Courage in the midst of reality

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Living in South Africa is like an adventure. This is not a post about our history and the journey to democracy but  it is a small window into the present day experience of a very white ; middle aged woman; mother of four sons .

I think the reality of most South Africans is we could live with a level of fear and anxiety for our safety and we do , I guess if we are honest.

I am though certain that God is our protector and sovereignly working a plan and purpose and so even the bad things that happen are in his loving hands. 

Turning on the news today and hearing that our Bafana Bafana captain has been shot dead in a robbery, just breaks my heart. Another act of violence and another precious life lost because of it. 

This weekend, we had some intruders in our home. We were entertaining and had not locked up. Some stuff was stolen. We have had this happen before while on holiday one year. people broke in and stole a whole lot of belongings while we are slept.

I find my response to these everyday occurances strange. I am a little freaked and we are being a great deal more vigilant but we all sort of just get on with it. If I told someone this story they would nod and tell me another such story.

And yet this is not really ok. 

I volunteer an hour a week with a great NGO called Life Matters. We work in a school in the Western Cape in the Steenberg area. This is a government school and LMF begins its programme with grade 2 children. I have a son in grade 2 and so I know where these children should be and what they should be learning/reading. The community is really poor. The average income for the month is R1100. between 70% and 80% of children drop out of school after grade 7. It is pretty dire.

This is a context for some of the people who live in the Western Cape. I understand this context and from these kinds of situations crime flourishes. 

When I stop and look at the county that is ours. This beautiful South Africa, my heart feels full and empty at the very same time.  We are a country divided by cultural differences historically and desperate for real transformation now. I know that people need heart transformation so that we can truly change; truly love; truly live. 

It takes courage to live a life that counts in this current South African context.

So I end with this thought and prayer- may the gospel of Jesus, the real hope and real courage to live authentic and full lives despite our circumstances... may this gospel go out!