Judy and I are taking the kids of Eluxolweni Shelter to "Nando's," a chicken place in central Grahamstown tonight. It's meant to be a treat for the people who came to our video workshop and behaved themselves over these past two weeks. They voted for Nando's. We're taking them to Nando's. 16 kids in all will be coming.
It's odd how quickly your thinking changes when you find yourself in different situations. Nando's has big windows that face the street--and that face a very busy street in Grahamstown. In most areas of the world and in most situations, these windows would be a selling point: eat your meal, watch people passing outside, talk a bit, then leave.
However, here, these windows translate to a security concern for the kids. With the stabbing still fresh in our minds, and with the stabber out of jail wandering the streets, we weren't entirely prepared to eat in a restaurant where he might see us, get jealous and come in. The boy he stabbed is healing nicely and will be in attendance tonight.
For everyones peace of mind, we've hired a security guard from "Hi Tech Armed Response," a security firm in South Africa, to accompany us. The kids we're with are fantastic kids. The hours we spend with them will likely never be forgotten. We just can't have anyone crashing the party and stabbing the kids.
So, tonight, it will be Judy, myself, and 16 really great, hopefully well-behaved children from Eluxolweni Shelter eating, laughing, loving life in glass walled Nando's. Just a couple feet away will be one security guard ready to take out anyone who tries to hurt the kids.
I suppose there's some truth to the saying that desperate times call for desperate measures.
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1 comment:
Wow dude. Wow.
My global teacher, Miss Ayers, told me about you, since we're learning about Africa and such (AP Euro woo). I have to say that you definitely took a huge leap going to Africa, and i completely respect that. Hearing you talk about things like this, how those poor children can hardly afford food or shelter, it breaks my heart. And then i laugh because i think about all the crap that goes on here, with kids doing drugs or committing suicide just because their life sucks. You probably think that's stupid too, after all the things you've seen there. But i just wanted to say hello, and that i hope you win that grant thingie. I didn't get a chance to vote, but i do think you should win. Those children deserve it more than others, i think.
Good luck kid.
--Amber
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