PMB

Hello everyone! These past few days here in Pietermaritzburg have been wonderful! I have had time to get to know the brothers better and really witness how they go about their day. Before I tell you all about my week, I would like to first ask for your prayers for my friends and Smith Fellows Dee, Emma, and Kelli. These wonderful people have been preparing to spend their Fellowships serving in the Philippines and doing incredible work there; however, due to violence and unstable circumstances in that country they are not able to embark on this Fellowship. I know how hard these 3 beautiful souls have worked preparing for this trip and how hard this must be for them, so please keep them in your prayers.

            The brothers here at the priory are truly a welcoming and unique bunch: we have Fr Martin, my favorite croc-wearing Dominican; Fr Clement, who is full of joy and has one of the best laughs I have ever heard; Fr Evans, whose strikingly unique character can be found in all 11 of his toes; Fr Joe, who is full to the brim with wisdom and stories; Brother Philippe, who has so much love in his heart for his beautiful family; and so many other wonderful people. Many of the brothers are taking theology classes at a local university and are currently in the midst of exam season, along with most other college students at this time. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the one of the special Sunday masses here that the local university students help to run, and after mass I was able to speak to many of them about their academic experiences, which was very eye-opening.

Meeting the University Students after Mass

            Over the week, I also was able to volunteer with an amazing organization here called Sinomlando, which is Zulu for “we have a history.” This group works primarily with children, many of whom have gone through traumatic experiences in their past. Sinomlando has many different projects that they are constantly working on, including those that target teenagers with HIV, abandoned children, high school students, and migrants. My first day there I was able to travel with the Sinomlando workers to Mvuzo Secondary School where we did a workshop with the students focusing on career goals. Many of these students live in poor conditions and have to endure more hardships than I can even imagine. At the beginning of the meeting we listened as the students updated us on their week, and some of the burdens they carry should never be borne by someone so young. This experience made me even more appreciative of the work that the Sinomlando Center does; they know how to reach out to these students and offer them the support they need.

Banner in the Sinomlando office supporting teenagers who have HIV

The high school where we had the career workshop

My next day was very different and was spent in the office itself with the Skills Project. This project aims to teach parents, especially migrants, the skills they need to find sustainable jobs. On this particular day, they were working on making traditional African bracelets to sell on the market, and they were gracious enough to show me how to make them as well (they have the patience of saints!). It was a little difficult to talk with this group due to the language barrier—many of them spoke Zulu with just a little English—however I was still able to learn a lot about their lives and their children.

The beaded bracelet that I made!!

             During my free time, the brothers have been kind enough to invite me on errands and show me around Pietermaritzburg. Last weekend, Brother Clement took me to Howick Falls and Worldview, both of which gave us breathtaking views of the city. I’ve noticed that this part of South Africa has lots of mountains and hills, making the landscape so beautiful. Yesterday I was able to go with Fr Evans to the Midlands, which is centered in the middle of the mountains and also has amazing views.

At Howick Falls!

          One of the last experiences I would like to share was going to a cookout (which they call a Braai) at Brother Philippe’s home where they celebrated his daughter’s 31st birthday. Many years ago, Brother Philippe got permission from the Dominicans to adopt several children that he could not find adequate homes for. Now, most of these children are grown up and have children of their own, and it is clear how much they love their father. It was wonderful to meet and bond with everyone, and it gave me another taste of what life is like here in South Africa. If anyone is wondering, yes they have the same “Happy Birthday” song, and they also have a wonderful tradition where people give speeches about the birthday girl/boy that remarks on the previous year and offers advice for the coming one. It was an amazing experience to bond with this family and see the love that they have for one another.

One of the kids I was playing with during the braai

With Br Philippe's family!

            In a few hours, the Montebello Sisters are going to be picking me up, and I will be saying goodbye to Pietermaritzburg. I has been incredible how many beautiful people I was able to meet and have conversations with, and I cherish each and every one of them. There is an interesting connection between here and PC that I noticed almost as soon as I got here: Pietermaritzburg is often shortened to PMB, and every time I see that acronym I am reminded of the event that I ran in Campus Ministry this past year called Post Mass Bash, which I often shortened to PMB. I feel as though God worked his special magic in order to make me feel at home here even though I am half a world away. I was also able to meet a South African here who grew up a mere 30 minutes from my hometown in Massachusetts. I am so thankful for these small reminders of home and for how welcomed I feel here, this has been one incredible week. I think that is all for now, I will check back in with you all again when I am settled in Montebello!

God Bless,

Jen