In the thick of it

Wow.  I'm not sure where to begin. We've completed two days of the leadership training and I haven't even finished writing about the experiences of being in the rural areas. Perhaps I will return to those last couple of days later.

Although the training officially started on Monday morning, all the ministers (13 of them) arrived by Sunday late afternoon. That evening, we all gathered at JL Zwane for dinner, a bit of conversation, and a service led by some of the ministers with JL Zwane church leaders and elders in attendance. I had already attended the morning worship service earlier that day. Two Presbyterian services in one day for this BuJewpagan!  The services are 99% in Xhosa yet it doesn't matter.  The music and singing get into your heart and soul, carry you away, and have you feeling one with the whole congregation. When Spiwo preaches, you still know what he's taking about. (It helps that he sprinkles in a few key English words or phrases--the 1% of non Xhosa.)  Sunday evening was a smaller version of the morning service, with a lot of singing and dancing. The JL Zwane congregation is thrilled to be hosting these 13 leaders for leadership training. It is quite an honor for the congregation and community.  In fact, families in Gugulethu are hosting the ministers and are so excited to do so.  Remember, most live in shacks or very very small tiny tiny brick homes.

On Sunday evening one of the leaders of the church's men's association told me how honored the community feels to be able to host these leaders. He thanked me profusely for coming to their community, saying "we are so honored to have you visit us. We gain so much when people from your country come to us and share your gifts and presence  with us." I tried to express how blessed and grateful I am to be invited in and welcomed so lovingly into the community, and that I leave receiving far more gifts than I could ever give. He did not seem to believe me.

(Earlier on Sunday I met Spiwo's nephew who is a practicing homeopath! We talked homeopathy lingo for quite some time. Finding myself talking homeopathy talk while in a township was quite amusing to me. I still have homeopathy books to get rid of, so perhaps Limkile would like some of those.)

It's hard to describe or share at this point what's unfolding through the training, since we're in the thick of it.  Today they struggled with working some narrative concepts and practices. Yet that's what's suppose to happen. Through one of the exercises, one that required them to talk about future goals as if these were happening in the present, the issue of problems arose. We figured it might happen at this point.  So Spiwo and I used these real life situations to teach naming and externalizing the problem.  At one point, Spiwo asked me, "Can I interview you so they can better understand what we mean?" So Spiwo started asking me externalizing questions (which can and did get quite personal). We demonstrated how and why this technique alone can be so effective in reclaiming one's leadership identity.  It clicked and ministers started naming their problem-saturated story that keeps them from living more fully their preferred leadership story. Space began to open up, and several people were able to identify a time or two when they have stood in opposition to their problem-saturated story. One such story was named Elders in Charge. Often, particularly in the rural areas, ministers come and go, and over the years, the church elders have learned to like being in control of church affairs. So when a new and usually younger minister comes, making clear his intention to stay, he has to find ways to diminish the elders' influence that gets in the way of the community addressing the problems it faces, as well as reclaiming his duties and responsibilities as minister and leader. This problem-saturated story has many examples of pushing many ministers out of the ministry. Yet a few ministers recalled situations that demonstrated their ability to shift the status quo. 

It's truly humbling  to bear witness to these stories of both struggle and triumph, of the challenges the ministers face in their communities, and the lack of support they receive from the white powers that be of the church (most of the ministers are Presbyterian). Several talked about their desire to not be so beholden to the "manual and rules" of conduct and procedures created by the church.  I asked Spiwo about his relationship with the manual and these rules and procedures.  His response: "I really don't know what these say or are about and I don't care. I learned a long time ago if I waited to get approval for what I thought needed to be done, I'd still be waiting."  Many of the ministers were truly taken aback. Spiwo then talked about how the policies are made by white ministers who have no idea of what it's like working in black congregations, in the townships or the rural areas. So why should he follow those rules, when black ministers were not asked to be part of constructing those?

I am only touching on the tip of the iceberg of what has transpired these past couple of days. But hopefully, you are getting an idea.

I keep pinching myself to make sure I'm really here, doing this work and more importantly, working in collaboration with Spiwo. The flow between us never ceases to astound me; we are beginning to finish each other's thoughts or start saying the same thing at the same time.  

Many of you have emailed asking about my backside. It's much much better. Not 100% yet. Standing a lot the past couple of days has not been great for it, but I'm not complaining.  I feel very grateful for how NOT serious an injury it is and that I recovered pretty quickly.  So thanks for your concern and care.  

All for now,

Ariella