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“I was coming home from school and the G’s [Gangsters] took my phone; they put their gun on me”. – Anda
He said it without any surprise or novelty; as if it happens every day. Wait… it does happen every day. Over the last year, Anda and Michael have had 4 phones stolen by local gangsters in the Gululetu township.
At 19 years old, Michael and Anda have tremendous pressure placed on them by the gangs in their township to conform and join the gang; starting a sick and endless cycle of violence and drug abuse that lands thousands of teens in prison each year. Instead, the two have their applications in for college beginning next year and are the star players for a Football Club [soccer for Americans] in Guguletu. Because of the choice to stay in school, stay off of drugs and alcohol, and even play soccer, they have been called everything except men due to the overwhelming numbers of teens involved in gang activity. Children as young as 14 (the lowest I have heard) are carrying around guns and knives and commit murder in townships like Guguletu and neighboring Nyanga every day. The murder rates in these two communities are through the roof and everyone is affected. In 2003/2004 (April to March), the murder rate was over 2.4 per 1,000 (in contrast to Aurora, CO where I live had .09 per 1,000 people [which is worse than the national average]. Where is the hope in Guguletu?
Simply trying to do something positive with their lives, Anda and Michael are breaking the mold in their communities. They are truly a light in the darkness. I was able to spend the night with these young men and talked with them for hours about their lives and what its like to spend every day in Guguletu. I fell in love with them and their township as a result. While there are so many things that are wrong and dangerous, the beauty of Guguletu is overpowering. We seem to concentrate on the statistics of the bad rather than on the statistics of the good; the statistics of Hope. For some reason people think that we are crazy for going there, but in my mind we are crazy for not going there. In the midst of the most hopeless situation is where we find the true hope that Christ brings. Churches like JL Zwane have been there for years, doing the good work; reaching out to a community in need when no one else will. JL Zwane, a church with a congregation numbering in the hundreds, has gained international recognition for their community work in areas like Child Development, Teen Programs, the JL Zwane Football Club (of which Anda and Michael are part of), and one of the most HIV/AIDS community programs in Western Cape [which is absolutely necessary considering Guguletu and Nyanga have a HIV prevalence rate of 29.1% (2005)].
I first heard about Anda, Michael, and JL Zwane from a Westmont alum named Justin Zoradi. He had traveled to South Africa in 2006, leading a youth related ministry. The impact that Anda and Michael (and their coach/mentor, Eric “Ace” Kombela) was enormous. Justin returned to the States and started a Non-Profit Organization called “These Numbers Have Faces”, their first and pioneer project being the JL Zwane Football club. I knew that Justin had been here and that he had started this organization, so I gave him an email asking if I could help out with pictures and updates. He set me up with ACE who has been an amazing host. He even let 4 young women from our team stay with him and his wife while I stayed with Michael and Anda.
The experience was outstanding and eye-opening. Walking the same streets with the boys turned my mind around to the conditions that they were living in. When the girls weren’t around, many men would come up to me and vent their hate (sometimes justly) at white people. There wasn’t much I could do except for listen silently, hoping that by finally letting it out towards a white person would help with the healing process. After they were done, I would try to explain who I was and why I was there; mostly to no avail. We even met a few gang members on the street as we were walking back to Michael’s house from Anda’s. They (Michael and Anda) said that it was okay because “We grew up with these ones and know them”. The smell of delicious Bar-ba-que filled the air and there were sounds of music being played from all around. Open fires, cooking the meat, blazed along the road illuminating the words, “Japan” or “Gaza” (local gangs) tagged on most of the walls. At the end of the night, after talking, after eating; the boys showed me to my room where we all fell asleep… in the same bed. Since there are so many people per house in townships, its not uncommon for 3 or 4 people to share 1 bed. A unique and heartfelt experience (since sharing a bed with friends is like sharing one with family).
If we continue to focus on the negative in the world, how will we ever see past that to the amazing beauty that is buried just beneath? I would encourage you to find the beauty in your own community, in the “inner-city” areas, and especially the homeless shelters. So often we go to these places to “be Jesus” to them, when in reality, it is his face that we see in them. Sure, there will be some uncomfortable and possibly even dangerous experiences associated with these areas, but I believe that even just one person hearing about the Hope that is found in Christ is worth my life.
Matthew 25:37-40 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Thank you so much for those who were praying during the time in the township. If you would like to be placed on the Prayer list, contact me and I will add you!
May God guide your steps in every area of your life and mine
John Paul Vicory
Check out These Numbers Have Faces on line here (http://www NULL.thesenumbers NULL.com/) or in the Links Section on the Right!
(http://bp2 NULL.blogger NULL.com/_qnp_-5yGoRQ/RxYmb2vvz7I/AAAAAAAAAEY/eAkWgizcRs4/s1600-h/IMG_2082a NULL.JPG)[Hard Times Never Kill]
(http://bp2 NULL.blogger NULL.com/_qnp_-5yGoRQ/RxYo72vv0BI/AAAAAAAAAFI/7QVaUkiUZVg/s1600-h/IMG_2093a NULL.JPG)[Where Michael and Anda Sleep]
(http://bp1 NULL.blogger NULL.com/_qnp_-5yGoRQ/RxYmbmvvz6I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/P7H7TRJEO14/s1600-h/IMG_2074a NULL.JPG)[Anda's House]
(http://bp2 NULL.blogger NULL.com/_qnp_-5yGoRQ/RxYlz2vvz4I/AAAAAAAAAEA/81WhQp373Ac/s1600-h/Anda+Sequence NULL.JPG)[Anda Stealing the Ball]
(http://bp3 NULL.blogger NULL.com/_qnp_-5yGoRQ/RxYl0Gvvz5I/AAAAAAAAAEI/oAcwxaFdkYI/s1600-h/IMG_1982 NULL.JPG)[Michael Heading against Manchester (They won 3-0)]
(http://bp1 NULL.blogger NULL.com/_qnp_-5yGoRQ/RxYnTmvvz8I/AAAAAAAAAEg/ovSbrG85Y18/s1600-h/IMG_2478 NULL.JPG)[Michael]
(http://bp2 NULL.blogger NULL.com/_qnp_-5yGoRQ/RxYnT2vvz9I/AAAAAAAAAEo/YDVz5S80gyU/s1600-h/IMG_2487 NULL.JPG)[Anda]
(http://bp2 NULL.blogger NULL.com/_qnp_-5yGoRQ/RxYkJ2vvz1I/AAAAAAAAADo/6bwphFdFVpw/s1600-h/IMG_2484 NULL.JPG)[Anda and Michael]
(http://bp2 NULL.blogger NULL.com/_qnp_-5yGoRQ/RxYkJ2vvz0I/AAAAAAAAADg/HoR-602W5Zk/s1600-h/IMG_2134a NULL.JPG)[The Pulpit at JL Zwane]Tags: Uncategorized
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Most amazing John Paul. Thank you for your obedience to our Father and sharing His revelation for mankind. I am encouraged and blessed through His blessing and faithfulness in your life. True love, God’s love, casts out fear and His Hope is revealed…wow!
Thank you John! Your blog is indeed challenging to me. I love what you say about going to minister to the homeless or needy and it is in fact there that we see Jesus! I believe that by your listening ear and because Jesus loves through you, these young men have seen that you are different from what they expected from one with such white skin! I am praying for you John! You are definitely piercing the darkness because in you is The Light!