Where In the World?

Here we mark four weeks of wear and tear. (John is recovering from a missionary haircut 20 May; he won't need another until next mission.) It was enough to get him in!






The Chinese market at Randburg sells the same rice bowls and tea mugs as Wan Chai. And the German market at Randburg sells pudding mix and whipped cream stabilizer. It sounds like our life revolves around food?

Randburg Market (Republic Avenue & Pine)

Fellow missionaries introduced us to the Randburg fruit and vegetable market, with even more variety than Tyrone Avenue Fruiterers. The parking lot guard takes his job in earnest. We're not sure it's loaded. Security is a major issue here. Some of the baked goods look better than they taste. Produce is never a disappointment. (We shared the trunk space with our friends.)

Tyrone Avenue Fruiterers

Tyrone Avenue Fruiterers is one our favorite Saturday morning stops for produce and flowers. This flat of clementines ("naartjies") cost about US$4. Yellow rose of Texas flowers for anniversary.

Babies in Church

African mothers carry their babies in back sling of a towel, scarf, or piece of fabric. This little one fell sound asleep in church (note beautiful new chapel dedicated three months ago).

New Friend from DR Congo

Matambo was brought to Joburg after unsuccessful ophthalmological surgery in his Democratic Republic of Congo. Now he has a prosthesis, plus a functioning other eye. His family of seven children will be happy to have him home in Lubumbashi, DRC, where he teaches French. While staying in medical flat here, he's learned English by watching "Sesame Street" and "Dora!" He joined us for dinner, loved Magnum bars.

Music in His Soul

Anges ("angel" in French, his native language in Democratic Republic of Congo homeland) was referred to me by a Perpetual Education Fund missionary as a musical prodigy, which he seems to be. He composes, he sings, he's hungry to learn things I don't know much about, like theory, composition, improvisation. I share what few tricks I know and he absorbs them like a sponge. He's a returned missionary who migrated to Joburg where he works as a security guard for 80 cents an hour. He always shows up in a shirt and tie for lessons. Keep your eyes on the screen---some day you may see Anges. For turnabout, he teaches me French.

Visit to the maternity ward

Today Sister Wright invited me to visit government run Soweto Maternity Hospital, where indigents pay US$3.50 for delivery, are allowed to stay six hours in common cubicles for post-partum care, are issued one sanitary pad = several walk common hallway with gown wrapped between legs. Four of us distributed polar fleece blankets with matching caps (made by powerhouse S/Wright) to mothers (not necessarily "new" mothers). The director says many of the babies will be left on the hospital lawn when the mother departs (and the mother will show up pregnant ten months later). Midwives deliver all babies, except for C-sections, delivered by professionals (Pakistani guy, German woman). Their average rate of delivery is 60 per 24 hours. Wow! It was sobering to see so many babies come into the world in such grim circumstances, with so little hope. Some of the women expressed appreciation, others seemed to expect TLC. Think we can change the world?

Sister Dawn Wright