now is equipping people to help overcome their previous struggles.

Holy Cross's individualized attention, ability to fund medical bills, and even the nice building itself are blessings to these children that I might not fully understand. Perhaps the point isn’t to fully comprehend what we are doing; do we ever see the entire picture? Perhaps this ministry calls for faith in the greater good, regardless of how narrow a portion you see. "We live by faith, not by sight." -2 Corinthians 5:7

Enough to think about for now. Have a blessed day!!!

In Christ,
-Cameron S

St. Augustine's

Like many South African cities, Grahamstown has a large township - an urban sprawl of shacks and unkempt buildings. Used as non-white housing during apartheid, these areas lack many of the luxuries afforded to the inner-city population.

For the past 2 Mondays, I have accompanied Stephen Smith and Br. Josias to a weekly youth program at St. Augustine’s Anglican Church, located in the Grahamstown township. Their Monday program involves feeding approx. 20 children after school, and giving them a place to play.

Last Monday, we stayed inside due to rain, but it was an invaluable experience none-the-less.

After explaining the rules, Stephen played dominoes with the older boys while Br. Josias led a religious studies class with the rest of the youth. They discussed the 2nd day of creation and cut-and-pasted sky, water, and land pictures into a journal.

We finished with dominoes, puzzles, and bingo (led by me!).
What stood out to me was how incredibly respectful everybody was. The youth were attentive during rules, and very focused when one of us had something to say. This was very much ‘in the trenches’ of a crime- and poverty-ridden area, but the kindness displayed was first-rate.
….of course, we still had some spontaneous laughing and dancing :)

This is an exciting ministry that I have the option to pursue further. Jr. High and Sr. High is an age range I have very much felt called to in the past, and it was a refreshing experience to be with them after several months away. As God continues to work in me during this journey, I look forward to pursuing whatever calling He reveals next. 

Have a blessed day!!!
In Christ,
-Cameron

Take a road trip, come to Jesus, and start learning (again)

part 3 of a two-week recap
no photos today due to blogger issues

After the break, it was back to the books for the 4th term of school.Our morning ABC/numbers routine has expanded further -several students have now counted to 100! Considering the South Africa standard for grade R is 1-10, this is a significant step.
Counting back to zero is in-the-works :)

This morning ritual has been a great window to witness student improvement. Recently, students have correctly pronounced “three” and “thirteen” with ease, and several counted to new personal bests. We occasionally slip back to old habits, but overall we are learning.

This routine occasionally ends with a childrens-edition bible story (think: basic Sunday School).  Last week, I read Samson and Delilah; yesterday, I read Noah’s ark while the head teacher translated.

With only a handful of these mini-books available, the students hear them multiple times over the year. Many of them recognized the story before I started reading.

The students, for the most part, have handled every new challenge we present. Some students are still struggling, and some of these 'challenges’ might seem simple, but never-the-less you can clearly see the improvement over time.

Thank you for the continued support, and thank you for joining me in this journey!!!

In Christ,
-Cameron S

Take a road trip, Come to Jesus...

part 2 of a two-week recap

     Later in the break, the Monastery hosted several boys in the scholarship program. Our community social worker -who works for Holy Cross School- put on a two-day workshop that focused on life priorities, personal baggage, and false assumptions about schooling. The workshop concluded with private meetings between each student, Br. Josias and the social worker.

                             

   

I realized this workshop’s success was thanks largely to the Monastery’s long-term commitment. Over the years, the monks have developed personal relationships with each student, knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses, and have constantly shown them that they matter. Students know they are being cared for, even when given unpleasant news (ex: “No, you can’t transfer just because school is lame”)

     The Holy Cross monastic order involves a vow of Stability -To quote Br. Robert, “We’re not going anywhere.” Living among the monks, you clearly see an unwavering focus on the families, the students, and the retreatants who come to the Monastery. Life among the brothers can vastly widen your idea of ministry; it is a privilege to be among such servants.

All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ,

for He Himself will say, "I was a stranger, and you welcomed Me" (Matt. 25:35)

-Rule of St. Benedict