Ubuntu??

Definition from Wikipedia:
Ubuntu (Zulu/Xhosa pronunciation: [ùɓúntʼú]; English: /ʊˈbʊntuː/ oo-BOON-too) is an ethic or humanist philosophy focusing on people's allegiances and relations with each other. The word has its origin in the Bantu languages of southern Africa. Ubuntu is seen as a classical African concept.^[1]


Ubuntu: "I am what I am because of who we all are." A translation offered by Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee. Similar to a saying: A single straw of a broom can be broken easily, but the straws together are not easily broken.^[2]

Archbishop Desmond Tutu further explained Ubuntu in 2008:^{[citation needed]}

One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu - the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality - Ubuntu - you are known for your generosity.

We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.

I am by no means an expert in Ubuntu, in fact I know little about it, but it effects why I am here and what it is that I am here to do.  Let me explain.  One of the reasons we began looking to move to Africa, South Africa specifically was because of the orphan crisis.  But we have been told that because of Ubuntu, there is no orphan crisis.  We were told by the director at the child welfare office that because of Ubuntu, Africa has no orphans.  Everyone here has family, and so that means there is always someone who is willing to take care of you.....right? Hmmm.....sounds like a good concept.

So how does Ubuntu effect my Saturday.  Nothing crazy today, pretty calm relaxing day.  Did some shopping this morning, checked out a market day at one of the local shops, ran a few errands for church tomorrow, nothing big.  Got home made some lunch, fiddled around the house a bit.  Thought to myself, I should run out to the Kulanikahle, last few times I have been there have been during school and I have missed seeing the children.  As I am gathering up the troops I get a call from Mama (director of Kulanikahle) and she said we need to go see some children that need some help, so we set up a day next week and then our call gets dropped.  Oh, well I will see her in a minute and confirm everything.  So, I drive out and when I arrive, she says the two boys that she wanted to go visit had walked to her house to meet her.  She tells me that she heard about these boys from 3 different people.  Their mother and father have both passed away.  They were being looked after by their auntie and she recently lost her job and can no longer take care of them.  They are having trouble eating and the house they stay in is pretty rough and wanted to know if they could come stay with Mama.  We walk around the house to meet them.  They are older, one is 19 and in 11th grade, the other is 17 and in 10th grade.  They brought a friend along with them.  I notice that they all have phones, something I have noticed even with some of the kids at the orphanage.  They speak to mama in zulu for a short time.  I have no idea what is being said.  Their English is a little rough but we are able to get through some basics.  Mama goes into the house and returns with a box.  I peak inside and see a loaf of bread and some other misc food items.  She also has a couple of school supplies for them. She ask me if I can take them home with her.  Sure, I am always up for a drive through different parts of the township.  I don't usually venture off the main road, but with Mama, I feel safe as we venture off the main road.  

(a note about cell phones here in ZA, most phones here are prepaid cellular meaning that if someone gave you a phone or you find an old one, for about $1 you can buy a sim card that will allow you to receive incoming calls, but not make them.  So in America it usually means your paying for a contract, here its more like if I gave one of my kids my old phone so that I could call them if I have to, or they could simply use it for music)

So we arrive at their house.  Actually I don't know where their house is, I simply park in the road and we begin walking up this trail.  We pass a house on the right and there are people outside sitting around a TV watching a soccer game.  The trail is short, but a little steep, and a little rough.  We walk up to what I thought was a barn behind the house where the people were watching tv and I am told this is where the boys are staying.  We talk for a little bit.  I asked how they were doing in school, and they both run inside and come back out with their report cards from last year.  They are not perfect, but they passed.  I asked if I could see inside and they take me in.  First off they have no front door.  Looks like it has just rotted away.  I think its a dirt floor, its too dark too tell.  The first room is just empty except for a few pots and pans, the next room is just a bed and dresser where they both sleep.  There is another room in the back where two more boys stay.  Today was a sunny day, but my guess would be that with a good rain the roof would leak.  There is an outside outhouse and a hose for water.  No indoor plumbing, no showers.  The boys tell us that there are days they don't eat.  They get 1 meal a day through the school Monday - Friday, but sometimes don't eat at all on the weekends.  Mama has told me this in the past, so I guess this is a fairly regular thing here.  The boys point next to their shack and there is a small, maybe 3' high start to a house, that is completely over taken by weeds.  They said this was the house that their mother started.  All around them is family.  The house below with people watching TV, family, next door, family, side of the house, family.  Everywhere there is family, but yet still 2 boys go with out food.  Ubuntu?  I don't get it.  

I ask mama if we should talk with granny.  The boys said she is home so we walk over.  I guess in mind I am just trying to understand if these boys really need help and at the same time trying to understand Ubuntu.  Granny and mama speak awhile in Zulu.  She says she doesn't have any extra to help with the boys.  I ask how many kids she is already taking care of and she says 7.  I asked if there was anything she needed and she said she was good.  I mentioned to her that if she ever needed she could come to mama's on Saturday for food.  They chat awhile longer and we leave and walk back to the boys house.  I ask them again what their needs are and they said food, clothes, and a mattress.  

Two other men come out as we are saying goodbye to the boys and tell us how worried they are about the boys and that they have watched the boys sleep through the day, because they are not eating enough.  They talk about helping get the grants for the boys so that they have a little bit of money to buy food.  I wonder if there was grant money if suddenly all the family would be there to help....I told the boys, that if they can get to Mama's house on Saturday we will try and make sure that there is enough food for them to have some.  There is a church that meets at KulaniKahle, so I told the boys that if they can make it for church on Sunday then we will make sure that they get some lunch on Sunday as well.  

As we drive back to Kulanikahle Mama and I speak about the need to get the soup kitchen started on Saturdays.  It seems like a good plan.  It would be impossible for us to run food to people all over the township, but we could do a soup kitchen for whoever can make it to Kulanikahle.  It would also show us who really needed help and who was just looking for a hand out.  If we do it on Sundays, then we can feed them spiritually and physically.

I will need to speak with her about Ubuntu, and how something like this happens especially when there is so much family so close by.  It feels more like, "not my kid, not my problem" 

I know your probably wondering, and no I did not have my camera, but I did have my phone, so I took a pretty rough video.  The last room inside is the bedroom and its very dark. The first scene is mama and the two boys outside their shack.  The second scene is me walking back towards the boys house as we left Granny's.

So, I am thankful that I went to Kulanikahle today, not just to see the kids there, but to also experience that this really does happen.  I had heard about kids not eating, but this is the first time I have experienced it face to face.  We are trying to get grants and donations from the grocery stores in the area, and we as a church take some food out to Kulanikahle once a month.  Mama is trying to feed 25 kids on her own, so to now go and figure out how to feed a 100+ people at a soup kitchen is more then we can do as a church or she can do on her own.  Would you please join in praying that God would supply what we need to make this soup kitchen and clothing bank a reality.  There really are kids out there who will go all weekend without eating.  We can help put an end to that.  

Thanks for reading, hopefully I was able to accurately put into words what I saw and heard.

Shelby