Habitat for Humanity

2/18/09
17:36

First day in Cape Town, South Africa. I got up early to watch the sunrise over Table Mountain. Unfortunately it was really foggy, so I saw neither. Also, due to the fog we got in late. Lateness seems to be a recurring theme when docking.

The ship docked in a really urban part of town with hotels, malls, and restaurants everywhere. Within minutes of being on the highway, though, there are hundreds upon hundreds of dilapidated shacks made of scrap metal and old tires.  Luxury to poverty all within seconds. It is sad and hard to process.

The field trip I went on (Habitat for Humanity) allowed me to get off the ship before most other passengers and take a bus to the building site. When we got closer to the township, we saw a line of people that was about a quarter of a mile long. It was the line for the town clinic. People line up at 5 in morning sometimes only to be seen at 11 at night or not at all.

We arrived in the township after about a half hour drive. Our assignment was to help replaced the shacks with real houses. Several houses had already been built. They are probably about the size of a single-car garage and house anywhere from four to eight people. 

There were twenty-eight people on the trip so we split into two groups to work on separate houses. The fifteen people in my group (only 3 guys) hopped in the back of a pick-up truck and drove off to our building site. The walls of the house had already been set up and the roof was just getting started.

Four or five local construction workers from the township were helping, as well as three Habitat for Humanity volunteers. The three volunteers were three boys taking their ‘gap year’in between school and university. Two were from England, George and Chazz, and one was Dutch, Ian. They were dreamy.

We got right to work by moving the tiles for the roof. Then we mixed cement or ‘dakker,’as they called it, and did some grout work. I think it was grout work at least. Dakker is dirty. My hands were covered. Also it was really windy which was nice or else it would have been incredibly hot, but I got a lot of sand in my eyes. They feel really gritty right now.

Ian asked if anyone wanted to help out on the roof. I volunteered.  I can now say that I have done roofing work. While I was sitting on the rafters, a bunch of little kids from the town came by the building site and started playing with the people from my group who were still on the ground. We got about halfway done with the roof. One half was completely tiled.

We took a break for lunch and then I went to play with the kids. I walked over to the group and a little boy came right over to me and put his arms up for me to pick him up. He had some sort of pussy wound right around his nose and mouth, but I picked him up and swung him around. Then I gave him a piggy-back ride. Then a little girl came over and wanted me to hold her. These kids are so open and loving. Hardly any of them spoke English. They spoke the ‘click’language. I brought out my camera and they were delighted. I let them take pictures of themselves and of me.

A SASer named Ashley had brought stickers and crayons and the kids went wild. They were all pushing and shoving to get some goodies. They covered themselves in stickers and were coloring on each other with crayons. I was surprised and kind of saddened by their fascination with crayons and stickers. These little things were such a treat. They all wanted more, more, more. I have so much, and I still sometimes find myself wanting more, more, more. Reality check.

I loved today. It was a simply amazing experience. I came back filthy and tired, but I want to do it again tomorrow. I find myself wanting to be a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and just immerse myself in South Africa. Maybe I will.

I just showered and plan to go out to dinner with my roommate Kendra, Jill and Lexi, a girl on my field trip today. We are going to a restaurant called Mama Africa. I hear great things. After we may hit up the clubs. George said he would be at the Observatory. If I happen to end up there and George falls madly in love with me…well that is up to the gods.

Carpenter H