Itipini Scattered

Dear AIAIA friends, we have received some tragic news from the Eastern Cape in the village of Itipini, a community we have been visiting since 2006 and financially supporting for a year. Violence between people living at Waterfall, a nearby community, and Itipini resulted in the community being given 10 days notice to vacate the area before it was bulldozed. As a result, the 3,000 residents of Itipini scattered.

We are still receiving information from the African Medical Mission, the program with whom we work. We understand that there are about 350 people being housed and fed in an area called Rotary Hall. The AMM is working to ID the residents and move them into government housing. The tragedy is that the people of Itipini, the poorest of the poor, have been labeled low lifes and criminals so there are some communities that don’t want them.

AIAIA is looking into what assistance we can offer the people at this time. We will update you on this situation as we obtain more information.

For a detailed update on the events, please go to the blog of Karen Langsley, who is an African Medical Mission worker from the clinic whom we met on our most recent visit: http://kareninsouthafrica.blogspot.com.

Peace and blessings,

Julie Vogl

March 5, 2012

We greet you, our family and friends, as the AIAIA delegation prepares to return to Minnesota. Our lives have been enriched by our experiences and we acknowledge our mixed emotions as we leave our South African family.

This is our thirteenth mission in twelve years. We have continued to maintain our outreach by expanding our food distribution, increasing our hospice presence, as well as providing much needed medical supplies to hospitals and clinics. AIAIA continues to identify improved education as key to improving conditions here. We are looking to commit our time and energy to focus on leadership training and skills. This expansion is a result of discussions with Reverend Xapile as well as other leaders in the South African community. We celebrate the improvements we have seen in the last twelve years and we recognize the many challenges that lie ahead, many of which will take multiple generations to improve.

Ironically, during this mission trip, Matisse Xapile, the mother of Reverend Spiwo Xapile, the pastor with whom we partner here in South Africa and a well known friend to past delegations, died while staying with her daughter in Port Elizabeth. Matisse was a proud African woman who experienced firsthand the pain and struggle of apartheid. She raised a family of seven in rural South Africa. On behalf of Arm in Arm in Africa we extend our condolences to the Xapile family; we were honored to share in her life.

This will be our last blog post for this trip. It is important for this delegation to express our gratitude for the support and prayers that you have offered during our time away. In particular we would also like to express our gratitude to the community of St. Joan of Arc and for the privilege of being one of your four sustaining partnerships. Your encouragement and financial support have empowered us to make a difference in the world.

If you have journeyed with us through this blog, we invite you to share our web site and blog with your families and friends, to financially support the work of Arm in Arm in Africa, please go to the home page and click on "donate now."

Again, we thank you for partnering with us in joining with us, arm in arm.

In closing, a Prayer for the Decade of Nonviolence:

I bow to the sacred in all creation

May my needs be few and my living simple

May my actions bear witness to the suffering of others

May my hands never harm a living being

May my steps stay on the journey of justice

May my tongue speak for those who are poor

May my prayers rise with patient discontent

May my life's work be a passion for peace and nonviolence.

March 4, 2012

Our South African journey continues as we celebrate the 2nd Sunday of Lent. We are reminded of the power of Transfiguration.

A quote from Pat Cane:

We join with the earth and with each other
to bring new life to the land,
to create the human community,
to provide justice and peace,
to remember our children,
to remember who we are...
We join together
as many and diverse expressions
of one loving mystery,
for the healing of the Earth
and the renewal of all Life.

It is Sunday afternoon and our delegation is about to celebrate Eucharist. We continue to be transformed by the many human encounters. Our brothers and sisters continue to share the wealth of their joy, deep faith and overwhelming hospitality. We are welcomed and affirmed every day in countless numbers of ways.

Tomorrow we will choose to begin to think of our return to our families and friends, but for today, we share a variety of photos of our journey here.

Thank you again for your continued support.

March 4, 2012

Our South African journey continues as we celebrate the 2nd Sunday of Lent. We are reminded of the power of Transfiguration.

A quote from Pat Cane:

We join with the earth and with each other

to bring new life to the land,

to create the human community,

to provide justice and peace,

to remember our children,

to remember who we are...

We join together

as many and diverse expressions

of one loving mystery,

for the healing of the Earth

and the renewal of all Life.

