My final day...

I am leaving Rocky Road and the Kurland Village tomorrow for a couple of days in Cape Town (with Jason, yea!). So, this will be my last blog while I am here. It has been such a wonderful trip - both in ways that I expected and in ways that I did not expect. The questions that people have been asking me are if I think that I have made a difference and if I think that this has been a life-changing experience for me. Both of those are really difficult to answer and I think I will likely not know the full extend of those answers until weeks, months or maybe even years down the road.

As for if I think I have made a difference, I would like to say that yes, I definitely made a difference (who wouldn't want to be able to say that?). But truthfully, as I have discussed before, the changes that need to take place in Kurland are generational changes that will take quite a few years to happen. However, the children that I worked with have had opportunities that they would not have had if there were no volunteers working with them. The teachers have observed a different way to interact with the children, which I saw them start to pick up at points. As a Christian, we all know that the seeds we sow are rarely the seeds we reap, and I can only hope and pray at this point that I have sown some seeds while I am here, both through words and through actions.

As for if I think that this was a life-changing experience, I would also say yes about that, but I am not fully sure in which ways. I am more knowledgeable about some things in this world. I have had many opportunities to discuss the world with Americans, Europeans and South Africans and understand more about what people think about America and see for myself some things that we do differently and think differently about. I do believe that this will pave the way for future life decisions and the direction of my life in a way that is tangible and traceable back to this trip...however, where my life will take me is anyone's guess!

Africa #6 - What are we teaching our youth?

In addition to my work at the Creche, I have been privileged to observe and interact with some of the older village kids at their after school programs. First, a bit of background...Another American volunteer (Katie) who was previously a WWISA volunteer about 3 years ago has since started a charity to raise funds for the local area and has relocated to South Africa on a 3-year volunteer visa. As part of her programming, she has started an after school "social club" of sorts for the 12 - 15 year olds in the village. When deciding (as a group) what they wanted to do at this club, they decided that they were interested in discussing social issues for the most part.

The meetings that I have attended have been focused on a recent news article in which it was reported that an HIV-prevention vaccination being researched at the University of Cape Town had recently lost its funding from South Africa and was being now solely funded by the USA, even though in 2008 something like 5 million+ people in South Africa were living with the HIV virus. Apparently AIDS activists argued that the money should not be spent on medical research towards a vaccine that may never lead to a way to actually prevent the virus, but should instead be spent on educating people how to prevent the disease (safe sex, myths vs. facts how you can get it/not get it, etc.)

I was most impressed with these young peoples' interest in the topic and willingness (after lots of conversations and practice!) to go out into the village to interview people about their thoughts on the topic. It reminded me that these types of issues are happening in some pockets of America and I wonder how we can motivate our youth to learn and become more actively involved in stopping them. I've mentioned before that the changes taking place here are generational changes that will take awhile to take root in the village. It is exciting to see these kids involved, interested and discussing these social issues with their elders in this way.

**Note: This picture is one of the kids from the Social Club, Clayton, who really wanted me to take his photo.

Africa #5 - What motivates a volunteer

Motivation is an interesting topic to consider. What motivates anybody to do anything these days? There are the classic motivators like money, power, prestige, personal satisfaction, etc., but which one motivates people to volunteer? And when I am referring to volunteers, I am not necessarily talking about people in my position, who give a few hours a week or a few weeks in a summer. I am considering the people who invest their own personal savings, blood, sweat and tears to start and maintain a volunteer organization or live life as a volunteer.

As I think about why I chose to spend part of this summer volunteering instead of staying home or traveling for pleasure (or working!), I am not sure I can answer that question about myself. For me personally, there is definitely a spiritual aspect. I also feel the need to know more about myself in different situations so I can understand what my personal motivation in life is all about.

However, for the vast amount of volunteers that I have met here, religion/personal faith/spirituality/call it what you like is not a motivator of any sort. I do not believe it is money that's for sure, but perhaps something opposite of that. Many of the people who I have crossed paths with enjoy being able to get away from the rat race that is daily life and at the same time, be involved in projects that will change lives. I don't think that satisfaction at seeing something good come out of their work can be a motivator either, since so many of these projects take years and years to complete and even then, the results are mixed.

So I am left questioning what motivates people to give up life as they know it and volunteer their time, either locally, regionally or internationally? Is there a common thread amongst all of these people? There is some level of sacrifice involved in all cases, and if my experience is any indication, moments of frustration and feelings of failure, but also moments of joy and feelings of success.