Day Ten

Peace Prayer from Joan Chittister Give us insight, Oh God To choose leaders who can tell Strength from power Growth from greed, And leadership from dominance. Give us a vision to know Where global leadership truly lies, To require it to protect human rights For everyone...everywhere. We ask these things, Great God, With minds open to Your word And hearts that trust in Your eternal care. AMEN [divider scroll_text="SCROLL_TEXT"] Day Ten Our day began with a return to the community of Itipini.  This is a community that many of you would remember as being the one built on a garbage dump.  In the last year we were able to reunite with a remnant of the original Itipini Community. This morning we met with a leader of the community numbering approximately 200 people. We learned of their struggles in being accepted at the local clinic responsible for their health care needs.  Sadly they are perceived as being the poorest of them poor and are often the recipients of name calling and have not been able to receive any level of health care.  We made contact with a local nurse's school that specifically trains their nurses for home care. In talking to a nurse who is in charge of the faculty and students, we have hopefully arranged for all of the Itipini community to able to receive a full assessment of their health care needs.  We will also make as available medications for pain and wound care.  Our group was present for and assisted in providing 57 food parcels.  This is a community that Arm In Arm In Africa will remain faithful in accessing their needs and diligent in standing in solidarity with them. Our day continued back in Malungeni awaiting the arrival of the food parcel truck.  We were able to spend time under the shade tree with many members of the community.  There was a spirited, shared discussion around what is for us to be human begins together.  Many members of the community share some of their memories of the apartheid period and the struggles of reaching an experience of reconciliation in their own personal lives. The conversation continued when both of our communities had the opportunity to share their hopes for children. This distribution, the first of four for the year, followed as the truck arrived carrying food parcels for 125 families.  With the combined efforts of many, the food was offloaded efficiently. It is always an outstanding sight to see 125 parcels of food with the families standing next to it to receive the food. The day ended with our recognition that we can obviously not meet all of the needs that exist with our beloved family in South Africa. That said, we also ended the day being able to celebrate the fact that many men, women and children will not need to be as concerned as they normally are in regards to having enough to eat. We give thanks for the nourishment that we receive from their joy and faithfulness to what is important in their life. Peace, The 2014 Delegation