It is Sunday afternoon and our delegation is about to celebrate Eucharist. We continue to be transformed by the many human encounters. Our brothers and sisters continue to share the wealth of their joy, deep faith and overwhelming hospitality. We are welcomed and affirmed every day in countless numbers of ways.

Tomorrow we will choose to begin to think of our return to our families and friends, but for today, we share a variety of photos of our journey here.

Thank you again for your continued support.

March 1, 2012

A Program for Happiness

To live content with small means;

to seek elegance rather than luxury,

and refinement rather than fashion;

to be worthy, not respectable;

and wealthy, not rich;

to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly;

to listen to the stars and the birds, to babes and sages with an open heart;

to bear all cheerfully, and bravely,

await occasions, hurry never;

in a word, to let the spiritual unbidden and unconscious

grow up through the common.

-W. Chandler

Our day began with a much awaited return to Itipini. This us a community of 3.000 people living in a garbage dump, with no electricity, sanitation, public transportation and two water spigots for the entire village. Arm In Arm In Africa joined in a partnership with the African Medical Mission as a way to embrace this community. We continue to provide assistance with the lumch program for the children's preschool, as well as providing medical supplies and newborn clothing for the one and only clinic in Itipini.

Father Jim was able to check in with Jenny McConnachie, the nurse who manages the clinic. Jenny reports that a few families have been able to find more secure housing outside of Itipini, however it continues to be the only choice for many coming out of the rural area of the Eastern Cape. AIAIA is hopeful of securing additional donations to assist this most impoverished community. Our visit concluded with sharing some songs and Mother Bears with the preschoolers.

We returned to Malungeni to celebrate and conclude our last evening with the community. As a gift of thanks for annually preparing the meal for the entire village, we brought AIAIA aprons for the cooks.

AAIA has traditionally purchased this meal as a way of celebrating our 12 year relationship. Our evening ended with the beautiful sounds and sights of the young people and members of our delegation sharing music and games, a true vision of a world that can come together in peace and love.

February 29, 2012

We arrived back in Maungeni to find many of our friends awaiting our arrival for Zone 19 Salon, a tradition started last year to give manicures, pedicures and massage to our friends here in Malungeni.

The journey continued with our first stop at Canzibe Hospital, a government owned healthcare facility that serves approximately 160,000 local residents. A minimal staff serves patients with HIV/AIDS, TB, Occupational and Physical rehab, OB/GYN needs and malnutrition. We were delighted to see some long overdue improvements to the physical environment, something we have not see in years. Arm In Arm In Africa delivered a large amount of medical supplies, which doubled their medical stock. We want to again thank those at home that made this possible.

This tradition originated to serve the 6 women who prepare the meal we furnish for the community and has now grown to about 40 women and men. It is a sight to behold and a joy to share.

At 3:00 the community and AIAIA gathered for one of our quarterly food distributions.

We arrived back in Malungeni to prepare for one of the quarterly food distributions. This community self selects who will receive emergency food relief with each distribution.

Today we celebrated with 80 families as they received their food parcel. A food parcel consists of flour, cooking oil, maize, beans, samp, rice, sugar and a large bag of chicken and will feed their family for approximately one month. We heard from two spokesmen from the community expressing their gratitude to AIAIA for the years we have been assisting them.

Our day concluded with a "walk about" in the surrounding community. It is a joy to encounter the children and families who have become so much a part of our lives over the years. It is an truly experience of coming home.

Peace and blessings,

February 29, 2012

The topography from Port Elizabeth to Malungeni, 600+ Km (over 400 miles), ranges from ocean vistas, to rolling plains with distant mountains as a backdrop. It was a warm day 36 C (96.8 F). We were grateful for the AC in the bus.

Travel on the small bus, which holds 18 (there are 14 of us with the driver), enables us to take the time to switch seats and thus get to know one another better, play cards, share stories, read and nap.

Near our destination we passed the home of Nelson Mandela, where the surrounding highways are under major construction to prepare for the thousands who will flock to the area as a pilgrimage when he passes.

When we stopped the bus to view his home, we spotted two curious three year olds and befriended them with Mother Bears.

A stop in Umtata (Mthatha on your map) for 3 days worth of groceries. It is a scene and experience that is always memorable.

As we approached our destination, driving down the log road, we were greeted with happy waving hands along the way.

A warm welcome from our family here lifted the fatigue of travel and touched our hearts. Blessings from us to you,