Day Eight

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us, most of us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is with us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people the permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others. -Marianne Williamson - spoken by Nelson Mandela We have arrived in Malungeni after another long day on the bus.  Our time on the bus is spent in conversation, reading, naps and viewing the amazingly varied countryside of this beautiful country. From Indian Ocean vistas to green rolling mountains with small homesteads dotting the landscape and small bustling villages, it is a glorious view. Our accommodations in Malungeni are simple.  Three buildings make up the compound with sleeping quarters in each one.  The water source is rainwater collected in large reservoirs so we must use this resource sparingly.  No showers and limited bathing for a few days. We have shopped for food on our way in nearby Umtata.  Meals will be simple and easy to cook in a gas stove. This is a story shared by Anna Larson from our time in Cape Town: Our first Saturday we went to the JLZwane Centre to observe the FLY program.  FLY stands for Fun Learning for Youth. The program is led by successful men and women who have come back to the Townships to teach math, English and life skills classes on Saturday mornings. These classes give them the additional education needed for college preparation. A local friend, Lumkile, joined us for our day trip to Stellenbosch. We had a conversation about traditional South African meals.  Lumkile said if I were to come to his house for dinner, he would serve semp, maize and intestines. I shared with him American's traditions, celebrations, holidays and food. Lumkile told me how much South Africans look up to the U.S., especially President Obama, who is about at the same level as Nelson Mandela.